I know I said I was going to focus on other aspects of writing for my blog this semester, but I got an idea for a blog post last week and decided to make an exception this time. The other day, I was walking through the bookstore on campus.  Sometimes I like to browse through the books on the top floor just to see if there’s anything new in stock.  There’s a small section of shelves up there where they put books that people might enjoy as gifts.  Mostly they consist of diaries, planners, etc., but there was one book that caught my attention.  It’s called Wreck this Journal.  I had seen it before, maybe a couple years ago, but I had completely forgotten about it.

It’s similar to 642 Tiny Things to Write About, which I talked about last semester.  However, this new book doesn’t contain only writing prompts.  It includes little prompts such as: “Rip this page of the journal into little strips of paper.  What might they be used for?  What would you do with them?” or “Write in nail polish on this page as if it was graffiti. What would your tag be? What’s its significance?”

Basically, the goal is to become inspired by the chaos of whatever it is you created by wrecking the journal.  I find it to be a very interesting concept.  For someone like me, I’m really organized, but sometimes when I write I have noticed this approach can be a bit restrictive. Sometimes it’s really good to let loose and be creative, even if it seems messy.  It’s interesting to see what kind of ideas you can come up with if you’re challenged to step out of your comfort zone.

I did a little digging and I found out there are several new editions of the book (either ones that have been updated or ones that contain completely new prompts).  I know some writers are into journaling, but I’ve never actually tried it.  I think when I have time I would like to try it out.  I usually stick to outlines or small writing exercises, but sometimes they can get a little repetitive and I don’t always feel like they help very much. Trying something new definitely can’t hurt and will hopefully help my writing grow.  I’m really excited to do this so I’m hoping I can get my hands on a copy soon and find the time to start it!