Using Journaling to Figure Out the Pieces of Your Puzzle by Jowan Nabha

I used to think the inspiration to write came from some magical lamp found on a far away mystic island only the privileged were only allowed to rub and be showered with its wonders. As I started writing more, I learned inspiration is easier, in a sense, and doesn’t require any magic. Or at least not the one with genies and wizards. It does, however, require a bit of work on the writer’s part. It also requires a tool similar to a magic wand. A pencil! Or whatever you use to make those ideas come to life in writing.

Write, and the inspiration will seemingly follow.  But don’t just write; journal. Keeping a journal for whatever purpose, whether for your daily thoughts or starting a new project, has been proven time and time again to be the most effective tool for inspiring writers.

As I continue on this path to becoming an Arab American writer whose goal is to share a story that may or may not have already been told, but despite that, is my authentic story, I look to journaling to help me figure out the pieces to this puzzle. Journaling will indeed help me connect the dots to creating the final masterpiece. Use a journal however you like; for sorting through personal emotions, organizing a writing project, or for no particular reason at all. Make it your own. And allow journaling to become an integral part of your writing life!

Becoming a Better Teacher of Writers by Jowan Nabha

Being a teacher-writer is new for me. It also hasn’t been easy to form a writing habit. I do know two things. One, writing has allowed me to share a part of myself that was hidden from before and it excites me to have finally found an outlet. Two, my audience is clear and hopefully, my writing reaches them.

One way becoming a teacher-writer has made me a better teacher of writers is that I understand that the process is not the same for any one person. I admit I am a distracted writer. I type one sentence; daydream a bit. I come back a few minutes later to that very same sentence, revise it, delete, find another place it would fit in my piece, and love it all over again. My process is messy but I’m learning how to work through my flaws. How can we get students to fall in love with that process if we ourselves struggle to manage it? Model. Model your struggle. Allow your students to see your vulnerability. It may be surprisingly refreshing to see your students enjoy helping you fill in the gaps.

Teaching children that writing is therapeutic perhaps isn’t a concept younger writers can developmentally appreciate yet. One way to help them learn this is by teaching them their writing journals are not just for the writer’s workshop. I believe modeling real-life examples of using writer’s journal throughout the day is key. Model. I’ll say it again. Model. We as teachers must be consistently writing in our own journals to show students how we think. If we’re happy about something, write it down. If something has inspired us, write it down. Write it down but also let your students know you’ve written this down. Allow them to see where you get your inspiration from. Who knows? It may one day also become their source as well.



Jowan Nabha is a student at the University of Michigan - Dearborn studying Early Childhood Education. Her prior educational background is in Managerial Accounting in which she received her Bachelor’s degree in. Now, Jowan dedicates her life to being a full-time stay at home mom of her three children. Jowan can be reached at jnabha@umich.edu or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/jnabha 

Gaining Momentum by Jowan Nabha

Writing words on paper may sound simple enough. Just write. As much as we speak, writing should just come naturally. It can’t be that hard, right? Well, it is. Harder than anything I have learned to do in my life. With most things, you learn there are specific directions on how to make it work. How to bake a cake. How to fold your bed sheets so they’re nice and crisp. Writing, however. has no prescribed directions. Yes, there are techniques to writing and becoming an effective writer. However, you first have to be able to write them down. Only you can pull those words out of your head.

What I’ve learned this year about myself as a writer is that I write best at night. Something about being a night owl opens up my creative juices. Some of my best work (if you can call it that) has come late at night when everyone in my house is fast asleep and I’m left alone with my laptop. My creative juices are put to work and the words just seem to flow. Many times the words are jumbled and need editing, but I guess that’s the messy part of writing. I’m just happy I found out just how amazing writing truly is.

My summer goal of writing 15 minutes or more a day hasn’t become a reality quite yet. I am making tired excuses for myself why it’s ok for me not to write that day. Life gets busy. I had too many errands to run. I ran out of ideas. The list continues. However, when I write, I feel overwhelmed with joy. Even if all I did was edit a sentence I wrote the day before, I feel I am making progress. Progress. It’s what’s slowly building daily to finally becoming the check mark made on that to-do list. Writing for 15 minutes daily will be checked off soon. and soon my 30-minute goal will be checked off soon as well. Who knows, I might reach the 1-hour writing goal before year end.

