Why a writer’s journal when we have computers?

1. 1. Brain research and writing:
      1. 2010 - German scientists research study - How Handwriting Trains the Brain - The Wall Street Journal by Gwendolyn Bounds, Oct 5 2010
      2. 2012- Indiana University study by Karin H. James and Laura Engelhardt - The effects on handwriting experience on functional brain development in pre-literate children by Karin H. James and Laura Engelhardt Dec. 2012
      3. Here are the other articles I also referenced:

Three Ways that Handwriting with a Pen Positively Affects Your Brain by Nancy Olson Forbes May 15, 2016

Your Brain on Writing by Institute for Writers August 17, 2017  - I shared this one with my students and we discussed it

Other helpful links about writer’s journals:

How to Keep a Writing Journal You Won't Neglect 

 

The more I use my journals ( I have different journals for different writing purposes) the more productive I am vs. just typing everything out on the computer. 

1. 1. 1. Less distractions from social media
      2. Less false starts and less revision due to those false starts
      3. I don’t want to waste time because my writing time is precious

Writer’s Journals Experimentation in my classroom

1. 1. Last year, I didn’t have students take notes or brainstorm the first quarter in their notebooks. I wanted them to have more writing time.
   2. They actually had less because they spent too much time trying to relearn what I’d taught during mini-lessons.
   3. Students forgot what I’d just taught them - even if I had them repeat it back to me multiple times before they went to their computers
      1. When they did get down to writing - they had lots of stops and starts and most suffered from writer's block
      2.  so assignments took 2 to 3 times longer than they do this year.
   4. By comparison, this school year all students had a writer’s journal
      1. They retain more info
      2. Students have notes at their fingertips
      3. They have drafts started
      4. More completed assignments over last year
      5. Less writer’s block
   5. The key takeaway: writing in a journal can help engage your mind more productively and creatively than just typing on a keyboard

What  we use our writer’s journals for:

1. 1. Mind-mapping:  Get your free download by going to www.teach2write.com/start-write-now-guide
   2. Freewriting - writing nonstop for a set amount of time like 5-10 minutes 
   3. Listing - as many ideas about a topic as you can
   4. Sketching/Drawing - maps, characters, scenes, storyboards, one-pagers
   5. Practice techniques 

1. 1. 1. Example: trying different POV 
      2. Example: trying different thesis statements for essays With my students
      3. For myself: main point I want to make in a blog post or podcast 
      4. Outlining or planning

I would be absolutely lost without being able to write down my ideas. 

My writer’s journal is a mess, so my computer docs don’t have to be.

When I type into the computer BEFORE journaling, the quality of my ideas suffer and it takes twice as long to write anything because I’m always revising

Conclusion: Here are some actionable steps writers and teachers can take

1. 1. Download freebie: Start Write Now Guide
   2. Get a notebook that’s comfortable for you and start trying the strategies before you give it to your students
   3. How does it help you? What struggles are you having?
   4. Using a journal or writers journal it’s just like any other tool  - consistency is key - Work on it every day
   5. Rate, comment and subscribe- I will use your comments to help me improve this podcast so I can better help you with The Write idea.
   6. Thank you so much for listening- I look forward to hearing from you! 

 

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