Get words flowing with a daily free-writing journal

Journals are a great way to catalogue the everyday events of your life as well as formulate and record new creative ideas as they occur to you. They also force you to write every day which, in itself, is great practice for all writers. But a stream of consciousness free-writing journal sits in a category of its own. Those who practice this form of journalling say it helps loosen inhibitions about 'getting started'. It also helps untangle those thoughts which may be preventing us from finding a beginning to our writing.

All writers - at some time - are faced with a 'where-to-start?' paralysis. We can break through that barrier by freeing our minds and halting that churn which can see us losing heart.

So what is a stream-of-consciousness free-writing journal? There are several thoughts on this - when, where you should write. How long do you write for etc?.

But most agree that sitting with a blank sheet of paper and writing whatever comes to mind is the way to start.

Sit in a quiet space in or around nature and write. It's as simple as that.

Free-writing journaling doesn't need to make sense, spelling and grammar are ignored. The intention is just to write, put words on paper and keep writing whatever comes to mind.

Julia Cameron - an American teacher and author best known for her book The Artist's Way - believes that creativity can be unlocked by a practice of Morning Pages. This means writing everything that comes to mind as the first thing we do when we wake. Three pages of writing - without stopping. 'You write down just what is crossing your consciousness,' she says. 'Morning pages are a clearing exercise which makes you have much more consciousness as you pass through the day.' But you can use this method to write about nature. Look out of the window and forget about writing structure...just jot down words that come to mind as you look at the natural world around you. Be aware of the time of day, the weather, the sky, the clouds, how green are leaves on the trees or plants. What birds are around. Scan and write. Write freely.

Journals take many different forms. They may act as diaries, pages of free writing, pages of sketches and words, an in-depth description of plant or animals you encounter that day. But no matter what type of journal you keep or how regularly you write, the benefits of journal writing are many - not least helping you improve your writing and see the natural world in a new way.