Mari’s Journaling Power Blog

Take ACTION for A Better Tomorrow

Learn from real people, just like you, how therapeutic journaling can benefit your life. Within these personal stories you’ll find journaling tips, tricks, inspiration and ideas that help you structure your journaling practice—and discover the true value journaling can bring to your life.

Find the inspiration to keep going and the motivation to make journaling work for you and your hectic schedule. Learn about these everyday people who made the decision to put pen to paper and how it transformed their lives!

Have a problem getting back into or staying with your Journaling Power Practice? CreateWriteNow provides 300+ unique, soul-searching journaling power prompts here that will inspire your Muse and jumpstart your word flow.

Mari's Journaling Power Blog

Transforming Everyday Events Into Great Scenes

“Careful, or you’ll end up in my novel.” This line lives on a magnet attached to my refrigerator. People laugh when they see it, and so do I. But to some extent, it’s true. Fictionalizing events from our lives turns everyday interactions into valuable material. Elements of reality lend authenticity and interest to our stories.

 

When someone irritates me in an infuriating way, I take the behavior and give it to a character. The incident serves the story, increasing tension and fleshing out a personality. As I weave the moment into the book, I change the context a bit, adding slight modifications to make the person unrecognizable.

 

The encounters we notice and transform don’t have to be negative. If I see or hear something that stays with me long after it occurred, I jot it down. An interesting visual, like a row of foam wig-heads, can help describe a character’s bedroom. A neighbor’s story of how a son comforted his father after a fall could illustrate the deepening bond between two characters. I also take note of quirky details—like a woman who prefers vodka over root beer in ice cream floats, or another who frequents antique shops and exits with her hair full of dust. The things that make those people interesting can make our characters intriguing. These specifics render them authentic, relatable, funny, memorable, and real. 

 

Incorporating everyday details into our writing isn’t exclusive to what I see in others. I use observations about myself as well. What affinities and experiences of my own can enliven my writing? While sorting through the mail one day, I saw an ad with a boy and his age-progressed image. This inspired the opening scenes of Have You Seen Him, in which David sees his own face in a missing child ad. Gayle, David’s girlfriend, loves pink—she prefers pink flowers, carries a pink purse, and rants about how pink is a suitable color for grown women, not just babies. It’s probably no surprise that pink is my favorite color as well. Including that detail was an opportunity to ground my character in reality and give my personal opinion. 



With writing, we can adapt our observations, frustrations, and memorable moments as source material. These details enrich our characters, plot, and dialogue, making them interesting and distinct. Writers notice things and bring them to the page, molding aspects of reality into a story. Keep your notebook ready. Stay on the lookout. If folks aren’t careful, they might just end up in your novel!

About the Author

Kimberly Lee, JD is the author of the riveting thriller Have You Seen Him. A versatile writer, editor, and creativity coach, she has a passion for nurturing the imaginative spirit and helping others reveal their own inner wisdom. Kimberly is an Amherst Writers & Artists affiliate and serves on its board. She is a certified facilitator of SoulCollage®, Journal to the Self, and Guided Autobiography, as well as a joyful meditation teacher and Groove Method provider. A teaching artist with Hugo House, Women On Writing, The Writing Salon, and Loft Literary, Kimberly has led events at numerous retreats and conferences. Recent collaborations include Esalen Institute, Omega Institute, Arts & Healing Initiative, the Expressive Therapies Summit, and Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center. Kimberly’s writing has appeared in a variety of publications and anthologies, and she has served on the staffs of Literary Mama, F(r)iction, and Carve Magazines. Kimberly trusts in the magic and mystery of miracles and synchronicity, and believes everyone is creative and has unique gifts to share. Connect with Kimberly on Instagram @klcreatrix or at KimberlyLee.me.

Read More

Mari's Journaling Power Blog

Created to Heal: How Nature Illustrates the Design of our Hearts

In March 1989, word reached a much younger me that the oil tanker Exxon Valdez had run aground on Bligh Reef and spilled eleven million gallons of crude oil into the pristine Alaska water of Prince...

Read More

Mari's Journaling Power Blog

The Healing Benefits of Writing Letters You Never Send

Some rituals don’t demand an audience. Writing a letter you’ll never post falls into that category. The pen moves, and as youchoose words to put on paper, the mind works itself into focus. This is...

