Comments on: Write Yourself Well http://thewritersbag.com/life_and_writing/write-yourself-well Writing tips for the real world. Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:44:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: AlecGold http://thewritersbag.com/life_and_writing/write-yourself-well/comment-page-1#comment-709 AlecGold Sat, 16 Aug 2008 08:10:46 +0000 http://thewritersbag.com/?p=239#comment-709 I write on a daily basis for work (I write applications for grants & subsidies, often boring sometimes for a really good cause), but I write as well to get rid of the "dirt" of that day, the stress, annoying things, the beautiful things etc. I've been doing so since the age of 15 or 16. The only thing that bothers me is that when I read back, all those notes, all those pages, pens, inks, all those hours seems so useless. The writing seems to go on and on about petty unimportant things. I can't stop writing, my fingers start to ache, there is an nervous unrest in them, so I write several notes during the day, I need to. Are there others that read back their journals (if you ever do so) and feel a bit disgusted by there petty things being described there some years ago? I write on a daily basis for work (I write applications for grants & subsidies, often boring sometimes for a really good cause), but I write as well to get rid of the “dirt” of that day, the stress, annoying things, the beautiful things etc. I’ve been doing so since the age of 15 or 16.
The only thing that bothers me is that when I read back, all those notes, all those pages, pens, inks, all those hours seems so useless. The writing seems to go on and on about petty unimportant things.
I can’t stop writing, my fingers start to ache, there is an nervous unrest in them, so I write several notes during the day, I need to.
Are there others that read back their journals (if you ever do so) and feel a bit disgusted by there petty things being described there some years ago?

]]> By: Steve Osborne http://thewritersbag.com/life_and_writing/write-yourself-well/comment-page-1#comment-651 Steve Osborne Wed, 06 Aug 2008 19:59:53 +0000 http://thewritersbag.com/?p=239#comment-651 Marie, thank you for your encouraging words. Marie, thank you for your encouraging words.

]]> By: Marie Pinschmidt http://thewritersbag.com/life_and_writing/write-yourself-well/comment-page-1#comment-650 Marie Pinschmidt Wed, 06 Aug 2008 19:31:55 +0000 http://thewritersbag.com/?p=239#comment-650 Thanks for this wonderful site. Writing can be healing. My husband died in 2000 and to deal with the loss I wrote a memoir of our life; difficult, but also rewarding in that it gave me a sense of accomplishment. It also helped me remember all the good times, not just the unhappy moments. This writing led me to write a novel just to see if I could! The first book led to a sequel which will be out soon. I also wrote a third novel since the writing kept me sane, my mind alert, and improved my physical health. I've also written poetry, essays, and short stories. I'm also an artist (painter) and writing and painting seem to be joined at the hip, at least in my case. I hope this encourages others. I'll be tuning in again for more great content, and although I'm hiking the downside of life's mountain, I may even take up ballet. Thanks for this wonderful site. Writing can be healing. My husband died in 2000 and to deal with the loss I wrote a memoir of our life; difficult, but also rewarding in that it gave me a sense of accomplishment. It also helped me remember all the good times, not just the unhappy moments. This writing led me to write a novel just to see if I could! The first book led to a sequel which will be out soon. I also wrote a third novel since the writing kept me sane, my mind alert, and improved my physical health. I’ve also written poetry, essays, and short stories. I’m also an artist (painter) and writing and painting seem to be joined at the hip, at least in my case. I hope this encourages others.

I’ll be tuning in again for more great content, and although I’m hiking the downside of life’s mountain, I may even take up ballet.

]]> By: Mary http://thewritersbag.com/life_and_writing/write-yourself-well/comment-page-1#comment-630 Mary Sun, 03 Aug 2008 16:23:01 +0000 http://thewritersbag.com/?p=239#comment-630 Just yesterday I was going through some old journal entries and it struck me how far I had come since those writings (about 10 years ago). I was a whiny mass of confusion and self-doubt back then. Yet, as I continued to read, I found hints that I was changing even then. My daughter, 17, also uses writing as a way to navigate the world. I'm glad she discovered this outlet and uses it. I think her ability to deal with her emotions this way has helped us to have the strong, positive relationship we do. Writing is very powerful. If it wasn't, we wouldn't have banned books and other attempts to restrict or censor the written word. Great post! Just yesterday I was going through some old journal entries and it struck me how far I had come since those writings (about 10 years ago). I was a whiny mass of confusion and self-doubt back then. Yet, as I continued to read, I found hints that I was changing even then.

My daughter, 17, also uses writing as a way to navigate the world. I’m glad she discovered this outlet and uses it. I think her ability to deal with her emotions this way has helped us to have the strong, positive relationship we do.

Writing is very powerful. If it wasn’t, we wouldn’t have banned books and other attempts to restrict or censor the written word.

Great post!

