Journaling is a great addition to any writer’s practice—just ask Jerri Miller! She teaches about the importance of journaling in accomplishing goals, polishing writing skills, and encouraging self-compassion. We’re so excited to have Jerri Miller at the Writers Conference this year!
When the blinking cursor on the computer screen blinks one too many times without a word written, Jerri Miller finds solace in the space between the blue lines of notebook paper. The visceral feel of pen and paper allows her to be messy until the right words come. A writer, journaler, and poet, Jerri often scratches out lines before they begin to live in pixels. Journaling gave her the courage to self-publish a collection of essays that weave together her writing and running practices and led her to discover self-compassion. In addition to her essay collection, Running Through My Thoughts, she has also published a guide to creating and working toward goals with self-compassion titled, Goals, but Different, and a short story told in a relay of flash fiction pieces titled “Everything Remains,” which is published in Community Voices III as part of graduating the Written Storytelling Certificate program through Mid-Continent Public Library in partnership with Metropolitan Community College. She is currently working on a paranormal romance titled Shadow of the Light, with another essay collection and book of poetry to soon follow ̶ all of which she also plans to self-publish. When Jerri isn’t writing, she can be found tying her shoelaces for a run, paging or listening to a book, planning her next trip, framing a photograph, or researching another topic she’s found interesting. You can find her at her website, www.EverydayScribe.com.
Jerri will be facilitating two workshops: “Goals but Different: Building a Writing Practice with Self-compassion" and “The Magic of Journaling for Writers.” If you struggle with an inner writing critic and want to learn how to harness the power of journaling in your own writing practice, you won’t want to miss Jerri Miller’s sessions.
You can register for the conference here. Registration isn’t required but is appreciated, and your RSVP includes both days of the conference, Nov. 3 and 4. Sessions are available on a first-come first-serve basis. We will also be hosting a Writers Conference Kickoff on Thursday, Nov. 2.
Inspired by this year’s conference book, By the Book: Writers on Literature and the Literary Life from The New York Times Book Review, we asked Jerri a few questions to get to know her better:
1. What's in your TBR pile?
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
Homecoming by Kate Morton
The Fieldhouse by Robin Clifford Wood
2. What are you reading right now?
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
3. Do you have a favorite book you love to recommend?
I cannot select a favorite—that’s too hard, but two I often recommend are The Perfectionist’s Guide to Losing Control by Katherine Morgan Schafler for Nonfiction and Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier for fiction.
4. Do you have a favorite bookstore?
I don’t have a favorite. I love all local bookstores.
5. Answer the question you wish we had asked.
Favorite place to read? Outside, but really anywhere at anytime!