Read More

Mari's Journaling Power Blog

Risk and Routine: How Everyday Decisions Shape Long-Term Outcomes

We make hundreds of choices each day. Some decisions influence our future, while others barely register. Yet our routines and tolerance for risk work together to shape success or setbacks....

Read More

Mari's Journaling Power Blog

Mental Health in Fiction: Realistic Portrayals and Personal Reflections

As a cognitive behavioral therapist turned fiction author, I have a lot of mental health representation in my novels. My education drives my character development, and I like to give my characters...

Read More

Mari's Journaling Power Blog

Post-Treatment Life: Breast Cancer Coping Strategies & Survivorship

After treatment for breast cancer, it’s not uncommon to feel like you’re living a different life. Although many aspects of your life may remain the same, the way that you interact with your body and...

Read More

Mari's Journaling Power Blog

What Your Writing Style Says About Your Emotions

Your writing reveals more than just thoughts—it reflects your emotional state. From sentence structure to word choice, every element of how you write carries emotional weight. You might not notice...

Read More

Mari's Journaling Power Blog

The Benefits of Daily Movement for Long-Term Wellness

You’ve probably heard from every corner about how important exercise is for your overall health. Those airbrushed fitness magazines and gung-ho online trainers are only giving you part of the story....

Read More

Mari's Journaling Power Blog | Morning Journaling Habit

How to Start a Morning Journaling Habit That Sticks

No one said you’ve got to be Kafka or something to take up writing as an everyday ritual. That’s a practice all of us can benefit from, and more often than not, it’s not about eloquence or...

Read More
Our Blog: Insights, Inspiration, and Empowerment

Mari’s Journaling Power Blog

Kimberly Lee
September 3, 2025

Transforming Everyday Events Into Great Scenes

Transforming Everyday Events Into Great Scenes
“Careful, or you’ll end up in my novel.” This line lives on a magnet attached to my refrigerator. People laugh when they see it, and so do I. But to...
Cheryl Grey Bostrom
August 27, 2025

Created to Heal: How Nature Illustrates the Design of our Hearts

Created to Heal: How Nature Illustrates the Design of our Hearts
In March 1989, word reached a much younger me that the oil tanker Exxon Valdez had run aground on Bligh Reef and spilled eleven million gallons of...
Carl Grossman
August 20, 2025

The Healing Benefits of Writing Letters You Never Send

The Healing Benefits of Writing Letters You Never Send
Some rituals don’t demand an audience. Writing a letter you’ll never post falls into that category. The pen moves, and as youchoose words to put on...
Megan Isola
August 15, 2025

Risk and Routine: How Everyday Decisions Shape Long-Term Outcomes

Risk and Routine: How Everyday Decisions Shape Long-Term Outcomes
We make hundreds of choices each day. Some decisions influence our future, while others barely register. Yet our routines and tolerance for risk work...
Megan Michelle
August 13, 2025

Mental Health in Fiction: Realistic Portrayals and Personal Reflections

Mental Health in Fiction: Realistic Portrayals and Personal Reflections
As a cognitive behavioral therapist turned fiction author, I have a lot of mental health representation in my novels. My education drives my...
Jeremy Silverstein
July 30, 2025

Post-Treatment Life: Breast Cancer Coping Strategies & Survivorship

Post-Treatment Life: Breast Cancer Coping Strategies & Survivorship
After treatment for breast cancer, it’s not uncommon to feel like you’re living a different life. Although many aspects of your life may remain the...
Sophia Zeng
July 26, 2025

What Your Writing Style Says About Your Emotions

What Your Writing Style Says About Your Emotions
Your writing reveals more than just thoughts—it reflects your emotional state. From sentence structure to word choice, every element of how you write...
Ashley Nielsen
July 24, 2025

The Benefits of Daily Movement for Long-Term Wellness

The Benefits of Daily Movement for Long-Term Wellness
You’ve probably heard from every corner about how important exercise is for your overall health. Those airbrushed fitness magazines and gung-ho...
John Merryman
July 5, 2025

How to Start a Morning Journaling Habit That Sticks

How to Start a Morning Journaling Habit That Sticks
No one said you’ve got to be Kafka or something to take up writing as an everyday ritual. That’s a practice all of us can benefit from, and more...

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Stay up-to-date with the latest news, updates, and exclusive content from CreateWriteNow by subscribing to our newsletter. Join our community of journaling enthusiasts and embark on a journey of self-discovery and personal growth.