I have never considered myself a writer. Of course, I wrote academically or completed the occasional creating writing, but never have I sat down and wrote as a way to express myself and flush out what I was feeling. But this semester, I have been keeping up with a Writer’s Notebook, which is a “collection of entries and habits of thought that [are] likely to pay off in student writing” (Bomer 61). It has given me a place to reflect and examine every aspect of my life, from some of my oldest memories to observations I’m making as I write. This Notebook has exposed me to the therapeutic nature of writing, seeing how good it can be for the thought process. I write down whatever comes to mind and by the time I am done, it feels as though I have relieved some stress or reconciled a problem. I feel as though I can work through my emotions and assess the situation after I have written about it.

Additionally, with this Notebook, I have begun to experiment with different genres and techniques in my writing. In the few entries I do have so far, I have written with various points of view, tones and language. I even wrote a poem! Channeling my energy through writing has been another great way to be able to track my progress throughout the semester. I will be able to look at entries and begin to see any patterns in my writing. Being able to verbalize my thoughts and observations has made me start to believe as myself as a writer!

This is my personalized Writer’s Notebook: