Seven Different Types of Journal Writing
Every expert in the world thinks you should keep a journal. Physical trainers say keep an exercise journal and nutritionists say keep track of your meals. Oprah insists on a gratitude journal and business consultants recommend journaling workplace activities.
How much journal writing can one person do?
Of course, journals are, first and foremost, the forté of writers. Journal writing provides a sacred space where thoughts, ideas, stories, and poems can be recorded. We turn to our journals for inspiration and when we’re inspired.
Some journals are topical while others are a hodgepodge. You might use several different journals, each for different projects or topics or you might use one journal for everything. There’s no right or wrong way, and there are no limits to the types of journals or number of subjects that you can use to inform and inspire your creative writing projects.
Journal Writing Ideas
These seven different types of journals foster creative thinking and promote regular (daily) journal writing. Some are great for keeping track of your ideas. Others are good for solving problems or keeping yourself inspired and motivated to write. Try one or try them all, or just create one journal for all your creative journaling.
- The Dream Journal
The subconscious is a wondrous thing. Artists and geniuses alike have attributed some of their best work to the messages they received while dreaming. A dream journal is useful for anyone interested in exploring the subconscious mind, where creativity often lives and breathes. This type of journal writing is also ideal for folks who are interested in dream interpretation or trying to achieve lucid dreaming. For writers, journals that hold dreams will provide a myriad of images and plots that the waking creative mind simply can’t drudge up. Keep your journal near your bed and make sure you jot down your dreams as soon as you wake up, otherwise with each minute that passes, you’ll lose chunks of your nighttime imaginings.
- Art Journal
Even us writers have to admit that a picture is worth a thousand words. Symbols are particularly powerful and speak directly to the subconscious, which is where your muse might be hiding. Like a dream journal, an art journal is a clever way to get in touch with the deeper recesses of your mind, where some of your most creative ideas are lurking. You don’t have to be a fine artist to use an art journal. Doodles and stick figures will open up your right brain too! An art journal is also perfect for sketching your characters, scenery, and maps of the worlds you are creating for your fiction.
- Freewriting Journal
Sometimes called stream of consciousness writing, freewriting is a way to clear your mind of clutter. If you keep at it long enough, some pretty interesting stuff will emerge through your freewrites. Yes, it’s yet another way to tap into your creativity. If you can stop your conscious thinking and let the words flow, you’ll be amazed at the creative stew that is brewing just beneath the surface. You can do straight freewriting or try guided freewriting in which you focus on a specific word, image, or topic. It’s a great way to hash out conversations with your characters, accumulate raw material that can later be harvested for poems, and brainstorm for just about any writing project that you’re planning or working on.
- Idea Journal
How many ideas have you lost? If you make it a point to note your ideas through daily journal writing, there’s a good chance you won’t lose any at all. This is why so many writers keep a journal or notebook with them at all times. In fact many writers use miniature notebooks for this very reason – there’s nothing worse than coming up with a brilliant idea when you’re at a party, in the middle of a phone conversation, or trying to fall asleep. Keep your journal near your person at all times, and you’ll never lose an idea again. Or, pick up several miniature notebooks and keep them in convenient places – your nightstand, purse, car, office desk, even the bathroom!
- Inspirational Writing Journals
What inspires you? A sunset? A day with friends and family? A great movie or inspiring song? Quotes from the greats? You can record all the things that inspire you in an inspiration journal, taking notes from some of the world’s most successful creators. You can even paste photos and clippings, using images to capture moments that were especially inspiring. Then, when your creativity meter is running low, you can flip through your inspiration journal to capture ideas that ignite your passion (and your next writing project).
- Life Events or Diary
A diary is pretty straightforward — you simply record the goings-on in your life. Some people start writing journals in diary format for special times or events in their lives, such as when they are getting married or having a baby, traveling, or moving to a new place. This is a great place to start if you’re interested in writing a memoir or autobiography. It’s also a perfect place to record the real experiences that you’ve had even if you plan on fictionalizing them later. Some of the best dialogue, descriptions, and scenes come straight out of real life!
