Slow Journaling
Tue, February 3, 2009 at 05:00AM Journaling with a squeeze of lime...
Playing around with each sentence in your mind to make your thoughts concise. It took about 3 days to write this page, one of two I did during our trip to Mexico. I worked on these pages in black PITT pen late each evening on a chaise while the kids were in the pool.
Slow journaling helps focus your thoughts. It's documentation in a unique and creative way. It lets you explore a subject. In Slow Journaling in Ink, I wrote in detail about the sunset over the soccer fields, using a Rapidograph technical pen.
So here's how to set up your page for slow journaling. Draw wavy lines on paper or in a moleskine. Pictured is a 5x8" watercolor moleskine. Write vertically between the lines, trying to control the pen so that the letters are kept neatly between the lines. This means writing slowly, focusing one word one at a time, one letter at a time.
In Altered Book: black.magenta, I used slow journaling to write thoughts on several art challenges.
It reminds me of Haiku, where you put together phrases by carefully selecting each word for a specific meaning, working carefully within the constraint of syllables.
Doodles optional.
Reader Comments (6)
I've written lots of lines like that but never thought of it as "slow journaling" - nice word for it. A bit like zentangle, you've got to go slow or you'll mess it up. :-)
Hanna, That's a great point ~ I had not thought of that similarity before and I like it... this writing style does seem like a sort of doodle with words. Thanks for stopping by!
I am *loving* these journal prompts! Thank you!
I come to your site with each update! It's always so much fun and inspiring! I love the journaling here, but unfortunately being nosey i want to read it but can't- Ah well! I couldn't imagine spreading out my journaling over 3 days! You must have a good supply of patience! It sure looks beautiful :D
Eden, You are such a sweetie! On this page, I wrote about the things we did on our trip to the beach & the pyramids, funny things, strange things... and my dislike of warm Cokes.
I do this too! But, I never thought to call it slow journaling--I love doing this; it adds such weight to the words, as if they have great significance.