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50 Inspiring Journal Prompts to Spark Your Creativity

Sanjana is a health writer and editor. Her work spans various health-related topics, including mental health, fitness, nutrition, and wellness.

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Rachel Goldman, PhD FTOS, is a licensed psychologist, clinical assistant professor, speaker, wellness expert specializing in eating behaviors, stress management, and health behavior change.

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Benefits of Using Journal Prompts

How to use journal prompts, journal prompts you can try, how do you come up with a journal prompt.

A journal can be a trusted companion that helps you reflect on your thoughts, feelings, actions, decisions, and relationships. Research shows that journaling is linked to better planning, lower stress, and better physical and mental health.

Whether you write in your journal regularly or you’re just getting started, you might sometimes find yourself staring at a blank page and wondering what to write. If you’re at a loss for words, a journal prompt can come to the rescue.

Journal prompts are suggestions, ideas, or questions that can help guide and inspire your journal entries, says Sabrina Romanoff , PsyD, a clinical psychologist and professor at Yeshiva University.

“Prompts are typically themes to reflect on or questions that are meant to motivate you to think deeper about something,” Dr. Romanoff adds.

In this article, we suggest some journal prompts that can spark your creativity . We also ask the expert for some strategies that can help you create your own journal prompts.

Prompted journaling, also known as guided journaling, offers several benefits:

  • Starting point: If you’ve never tried journaling before or if you’re experiencing writer’s block, journal prompts can help you get started.
  • Direction: Prompts can provide direction to your writing, says Dr. Romanoff. By focusing on a specific topic or question, you can explore your thoughts and feelings around it. 
  • Structure: Sometimes, you might prefer to write down your thoughts freely as they occur. However, there may be times when you want to organize your thoughts more coherently. Journal prompts can provide the structure you need to organize your thoughts.
  • Creativity: Using different journal prompts can introduce variety to your journaling experience. It can encourage you to think more creatively and approach things from different angles.
  • Insight: Journal prompts can provide topics or themes that help you explore fresh perspectives and new dimensions of yourself, says Dr. Romanoff. This process can help you discover personal insights and promote greater self-awareness .
  • Consistency: Having a prompt to guide each journaling session can encourage you to maintain a regular journaling practice. The prompts can make journaling feel like a purposeful and engaging activity, which may help you be more consistent with it.

These are some strategies that can help you use journal prompts:

  • Find prompts that inspire you: Dr. Romanoff suggests making a list of prompts that you find inspiring or motivating—you can come up with your own, buy a journal with prompts, or look online for examples.
  • Decide your frequency: It can be helpful to set a frequency for journaling, such as daily, weekly, monthly or at any other interval that works for you. You can use prompts every time you journal or just when you’re feeling stagnant and craving inspiration or motivation for your journaling session, says Dr. Romanoff.
  • Keep an open mind: Approach prompted journaling with an open mind . Reflect on the prompt and explore where it takes you. You can write as much or as little as you like. 
  • Get creative: Don’t be afraid to get creative with your responses or limit yourself only to words. You can even pen down your thoughts and feelings in the form of drawings or poetry, if you prefer.
  • Be honest and authentic: Honesty is key to getting the most out of journaling. Write from the heart and don't be afraid to express your true feelings, even if they are complex or challenging.
  • Reflect on your responses: After you've written your responses, take a moment to reflect on what you've written. Consider how your thoughts and emotions have evolved over the course of writing them down.

These are some journal prompts that can help you get started.

Self-Discovery Prompts

Self-discovery prompts can help you self-reflect and get to know yourself better. Greater self-awareness is linked to improved emotional intelligence.

These are some journal prompts that can enable self-discovery:

  • First, list five words that best describe you. Then, think about which five words you would like to describe yourself.
  • Complete this sentence: “My life would be incomplete without….”
  • Reflect on a phrase, quote, or mantra that resonates with you. Explain why it’s significant to you.
  • Make a list of the things in your life that you’re most grateful for.
  • Explain what you do best.
  • Reflect on the qualities that you value most in others.
  • Share three things that made you smile today.
  • List your best and worst habits.
  • Write down three life lessons you’ve learned.
  • Explain what love means to you.
  • Describe the values that are most important to you and consider whether your actions align with them.
  • Think about what you would do with your life if you had unlimited resources and explain why.
  • Describe what is stressing you out and how you’re coping with it.
  • Write about your biggest regret and what you would do differently in hindsight.
  • Identify and label the fears and insecurities that are holding you back right now.

Personal Growth Prompts

These are some journal prompts that can encourage personal growth:

  • What are three short-term goals you would like to achieve within the next three months?
  • What are three long-term goals you would like to achieve within the next five years?
  • Which skill would you like to cultivate in yourself?
  • Which qualities do you admire most in others that you would like to develop in yourself?
  • Which areas of your life would benefit from more self-discipline ?
  • What is your worst habit and how would you change it?
  • What’s something new you would like to try?
  • What habit do you want to add to your daily routine?
  • What would you like to contribute to your community?
  • What is the biggest challenge you’re dealing with right now?
  • What is the biggest failure you’ve ever faced and what have you learned from it?
  • How would you like to be remembered by others?
  • How can you better support your loved ones?
  • What boundaries would you like to set in your relationships to protect yourself?

Mindfulness Prompts

Mindfulness prompts can help you become more aware of your thoughts, emotions, senses, and surroundings. Being more mindful can help you be more intentional and purposeful in the way you live your life.

These are some journal prompts that can support greater mindfulness:

  • Describe a meal you ate today. What colors, textures, tastes, and feelings did you experience?
  • Pick an everyday object from your surroundings, like a plant or a pencil. Write a detailed description of it as if you've never seen it before.
  • Focus on a sound in the background, such as the ticking of a clock or the rustling of the breeze. Describe the sound and its impact on you.
  • Close your eyes for a minute and pay attention to your breath. When you open your eyes, write down what it felt like.
  • Describe your ideal day from morning to night. What activities, people, and experiences would be part of it?
  • Reflect on your thoughts without judgment . Identify and describe any feelings you're experiencing in the present moment.
  • Write about a recent interaction with someone. What were their words, expressions, and gestures? How did you feel during the interaction?
  • Think back to a moment of happiness you experienced recently. Relive the sensations, thoughts, and emotions associated with it.
  • Think about the place where you feel most at peace. What makes it special to you?
  • Recall a time when you were worrying about something in the future. How did it affect your present moment and what would you have done differently?

Creativity Prompts

These are some journal prompts that can spark creativity :

  • Write a letter to your favorite fictional character, describing your life to them.
  • Make a list of questions you would like to ask a future version of yourself.
  • Think about your favorite word or phrase. Explain why you love it.
  • Choose a random object from your surroundings. What qualities do you have in common with it?
  • Make a list of ten unusual ways to use a common household item. Get creative and think outside the box.
  • Write a conversation between two inanimate objects, giving them personalities and voices.
  • Invent a gadget that would make your life more efficient or interesting.
  • Choose a word from a foreign language that doesn't have a direct English translation. Describe the last time you encountered or experienced it.
  • Imagine you get the chance to be any animal for a day. Which animal would you pick and what would you do?
  • Invent a new holiday and outline the traditions, celebrations, and rituals associated with it, based on your values.
  • If you have a time machine and you can go anywhere in the past or future, where would you go and what would you do there?

These are some strategies that can help you come up with your own journal prompts:

  • Decide your goals: First, consider what your goal of journaling is and then work backwards to find ways to achieve that goal, says Dr. Romanoff. For instance, she says gratitude , relationships, learning, self-growth, or creativity are goals that you might want to pursue.
  • Find prompts that align with your goals: Write down a few prompts that resonate with you and align with your current goals, interests, or areas of focus. You can add more or tweak them as you go along.
  • Mix and match different prompts: Feel free to mix and match prompts from different sources or create your own variations. Experiment with different types of prompts to keep your journaling practice engaging and varied.
  • Build on existing prompts: If a prompt leads you to new insights or questions, consider exploring those ideas in subsequent journal entries. You can use your initial response as a springboard for deeper exploration.

Journaling can be a form of self-care , a way to connect with yourself, or a creative exercise. 

If you enjoy journaling, having prompts can help guide your thoughts and focus your attention in a specific direction. Having a new journal prompt to work on every time you’re in the mood to journal can be exciting, comforting, and even a little scary. Just think of each prompt as an opportunity to learn something new about yourself.

Pena‐Silva RA, Velasco‐Castro JM, Matsingos C, Jaramillo‐Rincon SX. Journaling as an effective tool to promote metacognition and enhance study methods in a pharmacology course, during and after the pandemic . FASEB J . 2022;36(Suppl 1):10.1096/fasebj.2022.36.S1.R4840. doi:10.1096/fasebj.2022.36.S1.R4840

Drigas AS, Papoutsi C. A new layered model on emotional intelligence . Behav Sci (Basel) . 2018;8(5):45. doi:10.3390/bs8050045

Crego A, Yela JR, Gómez-Martínez MÁ, Riesco-Matías P, Petisco-Rodríguez C. Relationships between mindfulness, purpose in life, happiness, anxiety, and depression: testing a mediation model in a sample of women . Int J Environ Res Public Health . 2021;18(3):925. doi:10.3390/ijerph18030925

By Sanjana Gupta Sanjana is a health writer and editor. Her work spans various health-related topics, including mental health, fitness, nutrition, and wellness.

550+ Journal Prompts: The Ultimate List

Discover over 500 journal prompts to jump-start your journal writing and explore personal growth, daily reflection, and goal-setting..

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  • February 22, 2023

Home » Day One Blog » 550+ Journal Prompts: The Ultimate List

Journal prompts can be a great way to jump-start your journal writing and explore new and interesting topics. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced journaler, having a go-to library of journal prompts can help you build a more regular journaling practice and stay inspired and motivated as you keep a journal.

With this in mind, we’ve compiled a comprehensive list of over 500 journal prompts to cover a wide range of topics and themes, from daily writing prompts to deeper questions that explore personal growth, foster self-reflection, creative expression, and even goal setting.

Whether you prefer to reflect on your daily life, set intentions for the future, or simply explore your thoughts and feelings in your journal, there’s something for everyone in this collection of journaling prompts. If you’re a beginner journaler looking for some guidance, or an experienced journaler seeking new inspiration, this list of journaling prompts is for you.

What are Journal Prompts?

Journal prompts are questions, suggestions, or ideas that can help inspire you to write in your personal journal .

For example, journaling prompts can be specific questions or statements that encourage you to reflect on a particular topic, theme, or aspect of your life. Journal prompts can also be general, and can be designed to help you explore a wide range of topics and experiences.