- Reader’s Journal
If you want to be a writer, read. Read a lot, then read some more. You just can’t read enough. If you keep a journal, writing about what you’ve read, you can capture what worked and what didn’t work from a writer’s perspective. You’ll pick up neat writing tricks, jot down techniques that you’ve observed other writers using effectively, and of course, as you read and get ideas for your own projects, you can include those as well. Best of all, you’ll have a place where you’ve listed everything you’ve read and by keeping notes, you’ll retain all of it much better.
Journal One, Journal All
Not all writers keep a journal. Especially with advancements in technology, writers are more and more likely to turn to their computers or handheld devices for all their writing needs. Don’t let technology stop you! You can always create writing journals using your computer. Start a document or blog and keep it up electronically. Traditionally, journal writing is done with pen and paper but that’s not a hard and fast rule.
But there is something to be said about putting pen to paper, something that the computer just can’t mimic.
What types of journals have you kept? Do you think journal writing is beneficial? Share your thoughts and ideas in the comments.
The Creative Benefits of Journal Writing
The creative benefits of journal writing.
Practice makes perfect, right?
That’s exactly why journal writing is essential for writers.
Do all writers keep journals? Of course not. But most of us have kept journals at some point, and for most of us, journal writing has been instrumental in generating ideas, developing a strong voice, and learning how to flesh thoughts out onto the page.
Journal writing is an excellent way to improve your writing by taking a little time out of each day to hone your skills. It’s perfect for stashing all those creative writing ideas that you just don’t have time to develop right now, and journal writing gives you an opportunity to explore your thoughts in greater detail and to access those thoughts that are somewhat elusive.
Morning Pages
Probably the most famous application of journal writing comes from Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way. In it, she encourages people who are trying to connect with creativity to write every single morning. “Three pages of whatever comes to your mind — that’s all there is to it.”
Writing morning pages is like boot camp for your muse. By writing every day at the same time, you train her to show up when you say it’s time to work. Cameron’s methodology also involves turning off the inner censor, that little voice that berates every sentence.
The key is to simply let the words flow.
Think about this — if you write three pages a day, then in seven days, you’ll have twenty-one pages. In a month, you’ll have about ninety pages and in one year, you’ll have well over a thousand pages. That’s a lot of creative material to pull ideas from. And that’s why journal writing is a great tool for all creative people.
Get on the Writer’s Express
If you’re new to writing or want to explore writing as a career or hobby, then journal writing is your ticket onto the expressway to becoming a writer. You can use your journal to draft stories, sketch characters, jot down poems, or record the events of your daily life. Maybe after one year and over a thousand pages, you’ll be able to do some editing and publish your memoir.
Journal writing is also great for commercial writers (technical writers, copywriters, etc.), who spend all day writing and editing copy for clients. This type of writing is a lot different than writing stories or poems, so journal writing can help to get your head out of business and into more creative forms of writing. The creativity you cultivate will then seep into your professional writing and it will become more vivid and engaging.
Sticking to a Schedule
Even if you don’t stick to a rigorous schedule, it’s important to journal somewhat regularly. This helps keep ideas and language flowing and helps you to build the journal writing habit. You may only be able to journal on weekends or on certain days of the week. While I do think sticking to a schedule (preferably daily) is the best way, it’s not always realistic.
The most important thing is that you commit to journal writing and then proceed to keep your journal with you or nearby at all times. You can also carry smaller notebooks or scraps of paper and either glue or tape them into your journal later.
You’ll Need a Journal
I’ve been writing a journal on and off for more years than I care to admit that I have under my belt. Throughout all those years, I’ve tried every type of journal under the sun, and finally, I found my favorite for journal writing.
