Guest Author - Angela England

If you have never kept a journal before, Creative Journal Writing - The Art and Heart of Reflection by Stephanie Dowrick would be an excellent place to start. Perhaps you are wondering, "What are the benefits of writing in a journal?" or "How can I get started wiring a personal journal?". If so, this may well be one of the first books you should add to your bookshelf.

The 'Getting Started' section, Part 1 of Creative Journal Writing, will be the most helpful portion of the book if you have never kept a journal before. If you're curious about why people write in a journal, or the many benefits from doing so, this is the place to begin. An experienced journal keeper may find the first section 'old news', but, if you're like me even skimming through the first chapters, with great quotes and journal excerpts, will inspire you.

Part 2 is the 'Free to be Creative' portion of the book, and my personal favorite. I love journaling prompts and writing exercises, and prefer to use my daily journal time to explore the creative side of myself I don't always get to express in my everyday job. If you are looking for a way to increase creativity and tap into your hidden muse, this portion of Creative Journal Writing may be the most helpful.

The next section of the book is called 'Writing the Facts' and is directed towards those who enjoy using their journals to record the events in their lives. Stephanie helps take this tendency to the next level with chapters about how to start and finish with the details, accessing memories, venting, spiritual writing, and more. In this section of Creative Journal Writing each chapter has several journal prompts to stretch your personal writing.

The fourth section is 'Your Life in Your Journal' and though it is one of the shorter sections of the book, the principles presented are profound. Journaling through tough times and working through a problem are helpful tips to make your journal a tool for change. This section is one I felt could have been expanded - I was left wishing that these concepts had been explored in more depth. Perhaps Creative Journal Writing is designed to be a jumping-off point for journal writers, though, and Stephanie is trusting us to make our own way through the journal.

The last section of Creative Journal Writing is 'Putting it all Together' and is another brief message. This section focuses on tying together all the strands of journal writing creativity that you've explored through the first chapters of the book. I appreciated the quick list of prompts at the end for says when I just need a quick writing starter.

Overall, I feel Creative Journal Writing - The Art and Heart of Reflection is a possibly helpful resource for journal writers at both beginning, and more advanced stages. While there are some sections I would have liked to see developed a bit more, there are so many journaling prompts, inspiration quotes and insightful writing exercises included throughout the book, personal writers will have enough to keep them busy writing for a long time.