Journal prompts can be used in many different ways, and can be a valuable tool for beginners and experienced journalers alike. For beginners, prompts can help you get started with journaling, and can provide a starting point for your writing. For experienced journalers, prompts can help you explore new topics and experiences, and can provide a fresh perspective as you write a new journal entry .

Journal prompts are questions, suggestions, or ideas that can help inspire you to write in your journal. Journaling prompts can be specific questions or statements that encourage you to reflect on a particular topic, theme, or aspect of your life.

In a nutshell, using journaling prompts can help get the creative juices flowing and make it easier to come up with ideas for what to write about. Many people find that using prompts can help them explore new topics and gain new insights through their journaling practice. You can use prompts every day, or just when you need a little extra inspiration or motivation.

A scene of journaling at a sunlit desk with journal prompts, computer, and a cup of tea.

The Benefits of Using Journaling Prompts

Whether you’re looking to improve your mental health, boost your creativity, or just keep a record of your life, journal prompts can be a powerful tool for building a lasting journaling habit .

1. Inspiration

When it comes to keeping a journal, sometimes it’s hard to know what to write about. Journal prompts provide a needed spark of inspiration by asking a question or giving you a jumping-off point from which to write.

2. Structure

Journal prompts give you a starting point and a structure for your writing, which can be especially helpful if you’re new to journaling or if you struggle with writer’s block.

3. Consistency

When you have a set of prompts to work with, it becomes easier to write regularly, as you always have something to write about. This can help you establish a more consistent journaling habit.

4. Exploration

Journal prompts can encourage you to explore new topics, thoughts, and emotions that you may not have considered before. This can help you broaden your perspective and gain new insights into yourself and the world around you.

5. Creativity

Journal prompts that are more creative in nature can help you tap into your imagination and unleash your creative potential. This can be especially helpful if you’re feeling stuck or uninspired.

6. Motivation

When you see the progress you’re making and the growth you’re experiencing through journaling, it can be incredibly motivating. Journal prompts can help you stay engaged and motivated in your writing by providing new and exciting challenges.

7. Accountability

By committing to writing regularly, you can hold yourself accountable to your journaling practice and ensure that you continue to make progress and grow.

8. Reflection

Journal prompts that are more reflective in nature can help you slow down and reflect on your thoughts, feelings, and experiences. This can be a valuable tool for personal growth and self-discovery.

Using a ballpoint pen to write in a paper journal

Journal Prompt Examples

In this ultimate list of journal prompts, you’ll find hundreds of journal prompt examples that you can use and adopt into your journaling practice, including examples of journal prompts for beginners, examples of daily journal prompts, examples of evening journal prompts, and more.

These journal prompt examples are grouped into categories to make them a bit easier to navigate and help you find the prompts that best fit your journaling goals and preferences. Each category of journal prompt examples includes a variety of prompts designed to inspire self-reflection, creativity, personal growth, and mindfulness.

With this comprehensive list of journal prompts, you can cultivate a deeper understanding of yourself, your experiences, and the world around you through the powerful practice of journaling.

Typing a journal entry using prompts on a laptop

Beginner Journal Prompts

If you are a beginner journaler, here are some good journaling prompts to try. Simply copy and paste these journaling prompt examples into your journal. These prompts are just a starting point, and you can adjust them or come up with your own to fit your needs and interests.

  • What happened today?
  • What was the best thing that happened today?
  • What was the worst thing that happened today?
  • What was the most interesting thing I saw or heard today?
  • What was the most challenging thing I faced today?
  • What am I grateful for today?
  • What did I learn today?
  • What was the most fun thing I did today?
  • What was the most surprising thing that happened today?
  • What did I do today that I am proud of?

a woman sits at her laptop looking for brainstorming inspiration

Brainstorming Journal Prompts

Journal prompts can be a helpful tool for brainstorming because they provide a starting point and direction for your thinking. By using these prompts, you can unlock your creativity, explore new possibilities, and come up with innovative solutions to the challenges and opportunities in your life. Remember to be open-minded, curious, and non-judgmental as you brainstorm, and to write down every idea that comes to mind, no matter how big or small.

  • What is the current problem or challenge I am facing?
  • What are my goals and objectives related to this problem or challenge?
  • What are some potential solutions to this problem or challenge?
  • What are some creative and unconventional solutions I can consider?
  • What are some pros and cons of each potential solution?
  • How can I collaborate with others to find a solution?
  • What are some resources I can utilize to help solve this problem or challenge?
  • How can I apply my skills, knowledge, and experience to this problem or challenge?
  • What are some potential roadblocks or challenges to implementing a solution, and how can I overcome them?
  • How can I prioritize and organize my thoughts and ideas to effectively solve this problem or challenge?

scene of answering body positivity journal prompts in a journal with a pen

Body Positivity Journal Prompts

Body positivity is about learning to love and accept your body exactly as it is, while also recognizing that your body is not your only source of worth or value. These prompts can help you explore and cultivate a more positive relationship with your body, but the journey towards self-love is ongoing and ever-evolving. Be patient, kind, and compassionate towards yourself, and remember that every step towards greater self-acceptance is a step in the right direction.

  • What do I love most about my body, and why?
  • What beliefs or messages about my body do I need to let go of in order to cultivate more self-love and acceptance?
  • What activities or practices help me feel connected to and in tune with my body?
  • How can I be more compassionate towards my body, especially when I’m feeling self-critical or negative?
  • What role does social media or the media in general play in shaping my body image, and how can I cultivate a more positive relationship with these sources of influence?
  • What would it feel like to let go of the need to compare my body to others, and instead focus on my own unique strengths and beauty?
  • What are some ways I can prioritize my physical health and well-being, without falling into the trap of diet culture or body shaming?
  • How can I shift my focus from appearance-based goals (e.g. weight loss, achieving a certain body shape) to more holistic measures of health and wellness (e.g. energy levels, mood, strength, etc.)?
  • What does it mean to truly embody self-love and body positivity, and how can I take small steps towards this every day?
  • How can I cultivate a sense of appreciation and love for my body, even if it doesn’t conform to societal ideals?
  • What are some ways I can celebrate and care for my body, regardless of its shape or size?

Creative Journal Prompts

By using these prompts, you can tap into your creativity and expand your skills and knowledge. Remember, creativity is not limited to art or music, but can also include problem-solving, critical thinking, and even communication. By keeping an open mind and a curious attitude, you can discover new ways to express yourself and connect with the world around you. So take a few minutes each day to journal and see where your creativity leads.

  • What does creativity mean to me?
  • How do I get to use my creativity on a daily basis?
  • What is one thing that I have always wanted to create, and what steps can I take to make it a reality?
  • What is one place or environment that inspires my creativity, and how can I create more opportunities to be in that space?
  • What are my passions and interests, and how can I incorporate them into my work or personal life?
  • What is one small creative project that I can do today, and how can I make it unique to my personal style?
  • What is one fear or obstacle that is holding me back creatively, and what can I do to overcome it?
  • What is one thing that I can learn or experiment with in order to expand my creative skills and knowledge?
  • What is one challenge or prompt that I can give myself to push myself creatively?
  • What is one way I can creatively express gratitude, love, or appreciation for someone in my life?
  • How can I challenge myself to think outside of the box and embrace new and creative ideas?
  • How can I surround myself with people and environments that foster creativity and inspiration?
  • What are some ways I can take time for myself and recharge my batteries to cultivate creativity and inspiration?
  • What are some hobbies or activities I can pursue to tap into my creativity and imagination?
  • How can I incorporate more play and fun into my life to foster creativity and inspiration?
  • What are some ways I can break out of my comfort zone and try new things to stimulate creativity and inspiration?
  • How can I be more open-minded and receptive to new ideas and perspectives?
  • What are some ways I can use technology and innovation to enhance my creativity and inspiration?
  • How can I seek out new experiences and adventures to expand my horizons and inspire my creativity?
  • How can I create a supportive and nurturing environment for my mind, body, and soul to encourage creativity and inspiration?

A person sits on a sofa with headphones, a notebook, and a computer to answer creative writing prompts

Creative Writing Prompts

Your journal can be a great place to explore creative writing projects like short stories, poetry, song lyrics, memoirs, or novels. Some people find it helpful to use their journal to record thoughts and ideas, which can then be used as inspiration for future writing projects. Others writers use their journal as a place to practice writing exercises or to experiment with different writing styles. By giving yourself a private place to explore ideas, create first drafts, and catalog your progress, your imagination can roam free.

  • Write a story from the perspective of an inanimate object that has come to life.
  • Write a poem about a childhood memory that has stayed with you.
  • Write about a character who wakes up one day with a superpower.
  • Write a poem about the changing of the seasons and the beauty of nature.
  • Write a story that begins with the sentence “The door creaked open, revealing a long-forgotten room.”
  • Write a story about a group of people who are stranded on a deserted island.
  • Write a poem that explores the concept of time and how it shapes our lives.
  • Write a story from the perspective of a character who has lost their memory and is trying to piece together their past.
  • Write a poem that reflects on the beauty of everyday moments.
  • Write a story about a time traveler who accidentally gets stuck in the wrong time period.
  • Write about a relationship that taught you an important lesson about yourself or the world around you.
  • Write a story about a character who discovers a mysterious book with a hidden message.
  • Write a poem that uses the theme of water to convey a deeper meaning or emotion.
  • Write about a place that has had a significant impact on your life, and what memories or emotions it brings up for you.
  • Write a story about a character who is forced to confront their deepest fear.
  • Write a poem that explores the idea of home and what it means to you.
  • Write a story from the perspective of an animal who is trying to survive in the wilderness.
  • Write about an experience that taught you a valuable lesson about forgiveness or acceptance.
  • Write a story about a character who receives a letter from a long-lost relative with a surprising revelation.

Daily Journal Prompts

Daily journal prompts are prompts you may want to ask yourself on a daily basis. By using these journal prompts on a daily basis, you can cultivate a greater sense of mindfulness, gratitude, self-awareness , and intentionality in your life. Whether you use these prompts in the morning to set your intentions for the day, or in the evening to reflect on your experiences, they can help you stay focused, motivated, and aligned with your values and goals.

  • How am I feeling today?
  • How does my body feel today?
  • What am I nervous or anxious about today?
  • What actions can I take on each of the things that make me nervous or anxious?
  • What are my top priorities for the day?
  • What’s something I can do to make today amazing?
  • What did I learn today? How can I apply this knowledge in the future?
  • What challenges did I face today? How did I overcome them? What can I learn from these experiences?
  • What did I do today that brought me joy or fulfillment? How can I incorporate more of these activities into my daily routine?
  • What was a moment of joy, delight, or contentment today?
  • What was a small detail I noticed today?
  • What was the weather like today?
  • What am I thankful for today?
  • What could I have done differently today?
  • How can I make tomorrow even better?