Technically, the Watson-Guptill Sketchbook is just that, a sketchbook. The pages are blank instead of lined, so you can doodle and write sideways.
Some writers can journal using anything — composition books, legal pads, napkins. I can do that too, but I don’t feel the connection to it as when I have my own sacred space especially for journal writing.
When I journal, I usually do freewrites or describe the goings-on in my life. Sometimes I write about my goals or beliefs. Other times, I draw, and I usually do that with Crayola Markers of all things!
Journal Writing
Recently, I’ve got it into my head that I’ll start journal writing on the computer, now that I’ve got a shiny new Mac. But it’s just not the same as having that pen and paper in my hand. It’s almost like I’m closer to my creativity or my subconscious when I’m using a pen. I’m not sure if that’s true or even possible, but it sure feels that way.
Have you ever kept a journal? Do you keep one now? Let’s talk about how journal writing has impacted our writing or even our lives. And don’t forget to mention what type of book or paper you prefer to use for journal writing — or do you do it on the computer? Online? Is your blog your journal?
How Journal Writing Made a Writer of Me
Many writers start their careers with journal writing
My first writing journal was a tiny diary that I received as a birthday present when I was a little girl. I regarded it as a log and wrote a few entries chronicling my daily life. It was boring, and I left most of the good stuff out for fear that someone in my family would find it and read my innermost thoughts. Soon, I gave up on it entirely.
Then, in junior high, which is really when the writer in me sprouted, I was required by my English teacher to keep a daily writing journal. We had about ten or fifteen minutes at the start of each class session to write in our journals. Sometimes we were given topics or a question to answer pertaining to the literature we were reading (Flowers for Algernon, for example). Usually, we had free reign and could write whatever we wanted.
I really liked this particular teacher, who happened to be a student teacher, and I opened up a lot in that journal. I talked about my family, friends, boys, and the general goings-on in my life. Sometimes he would comment on my entries and he was always thoughtful and respectful of everything I had to say. Most days, I would prefer to spend the entire class writing in that journal. I could go on and on and on…
Keeping a Writing Journal
That was eighth grade, and during the following summer, I continued to keep my journal. The practice had stuck and I found that I couldn’t stop. I used a half-sized spiral notebook and it doubled as a repository for my poetry and an outlet for the teen angst I was experiencing on an hourly basis.
Later, in high school, another teacher had our class keep journals, almost always using topics and questions. Sometimes the questions were very general (What should happen to drunk drivers?), and other times they were very specific (Is MacBeth good or evil?). But about once a week we had “free topics” and I always reverted back to writing about my life. This teacher was the opposite of my eighth grade teacher – she was rude and confrontational. I remember once she actually insulted my boyfriend… in MY journal. But I secretly liked her too, because the insult was spot-on.
Journaling continued to pop up as I made my way though college. I kept literary journals, chronicling the many books, stories, and poems that I read as well as my reactions to the works. There were idea journals, dream journals, art journals, and eventually I drifted away from personal diary-type journaling. My need to use writing for expressing the frustrations of my teen years pretty much dried up, and I found a host of other things to journal about. I wrote about my thoughts on culture, politics, religion, and ideas for everything under the sun: books, films, websites, and more.
A Place to Write
I’ve gone through many writing journals since that first one, and I always have notebooks tucked away in every nook and cranny – they remind me that I always have a place to write, somewhere I can jot down my thoughts, explore my feelings, or work out the details of a story, poem, or blog post.
Writing poetry at a young age planted within me a love for wordplay, but journaling harnessed that passion and triggered a lifelong need to put my thoughts on the page (or on the screen, as the case may be). Whenever I reflect on my many writing journals, I smile when I remember that student teacher from eighth grade, and send him thoughts of gratitude for being second only to my mother in making a writer of me.
Do you keep a writing journal?
Five Personal Journal Prompts
Journal prompts for self-exploration
Most writers keep a journal of some kind – to jot down ideas, scenes, thoughts, and questions.
