What is it, and how do you do it?
Not long ago, I was reading my newest issue of Writer’s Digest (July/August 2024). The magazine’s arrival in my mailbox brings a smile to my face and warmth to my heart. There’s always something in there that stirs my natural curiosity and motivates me to explore new ideas and approaches to writing.
The most recent issue (July/August 2024) was no exception. I turned the pages to Maria Bengsten's How Nature Journaling Can Help Your Writing and began to read about a practice that would become a part of my routine.
As writers, we look for new ways to be inspired. We wake up each morning expectant that inspiration will greet us with every sip of our morning coffee, after which we hit the keyboard and craft stories and tales that will impact generations.
But that rarely happens.
Instead, as it’s been said, like a tap to a faucet, the writing must begin before the ideas will flow. Whether a content writer or a copywriter, creativity comes through action, rarely java-induced divine inspiration.
In nature journaling, the creative essentially ventures into the outdoors for a session of observation and recording. John Muir Laws explains it as “collecting and organizing your observations, questions, connections, and explanations on the pages of a notebook using words, pictures, and numbers.”
As creatives, Bengsten mirrors Laws' approach. We use three questions and record our observations in the manner that best suits us or suits the moment. There is no wrong way, but I agree with these starting prompts:
I notice…
I wonder…
It reminds me of…
These three prompts have stirred deeply emotional results. I find myself engaged in reflection, in walks down memory lane, and in prayer. I’ve shifted my nature journaling to general observation journaling so that it doesn’t matter if I am in my gardens, the forest, or the coffee shop, this activity causes me to view the world deliberately.
Putting pen to paper, I begin to record my observations, my thoughts, and my musings through words, numbers, and even drawings. Remember, this is your journal and it is meant for you. There is no wrong way to write. Just make sure you have some basic supplies.
Most obviously, you will need a journal. Mine is a soft leather journal that my wife picked up for me on Amazon. It’s a style of journal that has always attracted me because of its natural feel and I am a tactile person. Then you’ll need pens. If you opt for this journal, you can easily use gel pens like these to write and draw without leaking through the pages. And most recently, I realized that binoculars are a handy resource, especially if you find joy in watching the birds dance in the trees or, like this past week, you get a chance to watch two deer chase each other in circles before parting ways.
However you choose to start your nature journaling journey, I trust you’ll find a deeper sense of awareness of your world, your writing, and yourself. Stay curious!
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