]]> By: Incurable Disease of Writing | Just Write Blog Carnival August 1, 2008 Edition http://thewritersbag.com/life_and_writing/write-yourself-well/comment-page-1#comment-612 Incurable Disease of Writing | Just Write Blog Carnival August 1, 2008 Edition Fri, 01 Aug 2008 09:03:15 +0000 http://thewritersbag.com/?p=239#comment-612 [...] Osborne presents Write Yourself Well posted at TheWritersBag.com, saying, “Steve Osborne, author of “Writing Tips for the [...] [...] Osborne presents Write Yourself Well posted at TheWritersBag.com, saying, “Steve Osborne, author of “Writing Tips for the [...]

]]> By: Maria http://thewritersbag.com/life_and_writing/write-yourself-well/comment-page-1#comment-586 Maria Tue, 29 Jul 2008 03:04:00 +0000 http://thewritersbag.com/?p=239#comment-586 Awesome. Simply awesome. Both the topic and your writing. Awesome. Simply awesome. Both the topic and your writing.

]]> By: Michael http://thewritersbag.com/life_and_writing/write-yourself-well/comment-page-1#comment-549 Michael Sat, 26 Jul 2008 21:19:49 +0000 http://thewritersbag.com/?p=239#comment-549 Steve, once again, thank you for a very interesting post. Writing in my Moleskine journal has been the only consistent way I have for examining what it all means. The "it" is nothing philosophical, "it" is just what happened today. When I do this, I am constantly amazed at how many "little" things happened _today_ that would have been consigned to the "Forgotten" bin of my brain, but which were not so "little" and actually quite significant. When I re-read what I have written on any given day, I typically have this feeling of "Oh God, what if I had forgotten _that_". I have become obsessive about journaling as a result, almost as if I fear losing a part of me. Steve, once again, thank you for a very interesting post.

Writing in my Moleskine journal has been the only consistent way I have for examining what it all means. The “it” is nothing philosophical, “it” is just what happened today.

When I do this, I am constantly amazed at how many “little” things happened _today_ that would have been consigned to the “Forgotten” bin of my brain, but which were not so “little” and actually quite significant. When I re-read what I have written on any given day, I typically have this feeling of “Oh God, what if I had forgotten _that_”.

I have become obsessive about journaling as a result, almost as if I fear losing a part of me.

]]> By: Steve Osborne http://thewritersbag.com/life_and_writing/write-yourself-well/comment-page-1#comment-537 Steve Osborne Fri, 25 Jul 2008 13:24:58 +0000 http://thewritersbag.com/?p=239#comment-537 Merwan, there are numerous books about journaling out there. I have read parts of many of them. I can't remember the names of them, however. You'll find them at the library or online. Just do a search. The examples I used in my post were not from the books. As for bags, I carry my pocket Moleskine in my pocket. (I often wear pants or shorts with cargo pockets, which makes this easier.) For larger bags, my suggestion would be to go to a photo shop and look through their selection of camera bags, or to a travel goods shop and check out their over-the-shoulder bags. LowePro and Eagle Creek are two excellent brands for bags. Good luck. Merwan, there are numerous books about journaling out there. I have read parts of many of them. I can’t remember the names of them, however. You’ll find them at the library or online. Just do a search. The examples I used in my post were not from the books. As for bags, I carry my pocket Moleskine in my pocket. (I often wear pants or shorts with cargo pockets, which makes this easier.) For larger bags, my suggestion would be to go to a photo shop and look through their selection of camera bags, or to a travel goods shop and check out their over-the-shoulder bags. LowePro and Eagle Creek are two excellent brands for bags. Good luck.

]]> By: ThaIwan http://thewritersbag.com/life_and_writing/write-yourself-well/comment-page-1#comment-534 ThaIwan Fri, 25 Jul 2008 07:16:30 +0000 http://thewritersbag.com/?p=239#comment-534 Appreciate the article. Writing has become a daily routine in my life and hope it will stay. I do recognize the calming and healing effect as well trying to dig through unploughed soil of thoughts. I've had a lot of changes in my life the last 4 years, not dramatic ones fortunately but changes with lots of impact that effect my future. Next to that there's many questions about life, humanity, earth, responsibility that I try to figure out via writing about it. I use various types of journals/notebooks, moleskines and recently I found a very nice one KW (www.kwdegree.com) in combination with mostly fountain pens. Appreciate the article. Writing has become a daily routine in my life and hope it will stay. I do recognize the calming and healing effect as well trying to dig through unploughed soil of thoughts. I’ve had a lot of changes in my life the last 4 years, not dramatic ones fortunately but changes with lots of impact that effect my future. Next to that there’s many questions about life, humanity, earth, responsibility that I try to figure out via writing about it. I use various types of journals/notebooks, moleskines and recently I found a very nice one KW (www.kwdegree.com) in combination with mostly fountain pens.

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