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Developing a Reflective Writing Practice

Reflective Writing

“I am not a writer.”

Let’s take a moment to investigate this phrase. What does this mean? That you don’t have a book? That you haven’t shared your work with others? That you're not an expert? Think about what this means when you hear this phrase. Jot down your thoughts for 2 minutes.

When you come back, I want you to sit with your words. How does it make you feel? What memories or thoughts, or information, are coming up for you? Write for 2 more minutes. Pause. Let’s think about the last four minutes we’ve taken to reflect on your experiences and feelings about writing. You were hopefully able to access your past, able to compare it to your present, and the knowledge you hold about yourself and the world. All within the last four minutes. Possibly, you’ve even gained some small insight about your journey with writing.

Reflection compels us to interrogate our experience, feelings, and thoughts. By doing so, we can gain a deeper sense of understanding about what troubles us, what excites us, and about the things we haven’t quite grasped. This is the power of reflective writing.

Benefits of Developing a Reflective Writing Practice

  • Creates space to process feelings. This can help in navigating conflict with our peers or colleagues.
  • Actively monitor learning. A useful practice for research, portfolio prep, and performance reviews.
  • Work through possibilities. When we need to think through what to do, writing down all the possibilities can reveal new ideas.
  • A tool to regulate your nervous system. Before a hard conversation, reflection can support slowing us down before entering into a potentially activating moment.

Identifying your Rhythm

There is no one way to write. You don’t need to wake up at 4 am or have a west-facing desk…unless, of course, this type of ritual supports your rhythm. A crucial aspect of writing is learning what works for your craft and your routine. Here are some tips on how you might begin to identify your writing rhythm.

Intentional Noticing

Practice slowing down and noticing when you are most inspired. What time of day is it? What did you eat? What music was on? Did you exercise? What sparked your creativity? These small acts can become seeds for stories you share in personal, academic, or professional contexts.

Wonder

Instead of looking up the answer to something, try wondering. We can look up almost any question we may have on Google. Instead, ask your question and wonder. Jot down what you think the answer is, then look it up. When you allow yourself to wonder, I find that you can access deeper creativity. What do you find yourself drawn to when you allow yourself to wonder? When we stay curious about the world, we stay connected to others.

Trying New Things

Go see a band you’ve never heard of at a venue you’ve never been to. Watch a movie from a different country than your own. Trying new things breaks us out of routines that might not be working. What did this new activity teach you about yourself? How did it connect you to community?

Schedule Time

Just getting time on your calendar. See what time of day works best for you and stick to it. If that time starts to shift, ask yourself why, and notice that change. Allow yourself some flexibility, but keep making time to do the writing. It is a practice, so we need to make time for it. You can even make time with others who are also trying to build in more time to reflect.

Writing Exercises

  1. Freewriting Prompts or Themed
    • Take 7-10 minutes to write from a prompt or a theme you’ve noticed coming up in your life (You can also draw or collage if you have magazines, news paper, etc)
  2. Modeling or Call and Response
    • Take a line from a favorite text and respond to it with your thoughts and feelings about it or whatever writing comes out of it. You can also respond in a voice note! It doesn’t have to be pen and paper.
  3. Mixtape
    • Take a piece of art and change it from its original medium, like make a song into a drawing or a photo into a poem.

Guided Exercises From The Anti-Racist Writing Workshop

Helpful Resources

  1. On Keeping a Journal by Joan Didion
  2. The Book of Alchemy: A Creative Practice for an Inspired Life
  3. The Writer's Practice: Building Confidence in Your Nonfiction Writing
  4. Exploratory Writing: Everyday Magic for Life and Work
Learn more about reflective writing practice.