Decision-Making Journal Prompts

Decision-making can be challenging and anxiety-inducing, but journaling can be a helpful tool to clarify your thoughts, fears, hopes, and priorities. By reflecting on these decision-making prompts, you can gain greater clarity and insight into your decision-making process, and ultimately make choices that feel more aligned with your true self and values.

  • What is the decision I need to make?
  • When do I need to make this decision?
  • What is the desired outcome I hope to achieve?
  • What are the pros and cons of each option?
  • What are my fears or concerns about making this decision?
  • What insights or lessons have I gained from similar decisions I’ve made in the past?
  • How do these lessons or insights apply to this situation?
  • What advice would I give to a friend in this same situation?
  • What is my instinct or intuition telling me about this decision?
  • What impact will this decision have on myself and others?
  • How does this decision align with my values?
  • What resources or support do I need to make this decision with confidence and clarity?
  • What is the worst-case scenario if I make this decision?
  • What facts do I have to support my decision?
  • How do I feel about my decision?
  • How confident am I feeling about this decision?
  • What are my next steps for this decision?

Dream Journal Prompts

The goal of keeping a dream journal is not to interpret your dreams as right or wrong, but rather to understand what they may be trying to tell you on a deeper level. By exploring your dreams in this way, you can gain valuable insights into your subconscious mind and find new ways to approach the challenges and opportunities in your waking life. Here are a few examples of dream journal prompts:

  • What was the most memorable dream I had last night? Write down as many details as you can remember.
  • What recurring themes or symbols appear in my dreams? Are there any patterns I can identify?
  • What emotions did I feel in my dream, and do they relate to any current issues in my waking life?
  • What do I think my dream is trying to tell me? How can I apply its message to my life?
  • If I could have any dream I wanted tonight, what would it be about?
  • If I could ask a dream character any question, who would I choose, and what would I ask them?
  • What are some of the most bizarre or surreal dreams I’ve ever had? What do I think they mean?
  • What is the most common type of dream I have (like nightmares, flying dreams, etc.)? What do I think it says about my psyche?

Evening Journal Prompts

By using these evening journal prompts, you can reflect on your experiences, cultivate a greater sense of self-awareness, and identify opportunities for growth and learning. Reflection is an important part of the learning and growth process, and taking a few minutes each evening to reflect on your day can help you gain greater insights into your life, your goals, and your values. So make journaling a daily habit, and see how it can help you live your best life.

  • What are three things that went well today, and why?
  • What were the highlights of my day?
  • What are three things that I could have done differently today, and how can I learn from these experiences?
  • How did I show gratitude today?
  • What were some challenges I faced today and how did I overcome them?
  • What did I do to take care of myself today?
  • What did I do to help others today?
  • How did I prioritize my time today?
  • What did I do to bring positivity into my day?
  • What did I do today that made me proud of myself?
  • What were the most important events of the day?
  • How did I feel at different moments throughout the day?
  • What were some unexpected events that took place today?
  • Who did I interact with today and what were those interactions like?
  • What did I accomplish today?
  • What are some things I would like to do differently tomorrow?
  • What did I do to relax and recharge today?
  • What were some of the sights, sounds, and smells I experienced today?
  • How did I handle any difficult situations that arose today?
  • What are some things I am looking forward to tomorrow?
  • What emotions did I experience today?
  • How did I respond to each emotion? What triggered each emotion?
  • What did I do to make a positive impact on someone else’s day?
  • What am I looking forward to tomorrow?
  • What can I do to prepare for a peaceful night’s sleep?
  • What was the most significant event of my day and why was it important?
  • How did I handle any conflicts or difficult situations today?
  • What did I learn about myself today?
  • What are some things I can do differently tomorrow to have an even better day?
  • Who made a positive impact on my day and how?
  • What did I do to make someone else’s day better?
  • What are some things I want to remember about today?

Fun Journal Prompts

Journaling can also be a fun and creative outlet. Use these fun journal prompts to explore your playful side or to even have a laugh.

  • What is something silly that always makes me laugh?
  • What is a favorite childhood memory that still brings me joy?
  • If I could live in any time period or place, where would I choose and why?
  • What is my favorite meal or type of food, and why do I love it so much?
  • If I could have any superpower, what would it be and why?
  • What is a book or movie that always puts me in a good mood, and why?
  • What is something I’ve always wanted to try but haven’t yet? How might I make that happen?
  • What is one thing I can’t live without?
  • What is one funny story about my life that I don’t mind sharing with other people?
  • What is something about myself that I know is quirky?
  • If I could be any fictional character, who would I choose and why?
  • What is the most outrageous outfit or costume I’ve ever worn? Where did I wear it, and how did I feel?
  • What is my favorite silly joke or pun, and why does it make me laugh?
  • What is the best gift I have ever given, and why was it so special?
  • If I were a superhero, what would be my name, powers, and costume?
  • What is the funniest prank I have ever played on someone, or that someone has played on me?
  • If I could magically switch lives with anyone for a day, who would it be and why?
  • What is my favorite childhood toy or game, and why did I love it so much?
  • What is my favorite dance move, and can I teach it to someone else (or describe it in words)?
  • If I could travel anywhere in the world (or beyond), where would I go and what would I do there?

Goal-Setting Journal Prompts

The process of journaling goals can help you to clarify your goals, create a plan of action, and hold yourself accountable for making progress towards them. Use them to reflect on your priorities and values, identify potential obstacles, and develop a plan for success. By setting clear goals and taking concrete steps towards achieving them, you can create a sense of purpose and motivation in your daily life.

  • What are my top three goals for the next year?
  • What are some actionable steps I can take to achieve my goals?
  • What is one new habit I would like to develop in the next month?
  • How can I create a plan to make this new habit a consistent part of my routine?
  • What are three skills or areas of knowledge I would like to develop in the next year?
  • What resources or support can I seek out to help me achieve my goals?
  • What are three things that are holding me back from achieving my goals?
  • How can I work to overcome these obstacles?
  • What are three small, measurable goals I can set for myself this week?
  • How will I hold myself accountable for following through on my goals?
  • What are my long-term career goals? What are some concrete steps I can take to move closer to achieving them?
  • What are my personal values and how do they relate to my goals?
  • How can I ensure that my goals are aligned with my values?
  • What are some potential roadblocks or challenges that I may encounter as I work towards my goals?
  • How can I develop a plan to overcome roadblocks or challenges to my goals?
  • How can I track my progress towards my goals?
  • What tools or systems can I use to stay motivated and on track?
  • What are three small, specific goals I can set for myself each day?
  • How can I ensure that my daily actions align with my larger goals and priorities?
  • What habits do I need in order to achieve my goals?

Gratitude Journal Prompts

By using these gratitude journaling prompts , you can shift your focus from what you don’t have to what you do have, and cultivate a greater sense of appreciation and contentment in your life. Keeping a gratitude journal has been shown to have numerous benefits for our well-being, from increased happiness and positive emotions to better physical health and improved relationships. So take a few minutes each day to reflect on the good things in your life, and see how it can transform your perspective and your life.

  • What are three things I am grateful for today?
  • Who are three people in my life that I am grateful for, and why?
  • What are three small things that happened today that I am grateful for?
  • What is one thing that I often take for granted in my life, and how can I cultivate more appreciation and gratitude for it?
  • What are some positive qualities or strengths that I possess, and how can I be grateful for them?
  • What is something in my life that I feel “lucky” to have? 
  • What is a simple delight I have been enjoying lately? 
  • What is something I am grateful to have learned recently?
  • In what ways have I grown as a person over the last year?
  • What do I like about where I live right now? 
  • What were some moments of joy today?
  • How does expressing gratitude make me feel right now? 
  • How can I show my gratitude today?
  • What are some ways I can express gratitude and appreciate the beauty and wonder of the world around me?

Growth Mindset Journal Prompts

The key to cultivating a growth mindset is to approach challenges and setbacks with a curious and open-minded attitude, and to view them as opportunities for learning and growth. By practicing these growth mindset journal prompts, you can begin to develop a more resilient, adaptable, and growth-oriented mindset that can help you achieve your goals and pursue your dreams with confidence and courage.

  • What are some areas of my life where I tend to have a fixed mindset?
  • How can I shift my thinking to adopt a growth mindset instead?
  • What are some goals that I’ve been afraid to pursue due to fear of failure or rejection?
  • How can I reframe my mindset to view failure as a natural part of the learning process, and use it as an opportunity for growth?
  • What are some of my limiting beliefs and self-talk that may be holding me back?
  • How can I challenge and overcome them?
  • How can I embrace challenges and failures as opportunities for growth and development, rather than viewing them as setbacks?
  • How can I cultivate a positive and optimistic attitude, even in the face of adversity and difficulty?
  • What are some ways I can seek out feedback and constructive criticism to continue growing and improving?
  • How can I strive for progress, rather than perfection, in my personal and professional life?
  • What are some of my strengths and areas for growth, and how can I use this knowledge to drive personal development and growth?
  • How can I seek out new experiences, opportunities, and relationships to broaden my horizons and support personal growth?
  • How can I foster resilience and perseverance in the face of obstacles and challenges to continue growing and developing?
  • How can I take responsibility for my thoughts, feelings, and actions, and use them as opportunities for growth and development?
  • How can I view mistakes and failures as learning opportunities, rather than setbacks or obstacles?
  • What are some new skills or knowledge areas that I want to develop?
  • How can I cultivate a curious and open-minded attitude, and seek out new information and knowledge to support growth and development?
  • What are some ways I can adopt a proactive, rather than reactive, approach to challenges and difficulties?

Inner Child Journal Prompts

Connecting with your inner child can be a powerful way to heal past wounds, reconnect with your joy and playfulness, and rediscover your authentic self. Use these journal prompts to explore your own childhood experiences and find ways to nurture and care for your inner child today.

  • What memories do I have from my childhood? Are there any happy memories that stand out?
  • What was my favorite activity as a child? Did I have any hobbies or interests that I loved?
  • How did I spend my free time as a child? What games did I play? What books did I read?
  • What did I enjoy most about school? Did I have a favorite subject or teacher?
  • Did I have any dreams or aspirations as a child? What did I want to be when I grew up?
  • What were some of the challenges or struggles I faced as a child? How did those experiences shape me?
  • How did my family and upbringing impact my childhood experiences? What positive or negative influences did I have?
  • What beliefs or attitudes did I develop as a child that may still be impacting me today?
  • How can I nurture and care for my inner child now? What activities or experiences bring me joy and playfulness?
  • What can I learn from my inner child? How can I tap into the curiosity, creativity, and resilience that I had as a child?
  • What activities or experiences brought me joy as a child?
  • How can I incorporate these activities into my life now?
  • How can I nurture my inner child and cultivate a sense of playfulness and wonder?

