Pre-writing 

Good writers utilize a host of techniques to discover ideas and information about their subjects. The Ancient Romans called this method of discovery and invention Inventio. Whatever you call these idea-excavating techniques, they're sure to enhance your creative talent!  So let's check them out.  

Everybody writes differently. Anne Rice and Michael Crichton have different styles. Not all writers will produce the same writing, even when the genre is the same. Both Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman produce great poetry, but their styles could hardly be more different. No single writing technique works for all writers.  

 

Journals  

A journal is a safe haven for writers, a place of exploration and discovery where the writer uncovers his or her ideas and observations about the world and about the writer himself/herself. It's a writer's diary.  

Either on paper or on a computer, you, the writer, can jot down ideas,  thoughts, feelings, experiences, and observations. A journal is a place where you can collect  and preserve your ideas. Journals serve as your own personal space. Perhaps you'd like to record the day's events, describe a particular scene, or note your ideas or feeling about a particular matter. Observations make great journal entries. Details in your writing help to form an image in the reader's mind. Also, some of the best writing has its origins in personal experience.