Introduction to Journal Writing
This page updated on May 6, 2020.
In 2009, I wanted to celebrate an enormous achievement in my life. That desire led me to launch my FIRST blog~
Walking by Inner Vision
My first post appeared December 29, 2009.
In 2009, blogging was an adventure into a new world. I didn’t know where to begin or how to do it. I wanted to share special moments and encourage others who would come to my blog. That remains my focus today. This blog, Walking by Inner Vision, is about positive changes and joyful celebrations. I wondered if I had anything to say or if anyone would read my posts. I really wanted to communicate with others who shared my interests, too.
I write about art, the humanities, faith in Jesus, life-lessons, books, writing, and my World View is based on God’s Word from the Holy Bible. I am a born again Christian.
My professional academic background is in Fine Arts and Humanities. I’ve earned 3 degrees from 2 different universities. I taught at Geneva College in western PA until I retired in 2008.
My posts focus on personal experiences woven together
with themes
I am passionate about.
Question: Why did I start writing a blog?
Me: I lost most of my sight in October 2007. The sudden sight loss, due to Ischemic Optic Neuropathy, left me walking through a thick fog, with very little detail or color. At the time, I was a professor of fine arts and humanities. As an educator I spoke at academic conferences, taught courses in the arts, English, and humanities, and published articles on my expertise.
As a visual artist, I created and exhibited in exhibitions all over the world.
With the loss of sight, comes a whole new world and the first couple of years are difficult. I wrote the first blog article after I completed two years of rehabilitation for personal adjustment to blindness, and after that another year of relearning how to once again use a computer and adaptive technologies for the blind.
Question: Why is this blog titled, Walking by Inner Vision?
Me: I had to learn to walk by my own inner vision and depend on my intuition and inner feelings since my sight was no longer the primary source of how I understood and maneuvered in my world. I wanted to give the blog a title that would indicate my writing was about more than superficial things that are viewed quickly, with a glance. My writing would dig deep inside to explore internal elements of who we are and how we understand our world.
Question: How does it feel, TODAY, to look back on my first blog article?
Me: I am proud that I took the step in this direction which was unknown to me previously. It put me back “out there” as a professional academic scholar and artist. When I committed to write again and put it out to the public in this forum, I was forced to leave any newly-found small bit of comfort and move into unknown territory in front of the whole world.
Question: What did you write about in your first blog articles?
Me: My first blog posts discussed issues of sight loss and blindness as I experienced them daily
Since that time, I learned how to walk using the inner vision that we all have. It has been an interesting journey! I still have a passion for all the wonderful aspects of life that I always had. My expertise in the Humanities remains my core interest in all I encounter. These are the topics I write about on Walking by Inner Vision.
Question: This year the blog is 11 years old. What will we see here in 2020?
Me: Right now, May 2020, I am taking a good long look at this blog. I am asking myself, “What am I doing here and how am I doing it? At this moment, I am making a lot of changes. For instance this blog will have a sole purpose of sharing my writing and my books with my audience.
I’ll write about what I am doing and why – and bring readers into my personal and private world.
This year, I have 3 writing projects in the hopper.
First, I am at work on a full-length book of essays and poems and my working title for it is Gifts of the Spirit.” I want everything I write this year to be as though I am writing it for God – Gifts for the King, is my focus.
Second, I am working on my second chapbook. This one will have a Spring theme – and my working title is, Primavera. This is part of my series of 4 seasonal-themed chapbooks. Just this year, January 3, my first chapbook was published by Finishing Line Press. It is first snow, and has 30 poems.
Third, I am working on a revision and update of my first book,
Concerti: Psalms for the Pilgrimage, Kota Press, 2002.
To do this, I am reading through 16 journals I created during 12 years of teaching a course in Austria each summer. I took students on a month-long journey where we wrote and made art daily.
If you are not currently keeping a Journal, I urge you to begin.
Begin to write your own story.
“Writing by Inner Vision Journal” and you will look back on your journal at this time next year and give yourself a pat on the back! You will say, “I can see how my life would change so much! I can see the many challenges I faced, and the times how God led me through tough times, and how He blessed me with delightful, joyous times during this year.”
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Journal Assignment #1:
Begin your “Walking by Inner Vision Journal” his year.
Write an entry about the kind of notebook or journal you selected for your own stories, poems and entries.
How often are you writing?
Set a reasonable goal for your writing. If you start out by writing just 1/2 page to one full page that will be a great beginning. I want you to be able to do this without any stress. This is just for YOU!
Think about this particular day, and write about a small moment and how you felt as you wrote in your journal.
Once you have written a short paragraph, look it over and write one more short paragraph or just a sentence or two about what you thought of this project today. Were you surprised?
Courtesy of Lynda McKinney Lambert. May 6, 2020. Copyright. All rights reserved.