Writing is like most things we do: the best way to get better at it is to do it. We learn by practice, by play, by experimentation, by taking risks and trying new things. We know there’s a difference between, say, practicing the violin and playing a recital. In the same way, to get better at writing, we need a place where we can fiddle around (no pun intended) in private, without worrying who’s watching. In our class, your journal is that place.

Your journal is a safe place for you to write. What I mean by that is that nobody will ever see this writing. I’ll look at it—that is, glance at the pages to make sure you are writing—but I won’t read it, and neither will anybody else. The assumption behind this assignment is that by doing this kind of personal, private writing, we become better writers. I think this works in two different ways.

First, journal writing gives you a place to experiment, to try new things. If you want to write a poem, but you’re afraid of how it’ll sound, you can do that in your journal in the comfort that nobody will read it but you. If you want to try a short story, or a essay that mixes English and Spanish, you can do that. A journal is a place to experiment.

Second, journal writing serves as easy, no-pressure practice for writing. Think about it this way: if you write, on average, one or two pages a year, then if I ask you to write a three page paper, that seems like a huge commitment. If, on the other hand, you usually write a page every day, than a three page paper in two weeks is nothing. The more we write, the easier writing gets.

The assignment for your Personal Journal is a simple one: write every day. At least a paragraph or two. I don’t care what about—school, work, your personal life, the imaginary life of your pet unicorn, whatever. Just write. Every day. We’ll have time in class starting tomorrow for in-class journaling, but we only meefour three days out of seven. So write every day.