Journals can be used in many different ways. However, one of the most traditional uses for a journal is to write about one’s own life. Often, this type of journal is also called a diary.
It’s not always easy coming up with topics to write about, and writing about oneself is difficult for many writers (just ask any writer how hard it is to write a bio). Surely, journal entries can be more than simply recounting the events or routine of each day.
Journal prompts provide ideas for topics that you can use to inspire a journal writing session. Today’s journal prompts are ideal for diarists who sometimes get stuck and can’t think of anything to write about. They’re also great for folks who would like to keep a diary, but don’t know where to start. You could even use these journal prompts as topics on a personal blog.
Who knows? If you keep it up, you may even end up writing a memoir.
Journal Prompts
Here are five personal journal prompts:
- My earliest memory
- The happiest day of my life
- My greatest goal
- Lately, I’ve spent a lot of my free time…
- I love to…
As you go through these journal prompts, give yourself time to thoughtfully explore each topic. The more time you allot, the more you’ll write, and you’ll find that your thoughts crystallize after the first few minutes of writing, once you’ve warmed up.
Looking for more ideas for your journal writing? Here are a few more sources of inspiration that you can use as journal prompts:
- Look for events or happenings in the news and ask yourself “what if that were me?”
- Build a character sketch of yourself and write a piece about yourself in third person.
- Collect writing exercises and turn them into journal prompts by making them about you.
Feel free to share any pieces you write as a result of using these journal prompts. You can leave an excerpt or a short piece in the comments or include a link to your blog post.
Have fun with these journal prompts, and keep on writing!
If you have any journal prompts to share, feel free to post them in the comments.
Journal Prompts from The Final Frontier
Supergalactic journal prompts
It’s the final frontier, the last unexplored territory, and the ideal setting for futuristic fantasy tales.
Outer space has captured many imaginations, attracting scientists, philosophers, adventurers, and of course, writers.
Has the soft glow of a full moon ever inspired you to write a poem? Have you ever imagined what it would be like if we earthlings could colonize far-off planets? Ever just stopped to wonder where life began?
Then you’ll love these journal prompts.
Journal Prompts
Writers are hard pressed for inspiration, even though it’s all around us. In fact, all you have to do to kick your imagination into high gear is lie beneath a night sky and let your curiosity take over. That’s good writing fodder.
Journal prompts help you launch a writing session by giving you questions and unfinished sentences that you can explore further through journal writing.
Peruse these prompts and then open your journal and start writing. Step aside and let your writing flow freely. Try writing from your subconscious. Don’t worry about spelling, grammar, or punctuation. See if you can connect with the great beyond through these journal prompts.
Try one or try them all.
- On a clear night, the full moon…
- The galaxy we live in…
- How did the universe begin?
- The stars in the sky are…
- Will humans ever settle on another planet?
- The sun is…
- A spaceship is hurtling through the galaxy…
- If an asteroid and a meteor collided…
- Would you ever take a trip to the moon?
- If humans could breathe in space…
Have fun with these journal prompts, and keep on writing!
Did you enjoy these journal prompts or get any use out of them? Do you have any ideas for future prompts? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment.
“What if?” Journal Prompts
Journal prompts to fire up your imagination
What if you won the lottery? What if you woke up in someone else’s body? What if you could fly?
What if you could open your imagination to a whole new world of writing ideas?
Today’s journal prompts encourage you to wonder. Some of them are based on reality. Others ask you to step outside the realm of possibility (or likelihood) and leave the world as we know it behind.
Journal Writing
Journal writing is excellent for birthing new ideas and fleshing them out. Journal prompts help by giving you a launching pad – a place to start your writing session.
Most writers keep a journal close at all times. Through journal writing, we can discover the unexplored areas of our imaginations. We can use our journals to jot down simple ideas and see where they could take us. We can find out if a story idea has potential or if a poem wants to grow out of an image or a few, key words.