Inspiring Journal Prompts

By using these inspiring journal prompts, you can tap into your creativity, cultivate a greater sense of inspiration, and explore new ideas and possibilities. Inspiration can come from many different sources, and by keeping an open mind and a curious attitude, you can discover new insights and perspectives that can help you live a more fulfilling and purposeful life. So take a few minutes each day to journal, and see where your imagination takes you.

  • When was the last time I felt inspired?
  • Where do I usually find inspiration?
  • What things inspire me?
  • Who is someone that inspires me, and what qualities do they possess that I admire?
  • What is one book or movie that has inspired me, and why?
  • What are some of my favorite forms of art, literature, or media, and how can they inspire me?
  • What is one quote or saying that inspires me, and how can I apply its wisdom to my life?
  • What is one creative project that I have been wanting to work on, and what steps can I take to get started?
  • When was the last time I felt completely in awe of something, and what was it that inspired that feeling?
  • What is one thing that I have always wanted to learn, and how can I make time to pursue this interest?
  • What is one small thing that I can do each day to cultivate a greater sense of inspiration and creativity in my life?

Intention-Setting Journal Prompts

Setting intentions is all about clarifying your goals and priorities, and creating a plan to work towards them. These journal prompts can help you get started on that process, but ultimately the most important thing is to take action towards your goals, and adjust your intentions as needed based on what’s working (and what’s not).

  • What do I want to focus on this month/week/day?
  • What are my intentions for the day?
  • What is my biggest “why” (the deeper purpose or motivation behind my intentions)?
  • How can I use my “why” to stay focused and committed?
  • How can I prioritize my time and energy accordingly?
  • What are some external factors that could impact my ability to focus on my intentions, and how can I plan ahead to address them?
  • What are some distractions or time-wasters that I need to eliminate in order to focus on what’s truly important?

Introspective Journal Prompts

Introspection is the process of looking inward and examining your thoughts, feelings, and emotions. It involves self-reflection and self-awareness, and can help you better understand yourself and your experiences. Here are some introspective journal prompts:

  • What brings me the most joy and fulfillment, and how can I make time for those things in my life?
  • What does happiness mean to me? What can I do to cultivate more happiness and contentment in my life?
  • What decisions am I facing right now?
  • How do I define success? What steps can I take to achieve it?
  • What are my fears and insecurities? How can I work through them to become more confident and self-assured?
  • What are the most important relationships in my life? How can I strengthen them?
  • In general, how do I feel about how my life is going right now?
  • What are some areas of my life where I am currently stuck or feeling stagnant? What steps can I take to move forward and make progress in those areas?
  • What themes, patterns, or symbols have I noticed in my life lately?
  • What are some beliefs or assumptions that I hold about myself or the world around me?
  • When I am faced with challenges or obstacles, what is my usual response?
  • What are some activities or habits that drain my energy or motivation?
  • How do I usually handle my emotions and feelings? Are there any emotions that I tend to avoid or suppress?
  • What are some of the things that I am most grateful for in my life? How can I cultivate more gratitude and appreciation?

Journal Prompts for Dealing with Grief and Loss

Dealing with grief and loss can be a difficult and painful process, and journaling can be a powerful tool for processing and expressing your emotions. By taking the time to reflect on your emotions and explore ways to process them, you can find a path forward that works for you. Here are some journal prompts to help you work through the process of journaling grief :

  • What are my fondest memories of the person I have lost?
  • What are the things I wish I could have said or done with the person before they passed away?
  • What is the hardest thing about dealing with the loss?
  • How can I find ways to cope with my grief?
  • How has this loss impacted my daily routine?
  • What are the things I have learned about myself or about life in general as a result of this loss?
  • What are some positive steps I can take to honor the memory of the person I have lost?
  • How can I find support and comfort during this difficult time?
  • Who are the people in my life who I can turn to for care and support as I navigate through my grief?
  • What are some healthy ways I can process my grief, such as through exercise, meditation, or creative outlets like art or music?

Journal Prompts for Difficult Times

Journaling can be a powerful tool for processing difficult emotions and finding clarity during challenging times. Don’t be afraid to explore your feelings and seek support when you need it.

  • What’s going on that makes this time so difficult?
  • What is causing my distress?
  • Who can I turn to for support?
  • How have I coped with difficult times in the past?
  • What are some things I am thankful for, even in challenging circumstances?
  • How can I cultivate a sense of appreciation and optimism in the face of adversity?
  • What self-care practices have helped me in the past?
  • What can I learn from this experience? What lessons might I learn?
  • How can I reframe the situation?
  • What actions can I take to improve the situation?
  • What positive things do I have in my life right now?
  • What can I do to take care of myself right now?

Journal Prompts for Exploring Your Identity

Identity is a highly personal and subjective concept that is shaped by a variety of factors unique to each individual. Here are some journal prompts for exploring your identity:

  • What are my personal values and beliefs? How do they shape my identity?
  • What are some of the roles that I take on in my life? How do these roles contribute to my sense of identity?
  • How do I define myself in terms of my relationships with others? How do these relationships shape my sense of self?
  • What do I know about my cultural or ethnic background? How does my cultural or ethnic background shape my identity?
  • What are some of the strengths, talents, or unique qualities that I possess? How do they contribute to my sense of self?
  • How does my physical appearance shape my sense of identity?
  • What life experiences have shaped who I am today?
  • What are some of the fears or doubts that I have about my identity? How can I address these fears or doubts in a healthy way?
  • How do I balance my need for individuality with my need for a sense of community or belonging?
  • What are some of the things that I want to achieve or accomplish in life? How do these goals contribute to my sense of identity?

Journal Prompts for Exploring Your Memories

Exploring memories can be a powerful tool for personal growth and reflection. Our memories shape who we are and how we perceive the world around us, and taking the time to reflect on them can help us gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and our experiences.

In this section, we’ve compiled a list of journal prompts to help you explore your memories and tap into your innermost thoughts and emotions. Whether you’re looking to process a difficult experience or simply reflect on a happy moment, these journal prompts for exploring your memorcan help you unlock new insights and perspectives.

  • What is one of my earliest childhood memories?
  • What emotions does this memory evoke?
  • What is a happy memory from my childhood? What made it so special?
  • What is a difficult memory from my past? How has this memory shaped me as a person?
  • Who were some of my closest friends growing up? What impact did they have on my life?
  • Who were some of my role models or mentors growing up? What impact did they have on my life?
  • What were some of my favorite hobbies or activities growing up? Do I still enjoy them today?
  • What were some of the major milestones or accomplishments I achieved in my life? How did they make me feel?
  • What were some of the most challenging or transformative experiences I’ve had in my life? How have they shaped my perspective or values?
  • What were some of the biggest surprises or unexpected turns my life has taken? How have I coped with these changes?
  • What were some of the people or experiences that have brought me the most joy or meaning in my life? How can I cultivate more of these positive influences in my present?

Journal Prompts for Exploring Your Passions and Hobbies

Exploring your passions and hobbies can be a great way to gain insight into what you truly enjoy and what makes you feel fulfilled. Here are some journal prompts to help you explore your passions and hobbies:

  • What are my favorite hobbies or activities?
  • How do my favorite hobbies or activities make me feel?
  • If I had all the time and resources I needed, what activities or hobbies would I pursue?
  • What is it about my favorite hobby that I enjoy the most? How can I incorporate more of that into my life?
  • Who do I know that shares my passion or hobby, and how can we collaborate or support each other?
  • What skills do I possess that could be applied to a new hobby or activity?
  • What is something I have always wanted to try but haven’t yet, and what is holding me back?
  • If I could turn my passion or hobby into a career or side business, what steps could I take to make it happen?

Journal Prompts for Overcoming Fear

Facing fear is a process. Use these prompts to help you identify and understand your fear, and then take small steps to face it. Celebrate your progress and be gentle with yourself along the way.

  • What am I afraid of?
  • What is the source of my fear? Where does it come from?
  • How does my fear affect my life? In what ways does it hold me back?
  • What would my life be like without this fear? What would I be able to accomplish or experience?
  • How can I reframe my fear? Is there a way to look at the situation or issue differently?
  • What steps can I take to face my fear? What action can I take to move through it?
  • Who can I turn to for support? Who can help me face my fear?
  • What have I learned from past experiences of facing fear? What worked well, and what didn’t work?
  • How can I use my fear as motivation? Can I turn my fear into a positive force that drives me forward?
  • What is the worst that can happen if I face my fear? What is the best that can happen?
  • What are some fears or limiting beliefs that are holding me back?
  • How can I work to overcome them?
  • What resources or support can I seek out to help me overcome my fears?

Journal Prompts to Explore Emotions

Journal prompts can be a great way to explore and process emotions. Here are some examples of journal prompts for journaling about feelings :

  • What emotion am I feeling right now? Write down any emotions that come to mind, no matter how big or small they may seem.
  • Where do I feel this emotion in my body? What are the physical sensations I experience when I feel this emotion? Does it manifest in a certain part of my body or in a specific way?
  • What triggered this emotion? Was it a thought, a memory, or something someone said or did?
  • How am I responding to this emotion?
  • When was the last time I felt this way?
  • What emotions do I feel most often?
  • What emotions do I avoid feeling?
  • How did my emotions affect my thoughts and behavior today?
  • How can I express this emotion in a healthy way?
  • What can I learn from this emotion? Consider how this emotion can teach you something about yourself, your values, or your needs.
  • What were some moments of stress or frustration today?
  • What were some moments of peace or calm today?
  • How did I handle negative emotions today?
  • How can I better cope with difficult emotions in the future?
  • What are some ways I can promote positivity and happiness in my life?
  • How can I support myself through this emotion? Write down self-care strategies that can help you feel more grounded and centered when experiencing this emotion.

Mindfulness Journal Prompts

Mindfulness involves paying attention to the present moment, without judgment or distraction. It can help you to reduce stress, improve relationships, and find greater peace and contentment in your life. Use these prompts as a starting point for reflection and practice, and allow yourself to explore your inner world with curiosity and compassion.

  • What is happening in this present moment?
  • What are five things I can see right now, and what colors, shapes, and textures do they have?
  • If my mind was like the ocean right now, what is the water like?
  • What thoughts am I observing right now?
  • What sensory information am I getting in this present moment?
  • What are three things I can hear right now, and how do they sound?
  • What are three things I can feel physically right now, such as the weight of my body on a chair or the texture of my clothing?
  • What are three things I can smell right now, and how do they smell?
  • What are three things I can taste right now, and how do they taste?
  • What emotions am I feeling right now, and how can I practice acceptance and self-compassion towards them?
  • What thoughts are running through my mind right now, and how can I acknowledge them without getting caught up in them?
  • What are three things I am looking forward to in the next hour, and how can I stay present and open to experiencing them fully?
  • What are three things that are worrying me right now, and how can I practice mindfulness to reduce my stress and anxiety?
  • What are three small actions I can take right now to bring myself into the present moment, such as taking a deep breath, stretching, or savoring a sip of tea or coffee?

