Sometimes you set out to change your writing…and end up rewriting your life.

I wonder if you’ve ever had this experience:

You think you want one thing from your writing, maybe you have a goal (like a better blog, a finished book or just to be more confident in your writing).

But then writing holds out her hand and gifts you with something you'd never counted on:

Yourself. 

And suddenly, your relationship with writing has changed. Suddenly she’s a friend you can’t live without, a refuge, a calm place in the storm.

What if the best way to reach your writing goals was to forget them?

When you forget your goals and indulge in a little creative play, when you enjoy writing, when you get lost in the creative process…

• You make writing a habit,

• You make writing fun and meaningful,

• You return to it willingly…day after day,

• You may change your creativity…and your life,

Yes, your writing will change too. But it’s only one of the happy side-effects of taking on a creative endeavor.

Maybe you’re thinking this sounds like the scenic route to becoming a better writer. And you’re partially right: you’ll slow down and enjoy yourself much more.  

Capture your moments, create meaning, connect with others.

Here’s a short creative journaling challenge I created just for you—the busy writer, reader, adventurer of the written word.

It’s not only short, sweet and self-paced. It’s a chance to use your writing to slow down in a fast world. To capture the moments of your life, to draw inspiration from your reading…

And yes, to improve your writing (although, like I said, that’s just a happy side-effect).

If you only take one thing from your visit here today, take this…

It’s something I’ve learned through years of my own writing, teaching—and especially, watching other writers grow:

Taking those creative ‘detours,’ connecting to your own story, learning from your life, forging meaning from what you’ve lived is not the ‘slow path.’

It’s the only path.