While it’s not mandatory for all writers to keep a journal, it sure is helpful. Journal writing will keep you writing on a regular schedule, help you hone your writing ideas, and provide a sacred writing space. Take the journal prompts below into your journal and see what happens.
Journal Prompts
You can focus on one of these journal prompts or give all of them a try. Let your mind wander as you work through these prompts. Avoid single-sentence responses. Provide detailed answers and descriptions.
- What if you suddenly came into possession of five million dollars cash?
- What if you could choose a superpower? What would you choose and why? How would you use it?
- What if there was world peace? What would the world look like?
- What if you could go back to school and study anything you wanted?
- What if you had an opportunity to travel to outer space?
- What if you could change careers? You get to choose any profession and will be highly successful. What would you choose?
- What if you could talk to animals?
- What if you had a chance to travel anywhere in the world, but you had to visit one location for a whole year? Where would you go and why?
- What if you woke up one day as a world (or local) leader? City mayor? State governor? President? Queen? What would you do for your community?
- What if you wrote a wildly successful best-selling novel? What would it be about?
Have fun with these journal prompts, and then come back and tell us how they worked out for you.
Do you have any ideas for journal prompts? Questions? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment.
Journal Prompts for Dreamers
Dreamy journal prompts
Where do dreams come from? Many philosophers, psychiatrists, and other experts, as well as everyday people, have made conjectures about the sources of our night visions. But they are still a mystery.
Some dreams are obvious, of course. We’ve all experienced dreams that are clearly relevant to what’s going on in our lives or dreams that are some reflection of the past. Some people claim they’ve dreamed events before they actually happened – precognitive dreams that allow a dreamer to peer into the future.
Some of us remember every single dream we have. A few of us may even take time to jot down our dreams in a dream journal. Others cannot remember any of their dreams and will even claim they simply don’t have dreams at all. There are those whose dreams are so vivid that they are induced into sleepwalking, and there are those whose dreams carry the essences of their greatest fears – nightmares.
Some dreamers are so attuned to their dreams that they can actually control a dream while they are having it. They decide to fly in a dream, and they are off, soaring through the dream-sky.
Dreaming for Inspiration
Dreams may unlock mysteries, answer questions, or give us new insights. They inform artists’ work, help scientists solve complex problems, and they give writers plenty of fodder for fiction and poetry.
In fact, many famous works of art and inventions were inspired by dreams. In an article titled “Dream Art,” Wikipedia provides a list of artists and works that came directly from dreams. Some of the most notable artists, writers, musicians, and filmmakers who have captured dream material to produce great works of art include William Blake, Salvador Dali, Clive Barker, Mary Shelley, Robert Louis Stevenson, Stephen King, Carlos Castaneda, David Lynch, Rush, Paul McCartney, and Roger Waters, to name a few.
Dreams can even provide the answers to complex technical or scientific problems. Sewing machine inventor Elias Howe was having trouble figuring out how the needle on his machine would work, until one night he had a dream in which he was imprisoned by a group of natives, who were dancing around him and holding spears that had holes near their tips. This image finally gave Howe the idea he needed to make his invention work – a needle with a hole at the tip, which was designed much like those natives’ spears.
Journal Prompts and Dreams
If you’ve ever kept a dream journal, then you have some experience with exploring your dreams during waking hours. When you keep a dream journal, you learn to pay more attention to your dreams, and you start remembering your dreams better and in greater detail. Dream journals are ideal for generating raw creative material.
Today’s journal prompts aren’t based around a dream journal, and they don’t ask you to keep one, although doing so is definitely recommended. If you do happen to keep a dream journal, then you’ll have an advantage here, because these journal prompts do require that you remember a dream or two. Yet the main goal with these journal prompts is to add another tool to your writer’s toolbox, to leverage a little bit more of your imagination by paying attention to the messages, images, and signals that your subconscious is sending you when you’re sound asleep.
To complete these journal prompts, you do need to be a dreamer. If you don’t make a habit out of remembering your dreams, or if you rarely remember them, then you might try keeping a dream journal for about a week. As you fall asleep, remind yourself that in the morning your first task will be to write down your dreams. Promote dreaming and remembering dreams by using affirmations such as “I will dream.” Then, try these journal prompts.
Journal Prompts
- Simply write down a full account of a dream you’ve had recently. Try to include as many details as possible.
- Think back over some of the dreams you’ve had and try to identify recurring themes. Perhaps you’re often being chased in dreams (or doing the chasing), maybe a lot of your dreams are set in nature or feature animals.
- Identify the people, creatures, and animals in your dreams by describing them. Could they become characters in your next short story?
- Do you ever notice minute details in your dreams? Elias Howe noticed that in his dream, the natives’ spears had holes in them. Try to pinpoint little tiny details that appear in your dreams and write descriptions of them.
- Do your dreams ever stick with you throughout the day? Are images from your dreams haunting you as you go about your business? Why do you suppose this happens with some dreams but not others? What are the images that linger?
- Have you ever felt like a dream was trying to tell you something or send you an important message? What was the dream and what message did you come away with?
- If you could construct a full, vivid dream, which you will have tonight and remember in full tomorrow, what would happen in the dream? Who would be there? Where would it take place?
Interesting Facts About Dreams
- The scientific study of dreams is known as oneirology.
- Abraham Lincoln dreamed of his assassination.
- At one time, some experts believed that dreams only happened in black and white. Most people actually dream in color.
Sources:
- “Famous Dreams” (includes source material)
- Wikipedia: “Dreams“
If you use any of these journal prompts, feel free to post your entries or excerpts in the comments. Now, let’s talk about dreaming and how we can use dreams to inspire our writing!
Journal Prompts for Giving Thanks
Journal prompts for cultivating gratitude
Journal prompts can be used in a number of ways. Are you looking for a writing challenge? Want to stretch and tone your writerly muscles? Do you need ideas to trigger a good writing session?
Journal writing is excellent for building skills and maintaining a regular writing practice, and journal prompts can help you use your journal creatively and effectively.
In keeping with the theme for November, a month when we here in the U.S. pay more heed to giving thanks, today I’d like to present a series of journal prompts for promoting thankfulness.
Journal Prompts
You can use one of these journal prompts of use all of them. You might even want to start a journal just for giving thanks. Such a journal is a great way to remind yourself of all the things in life for which you are grateful and to keep your mind in a positive space.
Choose just one of these journal prompts, or use all of them over the next few days to write entries in your journal about what you’re thankful for.
- One of the best experiences of my life was… I am grateful for that experience because…
- Appreciating little things like a sunset or a delicious meal is important to me. Some of the little things that I appreciate are…
- People aren’t perfect, but even with all their flaws, they bring much happiness to my life. I am grateful for the following people… I love or appreciate them because…
- There are lots of things I can do to make sure I feel grateful each and every day. Some of those things include…
- Sometimes, I need to remind myself that I have much to be thankful for. I can remember those things through journal writing and by…
You can also simply make a list of all the things and people that make you feel grateful.
Feel free to use these journal prompts to inspire a comment. Tell us what you’re grateful for! And keep on writing.
Got any journal prompts to share? Leave a comment!
Journal Prompts for Aspiring Writers
Journal prompts for aspiring writers
Journal prompts are a great way to kick off a writing session when you’re feeling uninspired.
We all have days when creative writing ideas are nowhere to be found, but that doesn’t mean you have to go a day without writing.
In fact, on those days when my muse is being elusive, I like to take some time to either work through some writing exercises to stretch and strengthen my writing muscles – or I evaluate my writing goals.
Often, this means I spend time making notes about my writing goals to see how far I’ve come as well as where I’m going and how much work I have to do before I get there.
By looking over some of the writing I’ve done about my goals, I was able to come up with ten journal prompts, which are perfect for assessing your goals and aspirations. Do you know what kind of writer you want to be? Have you set any writing goals yet? How close are you to reaching them? What projects are you working on?
These and other questions form the basis for the following journal prompts.
10 Journal Prompts for Aspiring Writers
- As a writer, my dream come true would be…
- The difference between my dreams and my true goals as a writer is…
- The number one goal I want to achieve as a writer is…
- To reach my main writing goal, I need to…
- In order to reach my writing goals, I have done the following things in the past week…
- During the past month, I have worked toward my writing goals by…
- Things that have been interfering with my goals include…
- I can eliminate these interferences by…
- In one year, I will be closer to fulfilling my writing ambitions. I will have…
- Finally, write three journal prompts for next time building on what you’ve already written…
How to Use Journal Prompts to Reach Your Goals
By revisiting these journal prompts on a regular basis, you can consistently assess your goals to see how much you are accomplishing in terms of reaching your writing goals.
Some of these journal prompts will be useful to revisit every year. Others would be worth revisiting on a monthly or weekly basis.
Next time you’re not sure what to write about, or whenever you’re feeling like it’s time to take a hard look at your goals and accomplishments, set aside twenty or thirty minutes and start tackling these journal prompts one by one.
You’ll learn a lot, and you’ll keep on writing.
Got any ideas for assessing your goals or suggestions for journal prompts? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment.
Journal Prompts to Tickle Your Funny Bone
Journal prompts to make you laugh
Have you ever tried to write comedy? It’s not easy.
Artists are often regarded as a tortured bunch. From drug-addled rock stars to alcohol-infused writers, we’re all known for madness and melancholy.
But comics form the ranks of some of the most talented artists in the world. The gift of laughter is a rich one, and writing funny material can enrich your work.
After all, art must reflect life and life is a balance of highs and lows. So for today’s journal prompts, we’re going to work on humor.
Journal Prompts
Use these journal prompts to stretch your imagination and bring a smile to your own journal. Who knows? One of these prompts might lead you to write a hilarious scene for your next short story.
- Write about your favorite comedy film or TV show. Who’s the funniest character? Is the comedy physical, emotional, or intellectual? Why does it appeal to your personal sense of humor?
- Think about someone in your life who always gets a giggle out of you. Can you remember some of the funny things that person has said or done, which made you laugh? Write them down.
- Off-the-wall comedy is silly and ridiculous. How do you feel about slapstick?
- Think back on some embarrassing moments that you’ve experienced, especially ones that invoked laughter. Now, write those moments as scenes and infuse them with humor.
- Many dramas use comedic relief to add balance and realism. Write about how this is done successfully and the positive impact it has on readers.
When you’re writing, don’t forget about humor. Hopefully these journal prompts will help you keep humor in mind, even if you’re writing a dramatic piece or if humor isn’t your specialty.
And always remember, laughter is good medicine! Keep on writing.
Did you find these journal prompts helpful? If you use any of these, share your experience by leaving a comment.
Journal Prompts for the Fearless
Journal prompts for facing your fears
Fears. We all have them, and we all have to face them sooner or later.
Some people are plagued with fears that interfere with their ability to live a normal and healthy life. Others dance around their fears, cleverly avoiding those things that give them a nervous twitch. Still more people simply live day to day with minor, almost meaningless, fears that are a source of mild irritation.
But how often do we sit down and ask ourselves: what am I truly afraid of? And why?
Today’s journal prompts might not get you over your fears, but they will certainly make you more aware of them and how they might be benefiting you or holding you back.
Fear and Courage
It’s important to note that fears are vast and numerous. Some fears seem rather silly, such as fear of little, tiny spiders. Others are somewhat reasonable – like fear of war or death. And there are many more fears in between – fears that are rational, irrational, dangerous, or helpful.
You could boil all fears down into two types: those that protect us and those that inhibit us.