Morning Journal Prompts

By starting your day with these morning journal prompts, you can set a positive tone for the day ahead, clarify your goals and priorities, and cultivate a more intentional and mindful approach to your daily activities. Remember, the key to success is not just what you do, but how you approach it – and these prompts can help you cultivate the mindset and habits that can help you achieve your goals and live your best life.

  • What’s on my mind this morning?
  • What am I looking forward to today?
  • What do I need to do today?
  • What are my goals for today?
  • What are some ways I can be productive today?
  • What can I do today to take care of my physical and mental health?
  • What are some challenges I might face today and how can I prepare for them?
  • How can I prioritize self-care today?
  • Who can I reach out to for support today?
  • What is one thing I can do today to help someone else?
  • How can I bring positivity into my day today?
  • What positive affirmations can I tell myself to start my day on a positive note?
  • What mindset or attitude do I want to cultivate today? How can I remind myself of this throughout the day?
  • What makes me glad to be alive today?

New Year Journal Prompts

By using these New Year journal prompts , you can reflect on the past year, set goals and intentions for the year ahead, and cultivate a greater sense of self-awareness and personal growth. Remember, the New Year is an opportunity for a fresh start, and by taking the time to reflect and plan, you can create a fulfilling and meaningful year ahead.

  • What am I most grateful for at the beginning of this new year?
  • What lessons did the previous year teach me?
  • What are three things I accomplished last year?
  • What values will guide my choices this year?
  • What would I like to savor or enjoy more often this year?
  • What are three goals I hope to accomplish this year?
  • What new skill would I like to learn or improve this year?
  • What relationships are most important to me? How can I continue to invest in these relationships this year?
  • What problems would I like to solve this year?
  • How would I like to grow or develop as a person this year?
  • What is one habit I would like to build this year?
  • What is something I want to do for others in the coming year?
  • What is something I want to do for myself in the coming year?
  • How can I prioritize my health and/or fitness this year?
  • What new experiences do I want to try this year?
  • What new place would I like to visit this year?
  • What new creative project or hobby would I like to start this year?
  • What fear do I want to overcome this year?
  • How can I show more gratitude this year?
  • How can I rest or relax more often this year?
  • What am I looking forward to in the coming year?
  • What word or phrase would I like to give this year?
  • What is my biggest dream for the year ahead?

Personal Growth Journal Prompts

These journal prompts can help you identify areas of your life where you want to grow and improve. Remember that personal growth is a lifelong journey, and progress often happens in small, incremental steps. Use these prompts to reflect on your current situation and make concrete plans for positive change in your life.

  • What are three qualities I want to embody in my daily life?
  • What are my biggest fears and how can I overcome them?
  • What are some limiting beliefs that hold me back, and how can I challenge them?
  • What are some habits I want to cultivate or break, and how can I make progress towards those goals?
  • What are some past mistakes or failures that have taught me valuable lessons, and how can I apply those lessons to my current life?
  • How can I set and work towards achievable, yet challenging, goals to drive personal growth and development?
  • How can I be more proactive and intentional about seeking out growth opportunities, rather than waiting for them to come to me?
  • How can I balance taking risks and stepping outside of my comfort zone with taking care of myself and my well-being?
  • How can I develop a growth mindset in areas that are difficult for me, such as public speaking or self-promotion?
  • How can I seek out and embrace constructive criticism and feedback, and use it as an opportunity for growth and development?
  • How can I cultivate a supportive and encouraging environment for personal growth and development, both within myself and in my relationships with others?
  • What are some ways I can contribute to my community or the world around me?

Relationship Journal Prompts

Use these prompts to explore your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in your relationships and find ways to improve your connections with loved ones.

  • How do I communicate my needs and boundaries in my relationships?
  • What are some ways I can deepen my connections with loved ones?
  • What are my values and priorities when it comes to relationships?
  • How do these values influence my actions and choices?
  • How do I respond to conflict in my relationships?
  • What communication patterns do I notice when things get difficult?
  • What are some ways I can show appreciation and gratitude for the people in my life?
  • How do I express love and affection?
  • What are some challenges I face in my relationships? How can I work on improving these challenges?
  • How do I handle disagreements or differences in opinion with my loved ones? What are some healthy ways to approach these situations?
  • What are my relationship goals?
  • What do I want to achieve in my current relationships or in future relationships?
  • What are some areas where I need to work on boundaries in my relationships? How can I create healthier boundaries?
  • How do I balance my needs with the needs of my partner or loved ones? What are some ways to ensure both parties feel heard and respected?
  • How do I manage stress and emotions in my relationships?
  • What are some techniques for managing anxiety or other difficult emotions in relationships?
  • What is my love language? How do I communicate love and affection to my partner or loved ones?

Self-Care Journal Prompts

Self-care journal prompts are prompts or questions that encourage reflection and exploration of self-care practices and activities in your self-care journal . They are designed to help you better understand your needs, feelings, and emotions, and to identify areas in your life where you may need more self-care.

  • How do I define self care?
  • What role does self-care play in my mental, physical, and emotional health?
  • What are my favorite forms of self care?
  • What are some ways I can prioritize my physical health and well-being to care for myself?
  • What forms of exercise do I enjoy?
  • What activities help me feel calm and centered?
  • How am I incorporating healthy eating into my daily life?
  • How am I helping myself get enough sleep?
  • What are some activities or hobbies that bring me joy and relaxation? How can I make time for these in my life?
  • How can I better manage and reduce stress and anxiety?
  • How am I exploring mindfulness practices or meditation?
  • How do I seek support from others?
  • How can I prioritize self-care during difficult or challenging times, and avoid neglecting my own needs?
  • How can I set boundaries with others to make sure I have time and energy for self-care?
  • How can I seek out and connect with supportive and positive relationships that uplift and empower me?
  • How can I recognize and address toxic or unhealthy patterns or behaviors, and work towards making positive changes for my well-being?
  • How can I cultivate self-compassion and self-forgiveness, and avoid self-criticism and negative self-talk?
  • How can I prioritize self-care when I am feeling overwhelmed or burnt out, and take steps to prevent burnout in the future?
  • When was the last time I took a break or gave myself some time off? How did it feel?

Self-Discovery Journal Prompts

Journaling prompts for self-discovery can provide new pathways for self-discovery and insights. Remember, the key to self-discovery is to approach these prompts with an open mind and heart, and to give yourself permission to explore and discover new things about yourself.

  • What are my core values? Take some time to reflect on the values that are most important to you in life, and why they matter to you.
  • When do I feel most alive? Reflect on the moments, experiences, and activities that make you feel fully present, engaged, and energized.
  • What gives my life meaning or purpose? Consider the activities, relationships, causes, and values that are most important to you.
  • What are my strengths and weaknesses? Consider the things you’re good at and the areas where you struggle.
  • How can I leverage my strengths and work on my weaknesses? Consider ways you can utilize your skills, knowledge, or talent in new ways or find ways for improvement.
  • What are my goals and aspirations? Write down your short-term and long-term goals, and what steps you need to take to achieve them.
  • What are my passions and interests? Think about the activities, topics, and causes that inspire and motivate you. How can you incorporate more of these things into your life?
  • What are my fears and limiting beliefs? Explore the fears and beliefs that may be holding you back from reaching your full potential. How can you challenge and overcome them?
  • What does my ideal life look like? Envision the life you want to create for yourself, and what steps you need to take to make it a reality.
  • What have been the most defining moments of my life? Reflect on the experiences that have shaped who you are today, and what you’ve learned from them.
  • What activities bring me the most joy and fulfillment?
  • What impact do I hope to make in the world? Reflect on how you can align your daily actions with your deeper sense of purpose.
  • How have my interests changed over time? Take a trip down memory lane and reflect on the activities that you used to enjoy, as well as the ones that you currently enjoy.
  • What are some of my most memorable and meaningful experiences? How can they inspire me moving forward?
  • How can I embrace change and new opportunities in my life?

Self-Confidence Journal Prompts

Journal prompts for self-confidence are designed to help you explore and develop your sense of self-assurance, belief in your abilities, and positive self-image. Here are some examples:

  • What are some things that make me feel confident?
  • How have I overcome challenges in the past, and what did I learn from those experiences?
  • What is one thing I can do today to step outside of my comfort zone and build my confidence?
  • What are some negative self-talk patterns that I engage in, and how can I reframe those thoughts in a more positive way?
  • What are my strengths and how can I utilize them to achieve my goals?
  • What are some compliments that others have given me in the past, and how can I internalize those positive messages?
  • How can I take care of myself and practice self-compassion in moments when I feel uncertain or doubtful?
  • What would I say to a friend who is struggling with self-confidence, and how can I apply that advice to my own life?
  • How can I embrace my unique qualities and use them to my advantage?
  • What is one step I can take today to work towards a goal that will build my self-confidence?

Self-Esteem Journal Prompts

Self-esteem journal prompts are writing prompts designed to help you explore your beliefs, thoughts, and feelings about yourself, and to develop a stronger sense of self-worth and self-confidence. Here are some examples:

  • What are my unique qualities and strengths, and how can I embrace and celebrate them more fully?
  • What are three things I accomplished this week that I am proud of?
  • How can I be kinder to myself today?
  • What are my unique strengths and how have they helped me in the past?
  • What is one negative thought I have about myself that I can challenge with a positive thought?
  • What can I do to take care of myself physically and emotionally today?
  • What are three things I love about myself?
  • How have I grown and changed as a person in the past year?
  • What is a positive affirmation I can repeat to myself throughout the day?
  • What is one small step I can take today to work towards a personal goal or dream?

Self-Reflection Journal Prompts

Self-reflection is the process of examining your own thoughts, feelings, and actions in order to gain a deeper understanding of yourself. It involves taking a step back from your daily life and reflecting on your experiences, values, beliefs, and goals. Self-reflection can help you to become more self-aware, to identify areas where you want to grow and improve, and to make more intentional choices in your life.

  • What are some values that are important to me, and how do they guide my decisions and actions?
  • What are some experiences from my past that have shaped who I am today, and how have they influenced my beliefs and attitudes?
  • What are some things that bring me joy and fulfillment, and how can I incorporate more of them into my life?
  • What are some patterns of behavior or thought that hold me back, and how can I work to break those patterns?
  • What are some goals or aspirations I have for my life, and what steps can I take to work towards them?
  • What are some fears or insecurities that hold me back, and how can I work to overcome them?
  • What are some relationships that are important to me, and how can I nurture and strengthen those relationships?
  • What are some mistakes or failures from my past that have taught me valuable lessons, and how can I apply those lessons to my current life?
  • What are some self-care practices that are important to me, and how can I make them a regular part of my routine?
  • What are some things that I am grateful for in my life, and how can I cultivate more gratitude on a daily basis?

Shadow Work Journal Prompts

Shadow work journaling is a process of exploring and integrating the repressed, hidden, or darker aspects of oneself. Journaling can be an effective way to facilitate this journey.

  • What triggered negative feelings today?
  • How do I think others perceive me?
  • What have others communicated to me about myself?
  • How do I respond to compliments?
  • When do I feel valued and loved?
  • What challenges did I face as a child?
  • What are my best and worst traits?
  • What do I need to forgive myself for?
  • What do I judge others for, and why?
  • Do I feel guilt or shame for anything?
  • How do I support others, and do I show myself that same love?
  • What do I consider to be healthy boundaries?
  • When do I feel the need to lie, and what is the worst lie I’ve told?
  • What parts of myself do I hide?

Spirituality Journal Prompts

Spirituality is a personal and individual journey. Use these journal prompts for spirituality to explore your own beliefs and practices, and create a deeper connection with your spirituality.

  • What does spirituality mean to me?
  • What role does spirituality play in my daily life?
  • What spiritual books, teachings, or leaders have influenced me? What have I learned from these sources?
  • How can I integrate my spiritual beliefs and practices into my routines?
  • How do I define my beliefs and values?
  • How have my beliefs and values evolved over time?
  • How do I connect with a higher power or the divine?
  • What practices or rituals do I find helpful in nurturing my spirituality?
  • How can I incorporate more spirituality into my daily life?
  • How can I explore my relationship with the divine or higher power?
  • What questions or uncertainties do I have about my spirituality? How can I explore these questions and seek answers?
  • How can I use my spirituality to cultivate a sense of compassion and empathy towards others, and contribute to the greater good of humanity?

Stress Relief Journal Prompts

By using these prompts, you can explore your stress triggers, develop healthy coping mechanisms, and cultivate a greater sense of mindfulness and appreciation in your daily life. Remember, stress is a natural part of life, but by taking the time to reflect and care for yourself, you can begin dealing with stress and anxiety to reduce your stress levels and find more peace and calm in your life.

  • What are some of the sources of stress in my life right now?
  • How have I been coping with stress in the past?
  • What are some healthy coping mechanisms I can use to manage stress?
  • How can I prioritize self-care to reduce stress?
  • What are some positive affirmations I can tell myself to combat stress?
  • Who can I reach out to for support and encouragement when I am feeling stressed?
  • How can I reframe negative thoughts and maintain a positive outlook?
  • What are some activities or hobbies that help me relax and de-stress?
  • How can I create a stress-free environment at home or at work?
  • What are some steps I can take to prevent stress from overwhelming me in the future?
  • What are some practical solutions to the sources of stress in my life?
  • How can I prioritize my time and responsibilities to reduce stress?
  • What are some physical activities I can do to relieve stress?
  • How can I maintain a healthy work-life balance to reduce stress?
  • How can I stay organized and on track to reduce stress?
  • How can I find humor and joy in life to combat stress?
  • What are some self-reflection exercises I can do to reduce stress?
  • How can I maintain a healthy lifestyle to reduce stress, such as eating well, getting enough sleep, and exercising regularly?
  • How can I set realistic expectations and boundaries to reduce stress?
  • What are some things I can do to maintain a positive and relaxed state of mind, such as meditating, practicing mindfulness, or spending time in nature?

Travel Journal Prompts

By using these travel journal prompts, you can record your thoughts and emotions while exploring new places, and reflect on the many insights and lessons you learn along the way. Keeping a travel journal can help you gain a deeper appreciation for the world around you, and help you create lasting memories that you can look back on for years to come. By using these travel journal prompts for each day of your trip, you can record your experiences, thoughts, and emotions throughout your journey. This can help you appreciate your travels more, and give you a way to look back on your adventures and memories in the future.

  • Where am I currently traveling to and what are my expectations for this trip?
  • What are some new things I want to experience and try while on this trip?
  • What are some things I want to learn or understand better about the culture and people in the places I visit?
  • How did I feel when I arrived at my destination? What were my first impressions?
  • What did I do on my first day of travel? What were the highlights?
  • What are some things I want to do or see while I’m here?
  • What did I do today? What were the highlights?
  • What did I learn about the place I’m visiting today?
  • What are some interesting people I’ve met? What did I learn from them?
  • What impressions have I gotten from the place I’m visiting?
  • What’s beautiful or unique about the place I’m visiting?
  • What was the most memorable moment of my trip so far, and why?
  • What natural wonders did I see today? How did they make me feel?
  • Did I engage in any outdoor activities today? What were they, and how did they challenge or inspire me?
  • What local flora or fauna did I encounter today? What did I learn about them?
  • Did I take any time to relax today? How did I spend that time?
  • How am I feeling about my trip so far? What are some things that have surprised me?
  • What are some new things I want to try before my trip ends?
  • What have I learned about myself on this trip?
  • What am I most grateful for on this trip?
  • What challenges have I faced during my travels, and how have I overcome them?
  • What are some things I would do differently if I could do this trip over again?
  • What are some things I will miss most about this place?
  • Who have I met on this trip that has impacted me, and what did I learn from them?
  • What are some interesting observations or insights I’ve had about the places I’ve visited?
  • What have I learned about myself during my travels, and how has this experience changed me?
  • What are some ways I can take the lessons and experiences from my travels and apply them to my life at home?

“What If” Journal Prompts

“What if” journal prompts are a fun and creative way to explore different scenarios and possibilities. There are no right or wrong answers, so have fun with these prompts and see where your creativity takes you!

  • What if I could travel back in time to any moment in history? Where would I go, and what would I do?
  • What if I had the power to fly? How would I use this ability, and where would I go?
  • What if I could live anywhere in the world? Where would I choose, and why?
  • What if I won the lottery? How would my life change, and what would I do with the money?
  • What if I could switch places with someone for a day? Who would I choose, and what would I do in their shoes?
  • What if I could meet any famous person, living or dead? Who would I choose, and what would I ask them?
  • What if I could speak any language fluently? Which language would I choose, and what would I do with this skill?
  • What if I could relive any day from my past? Which day would I choose, and what would I do differently?
  • What if I could talk to any animal? Which animal would I choose, and what would I ask them?
  • What if I had made a different pivotal decision in my past? Which decision would have changed the course of my life?

Answer a New Daily Journal Prompt in the Day One Journal App

The Day One journaling app makes it easy to build and maintain a daily journaling habit. Daily journaling writing prompts , reminders , and journaling streaks are designed to help keep you motivated and consistently journaling.

About the Author

Kristen Webb Wright is the author of three books on journaling. With a passion for writing and self-reflection, Kristen uses her experience with journaling to help others discover the benefits of documenting their thoughts, feelings, and experiences. In her role at Day One, she helps to promote the power of journaling so people from all walks of life can experience the transformative power of journaling.

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365 Journal Prompts to Help You Reflect, Grow, and Connect: A Year of Self-Discovery

By: Author Valerie Forgeard

Posted on Published: October 4, 2022  - Last updated: January 2, 2024

Categories Writing , Creativity , Inspiration , Self Improvement

Do you enjoy writing in your journal? If not, it might be because you’re not sure what to write about.

Here are 365 journal prompts to help get you started! These prompts will help you reflect on your life, grow as a person, and connect with others.

These prompts give you something new to explore, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced writer. Happy writing!

365 Creative Writing Prompts for Your Daily Journal

Each day, choose one of the 365 journal writing prompts.

Each journal writing prompt will put you in a creative space and help you reflect and work on your life. This is also a great way to record the key moments in your life that shape you.

Season One – Self-Discovery

Embark on a journey of self-exploration this spring. These prompts will guide you in reflecting on your inner thoughts and aspirations.

An Illustration Of A Woman Looking Up At The Sun, Capturing A Moment Of Inspiration For 365 Journal Prompts.

  • What do you always think about but never talk about?
  • What’s something good that happened today, no matter how small?
  • What are five things that make you happy?
  • What’s something you want to accomplish in the next year?
  • What’s one positive affirmation you want to remember every morning?
  • When did you last lose your temper, and why did it happen?
  • Write a gratitude list.
  • Write a letter to someone who’s significantly impacted your life.
  • What would you do differently if you knew no one would judge you?
  • When did you experience your biggest adrenaline rush?
  • Did you have a dream last night? What was it about?
  • Did anything make you sad today?
  • What was the best part of your day?
  • Tell your future self about today.
  • If money didn’t matter, what would you do with your life?
  • Do you think you’re a good person? Why or why not?
  • What’s something you wish more people knew?
  • What are three qualities that draw you to other people?
  • Write down a positive affirmation and repeat it to yourself.
  • Is there a show on TV that makes you laugh every time?
  • What’s it called, and why do you love it so much?
  • Would it be better to live forever or die tomorrow? And why?
  • What advice would you give if you could go back in time and talk to yourself as a teenager?
  • Which of your fears do you think is least likely to come true?
  • Write about some things that give you hope.
  • What’s the best thing that happened to you this weekend?
  • Write a list of your strengths.
  • Describe three people who inspire you in your life.
  • Who are three famous people born on your birthday? Did they’ve anything in common besides their birthday?
  • Did you learn anything new about yourself today?
  • What’s the most crucial thing parents should consider when raising teens?
  • What would the book’s title be if someone were to write a biography about your life? Why did you choose that title?
  • Are you sticking to your goals and resolutions?
  • What did you do this week that brought you closer to your goal(s)?
  • What could you do today to get closer to your goal(s)?
  • What are your goals and plans for the rest of the year?
  • In what ways does journaling surprise you, or what unexpected things have come up for you?
  • Imagine you could stand on a rooftop and send a message to everyone below you; what would you say?
  • What’s the one aspect of you that you’re still trying to understand?
  • If you could wake up every day and it was a vacation or a season, which would you choose?
  • Would you make an extra effort or ask for help with an overwhelming workload?
  • Could you spend the whole day in your own company without getting bored?
  • What would it be if you could go back and change one thing from your past?
  • What two things could you do for a friend or family member in the next few weeks?
  • If you could change one thing in your life now, what would it be?
  • Have you stayed on track with your health goals?
  • What would it be if you could become an expert in one area or activity?
  • If someone told you they needed to be motivated, what advice would you give them?
  • What’s the one thing that always brings a smile to your face?
  • Do you reflect on past conversations and experiences and analyze your mistakes?
  • What would you like to try if you were confident you wouldn’t fail?
  • Is there something in your life that needs to be simplified ?
  • What random acts of kindness could you do in the next year?
  • How do you get along with people who’ve different views than you?
  • What’ve you always wanted to try but never got around to?
  • What’s the one thing you think you can only accomplish with the support of others?
  • What accomplishments or qualities do you want to be remembered for?
  • How do you handle it when people are unkind and mean to you?
  • How do you deal with your emotions, and how can you control them better?
  • What are you most grateful for in your life right now?
  • Write about one thing you learned this week.
  • What’s the bravest thing you’ve ever done?
  • What’s something new you’ve recently found interest in?
  • Write about a happy childhood memory .
  • Write about a sad childhood memory.
  • Is there anything you’re most proud of in the past year?
  • What’s your favorite hobby and why?
  • If you could interview anyone (past or present), who would it be, and what would you ask them?
  • What was the last thing you bought for yourself? Was it something you loved or needed, or just to pass the time?
  • What qualities do you value in others? Do they apply to you as well?
  • What would your life be like without electricity?
  • How much time do you think you spend on social media per day?
  • List five things in your room.
  • What’s your favorite color?
  • Who’s your biggest role model ? And why?
  • What was a good memory you had with a friend?
  • Have you ever seen a ghost? What happened?
  • What’s the best gift you’ve ever received? Why was it so special?
  • What’s the best class you’ve ever taken and why?
  • If money were no object, what house would you buy and why?
  • Write about your last dream.
  • Describe the clothes your parents wore most often when you were a child.
  • Write a letter to yourself, from yourself.
  • Write a letter to your younger self
  • Write a letter to your future self
  • Write about something that made you cry and how you felt afterward.
  • Who was the last person who made you cry? Why did it make you cry?
  • If you could have been in any band or musical group (current or defunct), which would you like to be in? What role would you play?
  • What did you do yesterday that you wish you hadn’t done today?
  • If you could go back in time, what would you say to your best friend at age 10?
  • Which of your family members do you admire and why?

