Creative Intentions Issue No. 9

Welcome to the ninth issue of Creative Intentions. We only have three more issues to go after this!

With this newsletter, I hope to inspire all creative types to learn about their personal creativity and how to grow from their creative work. Each week, for twelve weeks, you can look forward to a feature article with information, tips and ideas surrounding the realm of creativity.

Please leave your feedback and comments, as I need to know how I am doing with my goals. Thank you in advance for reading the newsletter and for offering your comments.

Feature Article Topic:

Creativity and Keeping a Journal

Jour·nal (jûr’nl), n. 1. a daily record of occurrences or observations.

No wonder we feel guilty if we don’t write every day in our journal! Somebody’s got to write to Webster’s about this! According to many avid journal keepers and diarists throughout history, there is no right or wrong way to keep a journal. Isn’t that good news! In fact, thinking that there is a right or a wrong way is a terrific way to stifle creativity (trust me- I’ve done this to myself!). You might notice that the format of the journal is not specified, either. Your journal can be a series of napkin poems, a spiral notebook, a blog on the computer, a sketchbook, a fancy leather bound book, or whatever works best for you.

I once had an idea to keep journals based on themes. For example, I’d have a Dream Journal, a Love Journal, a Relationship Journal, an Ideas Journal, a Visual Journal/Sketchbook, etc. I’d also have a portable journal that I’d carry with me all of the time, just because it is so frustrating when those important thoughts escape me if I don’t write them down! Everybody journals in their own unique way. Some people actually do journal everyday, and that is marvelous. Some choose to double their daily planner or calendar as a journal; that works, too! When thinking about keeping a journal, be creative. Take the pressure off and experiment with various formats, styles, and timelines until it feels good to you. Journal when you are stressed out. Try journaling in the morning. Then try journaling in the evening. What time of day works better for you? Paint the pages ahead of time and then write on top of your own painted paper! Be wild and free in your journal.

Suggestion:

Go to the library or book store and look for the diaries of: Alice James, Katherine Mansfield, Virginia Woolf, May Sarton, Anaïs Nin, Anne Frank, Henry David Thoreau, William S. Burroughs, Henry Miller, etc.

There are also several great books on keeping journals. Here is a list of titles:

Life’s Companion: Journal Writing as a Spiritual Quest By Christina Baldwin

http://www.amazon.com/Lifes-Companion-Journal-Writing-Spiritual/dp/0553352024/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1281359777&sr=8-1

The Creative Journal: The Art of Finding Yourself By Lucia Capacchione

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_20?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=the+creative+journal+the+art+of+finding+yourself&sprefix=The+Creative+Journal&ih=19_0_0_0_0_0_0_0_0_2.67_463&fsc=19

Leaving a Trace: The Art of Transforming a Life into Stories

By Alexandra Johnson

http://www.amazon.com/Leaving-Trace-Keeping-Alexandra-Johnson/dp/0316121568/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1281359883&sr=1-1

The New Diary: How to Use a Journal for Self-Guidance and Expanded Creativity

By Tristine Rainer

http://www.amazon.com/New-Diary-Tristine-Rainer/dp/0874771501/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1281359922&sr=1-1

How to Make a Journal of Your Life By Dan Price

http://www.amazon.com/How-Make-Journal-Your-Life/dp/1580080936/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1281359968&sr=1-1

Visual Journaling: Going Deeper than Words By Barbara Ganim & Susan Fox

http://www.amazon.com/Visual-Journaling-Going-Deeper-Words/dp/0835607771/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1281360009&sr=1-1

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Journaling By Joan R. Neubauer

http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Idiots-Guide-Journaling-Neubauer/dp/0028639804/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1281360044&sr=1-1

The Decorated Page: Journals, Scrapbooks & Albums Made Simply Beautiful

By Gwen Diehn

http://www.amazon.com/Decorated-Page-Journals-Scrapbooks-Beautiful/dp/1579905129/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1281360072&sr=1-1

The Decorated Journal: Creating Beautifully Expressive Journal Pages By Gwen Diehn

http://www.amazon.com/Decorated-Journal-Creating-Beautifully-Expressive/dp/1579909566/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1281360111&sr=1-2

Visual Chronicles: The No-Fear Guide to Creating Art Journals, Creative Manifestos and Altered Books By Linda Woods and Karen Dinino

http://www.amazon.com/Visual-Chronicles-Creating-Journals-Manifestos/dp/1581807708/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1281360182&sr=1-3

Journal Spilling: Mixed-Media Techniques for Free Expression By Diana Trout

http://www.amazon.com/Journal-Spilling-Mixed-Media-Techniques-Expression/dp/1600613195/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1281360285&sr=1-1-fkmr1

Journal Bliss: Creative Prompts to Unleash Your Inner Eccentric By Violette

http://www.amazon.com/Journal-Bliss-Creative-Prompts-Eccentric/dp/1600611893/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1281360357&sr=1-6

True Vision: Authentic Art Journaling By L.K. Ludwig

http://www.amazon.com/True-Vision-Authentic-Art-Journaling/dp/1592534260/ref=sr_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1281360430&sr=1-8

Creative Wildfire: An Introduction to Art Journaling Basics and Beyond By L.K. Ludwig

http://www.amazon.com/Creative-Wildfire-Introduction-Journaling-Basics/dp/1592536018/ref=sr_1_12?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1281360487&sr=1-12

The Creative License: Giving Yourself Permission to Be The Artist You Truly Are By Danny Gregory

http://www.amazon.com/Creative-License-Giving-Yourself-Permission/dp/1401307922/ref=sr_1_11?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1281360614&sr=1-11

An Illustrated Life: Drawing Inspiration from the Private Sketchbooks of Artists, Illustrators and Designers By Danny Gregory

http://www.amazon.com/Illustrated-Life-Inspiration-Sketchbooks-Illustrators/dp/1600610862/ref=sr_1_32?s=STORE&ie=UTF8&qid=1281361079&sr=1-32

1,000 Artist Journal Pages: Personal Pages and Inspirations By Dawn DeVries Sokol

http://www.amazon.com/000-Artist-Journal-Pages-Inspirations/dp/1592534120/ref=sr_1_20?s=STORE&ie=UTF8&qid=1281360675&sr=1-20

Wide Open: Inspiration and Techniques for Art Journaling on the Edge (Book & Card Kit) By Randi Feuerhelm-Watts

http://www.amazon.com/Wide-Open-Inspiration-Techniques-Journaling/dp/1581809115/ref=sr_1_23?s=STORE&ie=UTF8&qid=1281360769&sr=1-23

The Journal Junkies Workshop: Visual Ammunition for the Art Addict By Eric M. Scott and David R. Modler

http://www.amazon.com/Journal-Junkies-Workshop-Visual-Ammunition/dp/1600614566/ref=sr_1_24?s=STORE&ie=UTF8&qid=1281360864&sr=1-24

Art Journals and Creative Healing: Restoring the Spirit Through Self-Expression By Sharon Soneff

http://www.amazon.com/Art-Journals-Creative-Healing-Self-Expression/dp/1592533647/ref=sr_1_26?s=STORE&ie=UTF8&qid=1281360942&sr=1-26

Taking Flight: Inspiration and Techniques To Give Your Creative Spirit Wings By Kelly Rae Roberts

http://www.amazon.com/Taking-Flight-Inspiration-Techniques-Creative/dp/160061082X/ref=sr_1_30?s=STORE&ie=UTF8&qid=1281361006&sr=1-30

Wreck This Journal By Keri Smith

http://www.amazon.com/Wreck-This-Journal-Keri-Smith/dp/039953346X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1281361266&sr=1-1

Announcements:

August 16, 2010 Issue No. 10 will feature an article on

Creativity and Awareness

May your journal reach out and grab you this week!

© BrianaCreates 2010 All Rights Reserved

Briana: Artist, Writer, Teacher, and Creativity Coach

Contact at bmriskin@earthlink.net

Blog http://courageouslycreating.blogspot.com/

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