Jowan Nabha is an accountant turned teacher. She is currently studying Early Childhood Education at the University of Michigan - Dearborn. She’s married and has three daughters to whom she devotes all her time to. Jowan can be reached at jnabha@umich.edu or follow her on Twitter @jowan_nabha. 

Experiencing Summer Through the Eyes of a Beginning Writer by Jowan Nabha

July is a time I celebrate family. It’s a time I forget the world and focus solely on the ones I love most. Some summers I am almost six thousand miles away in the Middle East making memories with family members I don’t get the chance to see and miss dearly. Other summers I am in my hometown of Detroit, Michigan indulging in what makes me a pure Michigander: lakes, festivals, barbecues, and enjoying the long days and short nights.

This July will be a new time in my life that I celebrate experiencing the summer through the eyes of a beginner writer. I read an article that described the process of writing as one becoming familiar with their own minds. Finding clarity with our thoughts to be able to put it on paper so we can see and understand them more objectively. That is my goal. Write, even if all motivation has left me.

This July I will be traveling to the east coast to visit family. I’ve driven this trail numerous times but have never quite experienced it through the eyes of the writer. My goal for this trip will be to write about even the smallest of things I encounter along the way.

My inspiration might come from the scenic trails along the Pennsylvania Appalachians. Or perhaps the police officer we met at a small diner who so kindly entertained my daughter’s countless questions about law enforcement.

It’s exciting to have a purpose for my writing. This is something I struggle with many days. Finding a real purpose. However, if I just imagine that one day my great grandchildren will be sitting somewhere reading a slice of my history and how fascinated they may be then, perhaps, THAT is my purpose.


Jowan Nabha is an accountant turned teacher. She is currently studying Early Childhood Education at the University of Michigan - Dearborn. She’s married and has three daughters to whom she devotes all her time to. Jowan can be reached at jnabha@umich.edu or follow her on Twitter @jowan_nabha.

Spreading My Writing Wings by Jowan Nabha

Photography has been a hobby of mine for most of my life. My pictures are for my personal pleasure, but I put a lot of passion and creative energy into them. It’s one of my favorite things to do.

Recently, I decided to spread my wings and take that creative energy and put it on paper. After taking a children’s literature course at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, I fell in love with writing. I’m indeed an amateur writer and so my main goal this summer is to increase the amount of time I spend on my personal writing.

I was spending about an hour a day writing for academic purposes: papers, discussion boards, etc. I had no time (or so I thought) to write for personal purposes. Now, I find myself spending about 10-15 minutes a day to write for personal use. My goal this summer is to increase this time to one hour a day.

Writing is a different kind of art and takes a certain type of person to grab your reader's attention. Once you have been successful in reaching your audience, the key is keeping their interest alive. This is still a work in progress. Opportunities to write for a blog such as this have allowed me to develop my skill.

I was encouraged by my former college professor and dear friend to take up writing a young adult fiction novel that resonates with the Arab American community. As a passionate Arab American, I fell in love with this idea and has motivated me to take a leap of faith in my writing.

I know that writing children’s literature is far more difficult than I can ever entail. However, I hope my summer days in the largest Arab American community in the country will help spark my creative juices. My same college professor gave me some very solid advice, “Just keep writing, even when you want to quit.” Her words have not left my mind, and I hope one day my words will touch someone as much as her words have inspired me.


Jowan Nabha is a former accountant turned teacher. She is currently studying Early Childhood Education at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. When she isn’t studying, she’s a busy wife and mother of three beautiful girls. She loves sports and loves to travel. She also loves the lake, long car rides, and spends most of her days enjoying the simple life with her family and capturing those moments. 

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The #TeachWrite Twitter Chat Blog is dedicated to providing a space for our community to connect and share their voices about writing and teaching writing.  We are looking for guest bloggers who would like to blog on topics related to being a teacher-writer. Educators and writers of all levels are invited to join us in this space. More information can be found here.