Writing, just like any other skill, takes time and energy to develop. You probably wouldn’t wake up one morning and expect to run a marathon the same day; you would train and practice and stretch and get yourself into the right physical condition for the race. Developing your writing skills is a similar process: by working at it consistently every day, you become a stronger and more versatile writer.
Here are a few journal prompts to keep your writing muscles lean and mean and ready for anything!
5 Journaling Exercises for Writing Fitness
1. The writer I most admire is…
Choose a writer who has influenced you as a reader and as a writer. What about his or her style do you like best? What has he or she taught you about writing?
2. What the back of my book jacket would say…
Imagine your very first book is about to be published, and you need write a short and snappy biography for the cover. Make it sound like you so your adoring fans can get to know you better.
3. My biggest writing goal is…
Visualize yourself a few years down the road. What do you hope to have accomplished or improved as a writer? What writing skills do you want to be working on?
4. The stranger in the coffee shop is…
Take your journal to a coffee shop and spend some time people watching. Choose a fellow customer who looks interesting, and write a fictional life story for him or her. Why does he look preoccupied? Where is she going with that briefcase? Let your imagination roam freely.
5. This story would be totally different if…
Start with a story you know well – a favorite book, play, fairy tale or family anecdote – and change a major component of it. Re-imagine Macbeth in modern times. Retell Peter Pan from Tinkerbell or Captain Hook’s perspective. Change the ending to The Hunger Games trilogy
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