Pen, Paper, and Combining the Two.

I like pens and journals. But I have yet to successfully actually write anything... Writers block? Anyone else ever have the same issue?

Those who don't have this problem, what do you write about?

I'm not much of a writer but I'm currently carrying a moleskin in my pocket these days and I just jot down random thoughts, ideas, or scribbles that come to mind.

One trick I've heard of is to fill 3 pages every morning with whatever comes into your mind. Putting something down on paper may make it easier to write "about" something when you're already writing.

Purplemonkey & Teppanyaki gave good suggestions and here is mine.

I had that initial problem as I had been given two FPs as a gift. Then I decided to keep a small journal (lined) of what exercise I did that day along with my meals. This was to get me used to writing daily especially since I eat & exercise everyday

Then a few months later I bought some Red n' Black notebooks on sale (A4, spiral & hardcover) and I added a daily journal of what happened that day, writing it at the end of the day. Now with my writing improved (practiced the Palmer Method) I'm sending note cards, writing letters and enjoying it immensely.

And I'm a computer person for many years who just wanted to get back his writing skills (had atrophied!) before discovering The Nib

Gene

Teppanyaki's suggestion is one I heard recently at a meetup with my local writing community. The fellow called the practice "morning pages." The idea is to free-write whatever you want. You can do freewriting whenever you want, of course, but there's the idea that in the morning your mind is freshly rested and your ideas freshly "processed" by sleep.

I've actually taken up fountain pens again as a way to break writer's block. I'm a proposal writer, always dealing with deadlines for the (frankly boring) stuff I write. Lately I like to put aside the keyboard, turn off the screen, and pick up a pen. With a word processor it's easy to fall into the habit of editing as you go, which slows you down. And writing gives you a different brain-to-writing connection, if you see what I mean. I find it more productive. Plus I'm just fascinated watching a good pen put down interesting ink. So suddenly I'm journaling again, like I haven't done since my pre-Internet college days. I've even written some letters.

write down three things that you want to accomplish...take notes during the day about those things and then at the end of the day, write down what you got done. then write down what you want to do tomorrow...

Great advice guys! I started a "shaving journal." I write about acquisitions, products, techniques learned, etc. Thanks for all the advice.

I've just started to keep a journal and writing just before bed as a relaxing way to ease into the night. I mostly write what happened to me each day, sometimes how i feel about it, usually not. At the end i write down what my shave of the day and scent of the day was, and how i liked them. If i have a drink at night, or something particularly good to eat i might comment on that. Nothing really useful or profound gets written but im trying to build a habit, so when i want to try to be creative or profound it wont seem odd to sit down and do so.