“What if?” Journal Prompts
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 reality 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 or give all of them a try. Let your mind wander as you work through these journal 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 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 on 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? And, 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 are useful 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 from Outer Space
It’s the final frontier, the last unexplored open space, 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 galaxies? 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.
Journal Prompts for Dreamers
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.
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 do 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 with 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 can be used in a number of ways. Are you looking for a writing challenge? Want to push yourself as a writer? Do you need ideas to trigger a good writing session?
Journal writing is excellent for stretching and tightening your writing muscles, and journal prompts can help you use your journal creatively and effectively.
Recently, I shared the benefits of keeping an appreciation journal. In keeping with the theme of November (at least here in the U.S.), today I’d like to present a set of journal prompts for giving thanks.
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 gratitude. 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 presence of people I love 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 the Fearless
Fears. We all have them, and we all have to face them sooner or later.
Some people are plagued by fears that interfere with living. 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 it 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 on 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 this keep us safe, so we should heed them and keep them intact.
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 adopted 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 littlest 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!
Journal Prompts for Getting Inspired
We people of the arts feed off each other. An artist is inspired by a song. A musician is inspired by a novel. And a writer is inspired by a film.
So we come full circle.
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 about. You need only look to the arts and 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? Is it 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 the 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 tool 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 the performances. Discuss how the dance itself is tied to the music. Make observations about how the dancer is tied to the choreography. Compare dancing to writing. Are their 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.
Five Journal Prompts
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, and 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.
But it’s not always easy coming up with topics to write about, and writing about oneself is especially difficult for many writers (just ask any writer how hard it is to write a bio).
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 or what to write about. 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 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 some time to 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, after 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 or article.
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.