Season Two – Embracing Growth and Memories

This quarter’s prompts focus on cherished memories, impactful relationships, and personal growth.

A Couple Is Sitting Under A Tree Surrounded By Lanterns In The Sky, Reflecting On Their Experiences Through 365 Journal Prompts.

  • Write about the person who impacted your life most and why.
  • What was your favorite toy growing up?
  • What event changed the direction of your life forever?
  • Who was your first love, and what was it like?
  • Write a letter to someone who’s hurt you in the past, but don’t send it.
  • Who’s the one person you can turn to when everything seems to go wrong?
  • Describe the happiest day of your life.
  • What’s your favorite thing to do on a Sunday afternoon?
  • Write about something you wish could happen.
  • Describe an ideal vacation.
  • What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream ?
  • What was the last person you talked to on the phone?
  • What did you talk about?
  • What’s one little thing that can make your day better?
  • How could you show someone how much he or she means to you?
  • What do you want to do this year but are afraid to?
  • If you could ask a living or dead person just one question, who’d you ask, and what would you ask?
  • What was the best day of your life so far?
  • What’s one personal accomplishment that’s significant to you?
  • Who’s had the biggest impact on your life so far?
  • How have they influenced you?
  • Who do you look up to in your family or community and why?
  • Who’d play you if someone were to make a movie about your life?
  • When we look back on this time in the future, what’ll we remember most?
  • What’s one of the proudest moments of your life so far? Why were you proud?
  • How has your life changed for the better in the last three months? How has it changed for the worse?
  • If you could change one thing in your personal life, what would it be? Why haven’t you made that change yet?
  • When was the last time someone made a negative comment about your personality? Who was it, and what did they say?
  • What’s one thing that makes people happy that doesn’t cost money but can only be bought with time?
  • Write in detail about a day when everything went well.
  • How old were you then, and what were the circumstances for that day of perfect happiness?
  • Is there a historical event that impacted your family or community growing up, and how did it change things for them?
  • Write about when someone annoyed or hurt you by saying something unkind about your body.
  • Are there any songs that make you nostalgic?
  • What are your favorite foods ?
  • What would it be if you could know one thing about the future?
  • Who was someone who wanted to be like you when you were younger?
  • What’s been particularly annoying to you lately?
  • How many keys do you’ve on your keychain right now?
  • What do you wish more people knew about you?
  • What makes someone a good leader?
  • Do you think a relationship changes people’s behavior or who they’re at their core?
  • Are there activities that always calm you down or cheer you up when you need it?
  • If the world ended tomorrow, what would I do today?
  • When was the one time you felt truly free?
  • Describe your perfect day.
  • What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned in life?
  • If you could change anything about the world, what would it be?
  • When have you felt most complete or whole?
  • Describe a beautiful place you’ve been.
  • What are things that give you a sense of purpose?
  • How can you tell you’re in love?
  • How have your priorities changed over time? What’s influenced those changes?
  • What do you want to teach others?
  • Who’s the most generous person you know?
  • Do you prefer to be alone or with others?
  • What do you find most satisfying about your work?
  • What was your most memorable birthday, and why?
  • What three words would you use to describe yourself?
  • Do you feel more comfortable with people older than you or younger?
  • What would it be if you could’ve one business or profession that doesn’t exist now?
  • Can a person ever be too rich or too thin? Explain.
  • What’s the best thing about living in this world now, today?
  • What movies do you love? And why?
  • Write about something you’d like to change.
  • Write about a situation where someone showed courage. It could be you, a friend, or even a stranger. Bravery looks different for everyone!
  • What item would improve your quality of life in the next week?
  • What does success look like for you? What’ll your life look like when you achieve it?
  • Imagine that one day in the future, a distant relative finds this journal entry and reads it. What would you like them to know about who you are today and what’s important to you?
  • How are you feeling right now?
  • Write about a time when you felt anxious.
  • Write about a time when you felt relaxed.
  • Write about a time when you felt lonely.
  • Write about a time when you felt confident.
  • Who’s someone you’d like to reach out to today?
  • What do you like best about yourself?
  • What makes you get up in the morning?
  • What’s your dream job?
  • Who’s your best friend and why is he your best friend?
  • How do you act kindly in everyday life?
  • Describe three of your desires.
  • Write about something you never thought you’d experience.
  • What makes you feel out of control?
  • Do you believe in fate or providence? How does that affect how you feel about your life?
  • If money didn’t matter, what would you do with your time and energy?
  • Describe a place where you feel calm.
  • If you could only have one superpower, what would it be and why?
  • Draw a picture of your fear.
  • What’s one thing you don’t understand about your parents?
  • What makes you feel like a child?
  • When have you felt the loneliest?
  • What’s something you know now that your younger self would be surprised to know?

Season Three – Nurturing Growth and Gratitude

These prompts aim to help you ponder your inspirations, gratitude, and the quieter moments of life.

A Woman Holding A Plant In Her Hands, Reflecting On Life Through 365 Journal Prompts.

  • Write about a song that changed your mind about music.
  • Write a letter telling the universe what you let go of today.
  • What’s an excellent gift to give someone but not good to receive yourself?
  • What was the last compliment you received?
  • What are the last five things you bought?
  • Who’s an inspirational mentor to you?
  • Do you collect anything? If so, what and why?
  • How are you taking care of yourself today, physically and emotionally?
  • Write a note to someone who’s positively impacted your life. Did you know this person had an impact on your life? Why or why not?
  • Where do you find your inspiration?
  • What are you most grateful for this week? This month? This year?
  • What’s something that’s weighing you down?
  • What do you like most about someone else?
  • How do you like to express yourself creatively ?
  • What’ve you failed at lately, and how did it make you feel?
  • Before you go to sleep, take a few minutes to write down your thoughts about the day. What went well? What didn’t go so well? Like
  • What can you do today to be a better person? How will your family, friends and community benefit from this change?
  • The most essential things in life are…
  • Your favorite word is…
  • Make a list of the most influential people in your life.
  • What are the things that make you nervous or insecure? How can you help yourself feel better about those things?
  • What are things that make you nostalgic?
  • If you were to write a fan letter to yourself, what would it say?
  • Would you describe yourself as an introvert or extrovert? And why?
  • What is the biggest challenge you’ve overcome?
  • One person who made a difference in your life?
  • How would the world be different if you were president?
  • How do you feel when you look in the mirror?
  • What made you smile today?
  • Draw a picture of what you’re thinking about right now.
  • What would your dream room look like?
  • Write a love letter to yourself.
  • What does well-being mean to you?
  • What does it mean to be healthy?
  • What do you like best about your job or education?
  • What makes you proud of what you do?
  • Describe a significant milestone in your career that you’re looking forward to.
  • What new skills have you learned recently at your job?
  • Think of something you want to accomplish at work in the next few weeks. How do you plan to accomplish it?
  • Think of a challenge at your workplace. How can you overcome it?
  • What’s the worst thing about your job or job training? How can you improve it?
  • Why do you want to be a leader at work?
  • How do you show leadership outside of work?
  • Do you volunteer in your community? Why or why not?
  • What are the most critical issues in your community that affect you or others at work?
  • Do you prefer to work in a team or alone?
  • What are the advantages and disadvantages of working in groups or alone?
  • What would you want to study if you could start over, and why?
  • What career would you like to have someday, if any?
  • Did you have a mentor at your age who helped you with your career or life goals? If so, who was it, and why did they help you so much?
  • What are your fondest memories of your professional career?
  • What would you like to try in your career that you haven’t done yet?
  • If you could’ve lunch with anyone at work, who’d it be and why?
  • Write a career-related bucket list.
  • What was your first job? How did it impact your career today?
  • What’s your main motivation for working? Money, respect, the environment, a good cause, etc.
  • What questions would you ask someone who’s already achieved what you want to achieve? Write down how they’d answer these questions.
  • How do different people define failure in your life?
  • How can you build your confidence at work?
  • How do you stay motivated at your job?
  • How do you feel about asking for help at work?
  • How did you spend your evenings as a child?
  • How do you feel about your family?
  • How often do you talk to your parents?
  • What’s your relationship with money?
  • How can you remember to be kinder to yourself today?
  • Who or what deserves your attention the most?
  • How can you break bad habits or negative thoughts ?
  • What’s your earliest memory?
  • What’s the funniest story from your childhood?
  • What does it mean to you to be vulnerable? What does that look like for you?
  • Look around and find something… How does it make you feel?
  • Where’s your favorite place in nature? Describe it.
  • Write about a positive experience in the last week.
  • Are you holding on to something that you need to let go of?
  • What does mindfulness mean to me personally?
  • Is it possible to be happy in a world entirely of suffering?
  • List three things that annoy you right now. Why do they annoy you?
  • Section: Write a letter to someone from your past to whom you’ve always wanted to apologize but never had the opportunity.
  • Think about what you could do to make your environment better. If you could do one thing, what would it be?
  • What makes you feel like you belong to the world and are valued by others?
  • What are essential relationships that have made you who you are today? Think of things like family members, friendships, etc.
  • What does the word “forgiveness” mean to you?
  • Finish the sentence “If I’d more time…”
  • What’s something you haven’t shared with anyone until now?
  • Do you feel like your life is moving in the right direction?
  • What movie or book always makes you cry and why?
  • What’s the trigger for your anxiety?
  • Do you have a routine that helps you relax when you’re stressed?
  • Do you’ve any coping mechanisms that help you during stressful times?
  • Do you have a morning routine that puts you in a good mood for the rest of the day?
  • What was the one moment in your life when everything changed for the better, and how did it change your life forever?
  • What did you learn from your mistakes?
  • What are the things that make you sleep well at night?

