Email: Why do creative writers keep personal diaries, journals? (HK)
“You want to write? You need to keep an honest, unpublishable journal that nobody reads, nobody but you”, L’Engle counselled aspiring writers. Auden described his journal as a “discipline for laziness & lack of observation.” Brings forth passion, naturalness, playfulness, spontaneity & uniqueness! Helps disentangle & de-stress our cluttered mind.
A little daily journaling is a great practice to quench our curiosity, to surrender to our creative urges. Teaches us how to be present with ourselves, to capture beautiful living moments, to be grateful for genuine daily experiences. It unleash our inner stimuli, imaginations & inspirations. Reading diaries of artists & scientists for direct glimpses into their creative struggles is fascinating. Journaling is simply an authentic record of our thought & emotion. A special tool for self-expression.