My YouTube Channel is up: A New Author with New Beginnings

So, I'm up on YouTube now! Both nervous AND excited about this. :)

My Reason for Writing "Easy Journal Writing": Reason #1

I wanted to write and publish Easy Journal Writing because I didn’t see any books about journal writing that catered to those pressed for time. And even if you weren’t pressed for time, but had trouble making and keeping a journal routine, this book would still help you.

I have some books in my bookshelf that have writing prompts and journal writing prompts. But they call for writing more than one or two sentences. That’s fine with me, except that it’s not fine for everyone. What if you don’t want to be overwhelmed with a question that demands a whole page of writing if you don’t have the patience?

Many journal writing prompts are philosophical or thought-provoking. If you want to start a journal with those kinds of prompts, it will become too much. So I thought I could be helpful and provide something different out there—something not so intimidating. Something I can publish to get my message out there.

Journal writing doesn’t have to be so hard. You need to make it easy for yourself.

Some things that might not work for me might work for others, including you. So I also share my experience, knowledge and suggestions before the light prompts.

Easy Journal Writing is the first book I wrote to spread my message. I plan to write more. I still have more insights to share—so this is only a beginning!

Why "Lighter Prompts"?

As you may know, the full title of my book is titled Easy Journal Writing: Jump-start Your Journaling Routine with Expert Tips and Light Prompts.

What are 'light prompts,' you might wonder?

I wanted to include “light prompts” in the subtitle for Easy Journal Writing because right from the get-go it tells people these journal prompts are no-pressure. Everyone likes to save time, do things faster and easier, and be successful doing it. I know Easy Journal Writing is not the only journal writing book out there. But it’s one that can aid readers in starting a journal routine.

‘Light’ doesn’t mean heavy or profound. So I'm suggesting you take baby steps toward completing a big task (like filling pages in a notebook).

I think collecting light prompts inspired by my journaling experience—rather than journal prompts that are recycled, too deep and cause reluctance—was a great idea. And that’s why I wanted to say “Light Prompts” instead of just “Prompts.”

Use them to ease into your journaling routine so that you can continue to keep journal writing as part of a regular schedule, or at least a few times a week. When you set aside more time to write in your journal, you’ll know you’re on your way to success. You’ll have the freedom to write as little as you want or as much as you want!

And Easy Journal Writing will help you do that.

Pick up your copy of the eBook today!

https://www.amazon.com/author/sara-a-watts 

 

Easy Journal Writing is on Amazon Kindle!

Hi writers and readers,

My eBook Easy Journal Writing is now available for the Amazon Kindle. This is exciting for me! I'm both excited and nervous putting myself out there in a way I haven't before.

Within the next week, I'll be sharing some different insights about my book. Things like: why I wrote the book and why I gave the book its subtitle.

So stay tuned. In the meantime, grab your copy of Easy Journal Writing and learn how you can ease into journal writing in your spare time. You don't wanna miss out!

https://www.amazon.com/author/sara-a-watts

UPDATE: New book cover! It has been updated to the cover design below:

Here was the old cover for the eBook:

 

Dear Journal vs. Dear Jane vs. [BLANK]

It's just a short post for today. JOURNAL NAMES!

We all have a favorite way to greet our journal at the beginning of every entry.

But what are the benefits of addressing a book we are writing in by name or by “Journal?”

Anne Frank named her diary “Kitty.”  She personified her diary with a [pet] name so it can be easy to write into it as if speaking to a silent friend.

I’ve given my old diaries names too… Xi, and Sairah, to name a couple.

I’ve even greeted my diaries with made-up words for “hello”!

The trend of greeting a journal with a “Dear Journal” or “Dear Jane/Jack” varies from person to person. It depends on what the journal is for, or how it helps the journal writer get in the mindset of writing—communicating to the self. One could even address the journal by their own name, if that helps.

