Using a reflective writing journal to improve your writing practice
Keeping a journal about my writing is one of my go-to strategies!
One of the most effective ways to get better as an academic writer is to reflect on your writing process and your learning. Regular reflection can uncover patterns in your habits and challenges, helping you improve by identifying what works best for you.
Additionally, reflection is a powerful learning tool. It encourages you to pause and think critically about your experiences, increasing your self-awareness and deepening your understanding of your writing process. This heightened awareness not only helps you identify and address weaknesses but also reinforces effective strategies, making your writing practice more intentional and productive.
Today, I’m going to walk you through the steps for setting up your own reflective practice journal.
But first, why write about writing?
Why write about writing?
One of the best things I have done to get better as a writer is to write about the process of writing. As I’ve discussed before,
I write about writing as a way to learn through reflection. “Reflective practice” is a teaching and learning model that emphasizes learning from one’s experiences. It’s “the act of thinking about our experiences in order to learn from them for the future” (Cambridge). At colleges, for example, we often require a reflection essay after a student completes an internship. The goal is to have that student think about what they learned, so that they carry the learning from the experience into their next internship or job.
A reflective practice in writing means taking a step back from the specificities of what might be happening in a research project and considering the process. The goal of this reflective practice is to learn about oneself as a writer and/or to think about the bigger picture of a project.
I have frequently turned to my journal to gain insight into my writing habits, patterns, and roadblocks, as well as to process challenging concepts in a more safe environment.
I truly believe that this process helps me overcome writing obstacles and improve as a writer because it serves as a foundation for investigating other culprits such as imposter syndrome, perfectionism, and procrastination. I can use my journal to identify why these things crop up for me and work towards actionable resolutions.
Now we’ll focus on how to set up and use a reflective writing journal.
Step 1: Choosing a format
First, decide whether you prefer a physical journal or a digital one. Physical journals offer a tactile, personal touch, while digital journals are searchable and can include multimedia elements. If you typically write on a computer, it may be beneficial to switch up the format and keep a physical journal that feels different from the task of academic writing.
That said, if you’re like me and can’t read your own handwriting, then a Google Doc works just fine too!
Gather your tools—pick a pretty journal that you might enjoy writing in or a digital platform that you find user-friendly, like Evernote, Google Docs, or dedicated journaling apps like Day One.
Step 2: Structuring your journal
Consider dividing your journal into sections to cover various aspects of your scholarly writing. You do not need to do all of these, but I recommend experimenting to see what works best for you. Also, choose a structure you can stick with so that you can see progress over time.
Collectively, these variations on the journal structure allow you to track your progress, work through writing blocks and challenges, and celebrate your wins.
Diary Method:
At the end of each writing session, jot down:
What you worked on.
Challenges faced.
Feelings about your progress or lack thereof.
Example: Write about drafting the literature review section of your dissertation, noting difficulties and accomplishments.
Read more about the diary method here.
Goal Setting:
Outline writing goals for different time frames (week, month, academic term).
Identify specific skills or sections to develop.
Example: Aim to complete the first draft of an article and improve the articulation of the argument.
Progress Tracking:
Track progress towards goals and note improvements.
Example: Record the number of words written and improvements in integrating theoretical frameworks.
Analyzing Challenges and Successes:
Reflect on encountered challenges and strategies used to overcome them.
Consider the successful aspects of your writing and the reasons behind them.
Example: Reflect on struggling with the methodology section and how discussing it with a colleague provided new insights.
Again, you don’t need to do all of these. I would recommend starting small and progressing to longer reflections if it works for you. The key is to stick with it and learn from your progress over time. My daily project journaling usually lasts about 5 minutes after my writing session ends. I’ll spend more time if I feel like I’m hitting a wall and need to work through writing resistance.
3. Reflecting on Your Reflections
Every so often, review your journal entries to gain deeper insights into your process. Look for patterns in your challenges and successes, and think about how you can apply these insights to future projects.
Ask yourself: What recurring issues do I notice? What techniques have consistently helped me? How can I replicate successful conditions?
You will become a more steady writer as your process becomes more ingrained in your mind and becomes second nature.
Embrace reflective practice
A reflective writing journal is more than just a record of your writing activities; it’s a tool for personal and professional growth in scholarly writing. By regularly reflecting on your writing process, you can gain valuable insights, develop your skills, and make writing more enjoyable and productive.