Category: Daily Writers’ Fix

Do you keep a journal? Sitting down with paper–perhaps in the form of a nicely-bound book–and a pen can be a great way to unwind, relax, and clear one’s head. Today give yourself time to reflect and write a journal entry. It’s for your eyes only, so don’t get caught up in writing well. Just write.

If you don’t know where to start, use one of these prompts:

• Your most vivid memories from this past summer
• An amazing meal you ate recently, and who you shared it with
• What you’re hoping the upcoming holiday season will be like (and what you can do to make it happen)
• Your childhood career aspirations and how they resemble or differ from what you do now
• What you like or dislike about your neighborhood
• Your favorite place in the world

Today, in honor of National Novel Writing Month, challenge yourself to write 1,667 words–the daily average to meet the NaNoWriMo goal–whether you’re participating or not. It can be fiction or non-fiction, a short story draft or a journal entry, or perhaps 1,667 words of freewriting. Just let the words flow.

Suggestion: If you have a writing project or assignment you’re procrastinating on, consider using today to kick it into gear.

We’ve all been caught in an unflattering pose or expression at some point or another, right? Use that embarrassing moment in your writing today.

Choose a word. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a noun, verb, or adjective, as long as it relates to a story you’re working on. Find a language dictionary online and translate your word to the language of your choice. Without thinking of the meaning of the translated word, spend 10 minutes freewriting about what associations its sound brings to mind. Does this give you any new ideas for your story?