The fears that protects us keep us safe from danger. When you’re walking alone down a dark street and hear a rustle in some nearby bushes, your fear might prompt you to cross to the other side of the street. Fears like these keep us safe, so we should heed them.
But the other fears – the ones that inhibit us – those are the ones that we can work on eliminating. We can identify them, analyze them, and finally, dismiss them and move past with a brave smile – the smile of victory.
Journal Prompts
Today’s journal prompts ask you to sit down and examine your fears. You don’t need to face them — yet. You just need to identify them and ask yourself a few questions about why you’ve acquired them and how they affect your life and your goals.
This exercise might make you a little nervous, depending on how deep your fears run, and how willing you are to dig within yourself to unearth the smallest or greatest of your fears.
- What are five things that make you nervous or uncomfortable?
- What is it about each of those five things that bothers you?
- Where does this discomfort come from?
- Write down one thing that truly terrifies you. Is it keeping you safe or preventing you from living the life you want?
- How likely is it that this thing will happen?
- Why are you so frightened of this thing?
- If this thing happened, what would happen next?
Try to put on a brave face as you work through these journal prompts. Good luck, and keep on writing!
Got any ideas for journal prompts? Post them in the comments!
Artistically Inspired Journal Prompts
Get artistically inspired with these journal prompts
We people of the arts feed off each other. A painter is inspired by a song. A musician is inspired by a novel. And a photographer is inspired by a sculpture.
So we come full circle. We inspire each other.
Journal prompts are also useful for getting inspired. When you want to write but find yourself without any ideas, you might think your muse has gone MIA, but ideas abound. You need only look to the arts, where there is a whole world of inspiration waiting to move you (and your pen).
Journal Prompts About the Arts
These journal prompts get you thinking about the arts and entertainment from a fresh perspective. Instead of sitting back and taking it in, look for new ideas in the art that you experience. With these prompts, you can enjoy a session of journal writing while thinking about the broader community of artists.
- ART is all around. You can purchase books packed with images of art. You can visit museums and galleries. You can simply surf the web in search of paintings and sculptures. Choose a piece of art that speaks to you and write about it. Describe the piece. How does it make you feel? What details give it power or make it captivating?
- MUSIC makes the world go round. Listen to your old favorites or explore some brand new music. Choose a song or album that you have a visceral response to. Maybe it makes you want to dance, laugh, or cry. Write about it. Is it soft and tender? Hard and brash? Hip and groovy? What moves you? The lyrics? The melody? The rhythm?
- FILM is one of the greatest forms of entertainment. The audience gets to sit back and snack on junk food while the movie plays and takes us on a wild ride through someone else’s life. We all have our favorite films. What are yours and why? What do you love most about them? The characters? The plot? The special effects?
- LITERATURE is a writer’s home. This is where we eat, sleep, and breathe. And where would we writers be today without our predecessors who, through their art, contributed to the literary canon and years of bestseller lists? Which novels or poets inspired you to become a writer? Which authors embody a voice that resonates in your soul? Which genres are you most drawn to?
- DANCE is one of the most unappreciated art forms. Dancers are stuck somewhere between the arts and sports though they are closely tied to musicians. But think about this – dancers get out there and do their thing and the only tools they possess are their own bodies. No pens or computers, no cameras, no paintbrushes, and no instruments. You can watch dance performances on TV, in music videos, or simply by searching through YouTube. Watch a few dance performances and then write about them. Discuss how the dance itself is tied to the music. Make observations about how the dancer brings the choreography to life. Compare dancing to writing. Are there similarities?
Have fun exploring these journal prompts, and keep on writing!
Do you use journal prompts for your writing sessions? Do you have any favorite prompts or ideas for prompts? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment.
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101 Creative Writing Exercises
Explore the world of creative writing by experimenting with fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction through fun yet practical exercises that inspire and build skills. Honors & Awards