In my Comfort Journal I begin by writing the date, day and time on the right-hand side, then underneath I begin on the left-hand side, “Dear Journal.”

And my big 200-sheet  notebook?  I do that differently. I still date, day and time it, but I do not begin with a “Dear Journal” or “Dear Jane.”  I just simply begin. Perhaps it’s because I use this notebook as a writing dump, a place to just pour out stuff when my head overflows with thoughts and words. For this particular notebook there is no need to address it. But that’s just how I do that one.

QUESTION:

What do you think of journal names? Leave your response in the comments.

Curl Up With a Good Journal In Front of the Fire

Autumn is upon us in the United States. Little by little the climate is getting colder.

Most people would like to come back home after a long day and curl up with a good book.

But maybe some others, like me, want to write in a book ourselves.

We’d prefer to write in a journal book instead.

Relax and Pour Out a Cup of Brain Clutter

Sure, reading a novel is a good distraction from the real world. We are reminded how grateful we can be, that we are not in as troubled of a situation as the protagonists we read about.

Then there is also the clutter in our heads.

We shouldn’t leave our brains cluttered. It’s bound to happen at least after half of a day goes by, and it can be that way even as early as getting out of bed. “What’s gonna happen today? What should I not forget today? What do I need to be careful about today? Is that milk still good?”

Keeping that all in your head is not going to do you good if you need to, or want to, be in the present moment.

Maybe you had a new story idea you want to write down that’s been floating around in your head since lunchtime.

You can look forward to writing it down when you get home. Maybe not on a loose sheet of paper, but in a nice, good-quality journal book you bought for yourself some time ago. Or maybe that journal book was a gift, and you didn’t know what to write in it or when to start it.

Get Cozy

Start that journal today.

Ask for that time. No—GIVE yourself some time to be in a quiet place and write things down.

If you get resistance, well…

Here’s the thing. You need to treat that time like it’s sacred. Your doctor would order it. Your writer friend would suggest it; whether you identify as a writer or not, that sacred personal journaling time will still benefit.

Whatever it is you want to talk about, that you can’t talk about with anyone because it’s a story idea or it’s a painful emotion… your journal book won’t talk back at you. It won’t tell you what to do. It will show you what you thought, what you think, and how you feel. 

You can turn what you wrote down into something you can use.

 

And then… your brain won’t be as cluttered after you write your whirling thoughts. You can go to sleep. You can be fully involved in a conversation.

Curl Up With That Journal

So if you want to read a book when it’s time to relax, then go ahead. You can read that book soon.

But before you forget those important or interesting thoughts you don’t want to forget, write them down. Write them down in your journal book or notebook.

And maybe you won’t want to put that pen down. You may keep writing. The novel you’re reading can wait a little longer.

QUESTION:

Do you prefer reading or journaling on cold or rainy nights? Leave your answers in the comments.

Hello There and Welcome!

Hello fellow writers and readers!

Welcome to my author notebook. I am Sara A. Watts, the author of Easy Journal Writing: Jump-start Your Journaling Routine with Expert Tips and Light Prompts.

This is something of a starter blog until I’m able to make a better website. But for now, you can learn more about me and my book's topics here.

I will also be writing my thoughts and experiences as both a writer and an introvert. The purpose of this blog is to continue sharing those experiences after my book has been published. But I will share them so that you may relate. 

I want to make it known there are many positive aspects about being an introvert writer. I am constantly learning about my new life and continue to journal. And since I'm an advocate of journal writing, you will benefit from what I share.

I enjoy personal journaling, which is one of those positive qualities as an introvert. It allows me to write more when I'm not at my computer. And, journal writing really is stress relief. I say this in my book too. At the end of the day my head is filled with thoughts and ideas that need somewhere to go. So I write them down in a notebook. 

It's very therapeutic. :)

As of today I'm in my final preparations to publish the book for the Amazon Kindle, so I'm very excited about it!

Glad you found me. Happy reading!