Season Four – Contemplating Ethics, Dreams, and Life’s Journey

These prompts invite you to introspect on life’s profound questions, ethical dilemmas, and the dreams that shape your future.

A Woman Is Sitting In The Clouds Journaling.

  • Describe your ideal future.
  • What’s one thing your parents taught you that’s never left you?
  • What’s a dream you’re afraid to share with others? And why?
  • How would you spend $1,000,000?
  • What do you take most for granted in life?
  • What’s the first step to making a dream come true?
  • How would you describe your current life?
  • Are there aspects of your life that aren’t how you’d like them to be?
  • What do you think is the most significant challenge people your age face?
  • If you could be any animal, which one would you be?
  • What’s your favorite thing to do on a warm summer night?
  • Have you ever lost someone close to you? How did it make you feel, and who helped you through it?
  • If you could live in any historical era, which would you choose?
  • Describe your dream life.
  • What would be the best thing about having a utopian world?
  • What do you think is the most meaningful use of your time?
  • What’s the most fun thing you can do with your time?
  • Do you think money can buy happiness? Why or why not?
  • What single word best describes what your ideal life would look like?
  • Write your mission statement. What do you want to achieve in life at this moment?
  • How do you define a successful relationship or marriage?
  • What are your ambitions for retirement?
  • What activities are you investing your time, money, and energy in to create a better future for yourself?
  • Do you feel that your work is helping to make the world a better place? If so, in what ways? If not, what would you need to change to make it so?
  • How has technology positively impacted your life?
  • What do you think is most important in life? And why?
  • What values do you think are essential to your identity?
  • In what decision have you consciously violated your own ethical beliefs?
  • What are three words that describe you? How about three words that represent you as a person?
  • How would you define the word “integrity”?
  • When have you had to make difficult decisions to come into alignment with your values?
  • When did something happen that made you seriously question yourself and your choices?
  • What’s the difference between selfishness and self-centeredness?
  • Are you fiscally responsible? Do you have a savings plan?
  • What’s your definition of family, and who’s in your family?
  • How do you define the word community? Are you part of a community right now?
  • What are things you’d rather die for than do?
  • Is there anything you’d be willing to sacrifice for others?
  • Is there one thing that’s so important to you that you’d be willing to devote your life to it? What’s it, and why do you care so much about it?
  • Have you ever faced a decision where you had to choose between two or more values or two or more sides of yourself?
  • What do you struggle with when making decisions based on your values? Where does this conflict come from (your upbringing, religious beliefs, and intellectual beliefs)?
  • How would people close to you describe your values? Would those descriptions match how you see yourself and your values manifest in your life? Why or why not?
  • Who’s the most ethical person you know?
  • What values do you hold that society largely disagrees with?
  • How do you respond when a person challenges your values?
  • Where do you see the line between ethics and legality being crossed in my environment?
  • Where are your values the same as your parents?
  • How would your life change if you acted more ethically?
  • At what moment in your life did you have the most at stake in terms of ethics?
  • Write down when you felt you were being dishonest.
  • What did you learn from that experience?
  • In what ways have you learned to be honest with yourself?
  • Have you ever found being honest with someone close to you difficult?
  • How do you feel about “white lies”?
  • Do you feel that there are exceptions to the rule of honesty?
  • Do you think honesty is a significant value that others should share?
  • Do you think honesty is necessary for good leadership? If so, why? If not, why not?
  • Why is it so difficult for some people to live honestly?
  • Do you believe all lives are equal, or are some more valuable?
  • How would you describe your values?
  • Do your values change depending on the people you’re with?
  • How can you tell whether a situation requires you to stand up for your values?
  • Are there situations where you’ve compromised your values without being forced to do so? If so, what were those situations? Were they worth it?
  • What’s the bravest thing you’ve ever done for yourself?
  • If you could choose a new name, what would it be? And why?
  • Would you call yourself a forgiving person? Why or why not?
  • Have there been times when forgiving has been difficult for you?
  • When have you tried to forgive someone (even yourself) recently? How did you overcome that experience to come to forgiveness finally?
  • Sometimes, unexpected events are a real blessing. Write about an event where something didn’t go as planned and how happy it made you.
  • Describe how a friend surprised you.
  • What are you afraid of in the future?
  • How can you overcome your fear of failure?
  • Write about an experience where you scared someone.
  • What makes you stay in your comfort zone instead of stepping out and trying something new or different?
  • How does your body usually react when you’re nervous or anxious, and what can you do to calm down quickly?
  • How can you tell that something is out of your comfort zone and not only challenging but also within the realm of possibility for your skills and experience?
  • Do you think people are born with fears, or do all fears come from our experiences?
  • Write a poem about your fear.
  • How do you deal with change?
  • Do you feel at peace most of the time? Why or why not?
  • Can you name something or someone that steals your peace?
  • How much time do you spend each day on social media, news, or other things that increase your anxiety? Can reducing this time help you feel more peace and serenity?
  • When do you feel most connected to others?
  • How do you set your boundaries ?
  • Who cares most about you and your well-being?
  • What would you be willing to give up to create peace?
  • Where do you feel safest?
  • List 5 activities that help you feel peaceful .

Start With Easy Questions If New to Journal Writing

The more you write, the more comfortable you’ll feel.

There’s No Right or Wrong Way to Journal, but There Are Some Methods That Work Better Than Others

Here are a few ideas on how you can get started writing:

  • Write about your day . Writing about the day’s events can be a great way to reflect on your life and gain a new perspective on the day’s events.
  • Write about your feelings and emotions . This method is effective because we get lost in our thoughts and feelings without realizing it. When you write them down, they become tangible and easier to understand.
  • Write down what you love/hate/hope/fear etc … People often forget their importance until someone says something nice or makes them feel special – sometimes even doing it unintentionally! So make sure your loved ones know how much they mean to you by writing it down!

Keeping a Daily Reflective Journal Is a Healthy Discipline

It can help you connect with your feelings, problem-solve, and make decisions.

It also helps you focus on the present moment instead of worrying about the past or the future. Writing allows you to express your feelings and understand yourself better.

Here are some of the benefits of journal writing:

Self-Awareness

Writing down your thoughts, feelings, and experiences regularly will help you become more aware of your inner self. You’ll recognize how you feel in different situations and understand why you react in specific ways. This way, you’ll learn what makes you tick and how to better deal with negative feelings like fear or anger.

Creativity Boost

Keeping a journal can boost your creativity by forcing you to think outside the box and look at things from different perspectives. It helps you discover ideas you mightn’t have thought of, which can lead to new discoveries or solutions to problems in your life.

Problem-Solving Tool

Keeping a journal can also be a great way to solve problems. You can write down all of your thoughts and feelings, as well as any information about your problems, mental health , and any challenges you may encounter so that you have everything clearly in front of you later.

Help With Decision Making

A diary can also help make decisions easier by helping you weigh the pros and cons objectively, without being influenced by the opinions or feelings of others. If something is bothering you, writing it down can help clarify your thoughts and feelings and make the problem easier (and less stressful) to resolve.

Writing down what happened during the day can help you remember things better. The more details you write down, the easier it will be for you to remember them in future conversations with friends or family members.

Journal Writing Tips

The best way to learn about journal writing is to read the journals of others. You can find many examples of self discovery journal prompts on our website (gratitude journal prompts, creative self discovery journal prompts, self care journal prompts, etc.).

Here are some tips on what makes journaling prompts worth working on:

  • When you write about something that happened in your life, be sure to include the date . This will help you remember exactly when it happened, and it’ll help other people who read your diary understand when the events took place.
  • Be honest about what you’re writing about . Don’t pretend something didn’t happen when it did – just write it down as it happened, and be done with it! And don’t worry about whether people think less of you because they see something they disagree with; if they think less of you, then they weren’t worth knowing in the first place! If you keep a journal, it’ll help you get to know yourself better and know what makes you tick. This means that one day, when someone asks you why he or she should date or marry someone else, you’ll know exactly how to answer (and appropriately).
  • Don’t apologize for what you write in your journal; if you don’t like something, just change it .
  • Write your journal in the present tense and first person . This will help you focus on what’s happening right now, not what happened yesterday or last week.
  • Keep a positive attitude when you write in your journal . If you start out saying, “I can’t do this,” you probably won’t get much done! Instead, say something like, “It feels good to be working toward my goals.” Then focus on how good it feels to do something that’s important to you.

Related Posts

28 Inspiring Manifestation Journaling Prompts to Help You Attract What You Want in Life

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365 Creative Writing Prompts

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Here are 365 Creative Writing Prompts to help inspire you to write every single day! Use them for journaling, story starters, poetry, and more!

365 creative writing prompts

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If you want to become a better writer, the best thing you can do is practice writing every single day. Writing prompts are useful because we know sometimes it can be hard to think of what to write about!

To help you brainstorm, we put together this list of 365 creative writing prompts to give you something to write about daily.

Want to Download these prompts?  I am super excited to announce due to popular demand we now have an ad-free printable version of this list of writing prompts available for just $5. The  printable version  includes a PDF as a list AND print-ready prompt cards. {And all the design source files you could ever need to customize any way you would like!}

Here are 365 Creative Writing Prompts to Inspire:

Whether you write short stories, poems, or like to keep a journal – these will stretch your imagination and give you some ideas for topics to write about!

1. Outside the Window : What’s the weather outside your window doing right now? If that’s not inspiring, what’s the weather like somewhere you wish you could be?

2. The Unrequited love poem: How do you feel when you love someone who does not love you back?

3. The Vessel: Write about a ship or other vehicle that can take you somewhere different from where you are now.

4. Dancing: Who’s dancing and why are they tapping those toes?

5. Food: What’s for breakfast? Dinner? Lunch? Or maybe you could write a poem about that time you met a friend at a cafe.

6. Eye Contact: Write about two people seeing each other for the first time.

7. The Rocket-ship: Write about a rocket-ship on its way to the moon or a distant galaxy far, far, away.

rocket ship writing prompt

8. Dream-catcher : Write something inspired by a recent dream you had.

9. Animals: Choose an animal. Write about it!

10. Friendship: Write about being friends with someone.

11. Dragon : Envision a dragon. Do you battle him? Or is the dragon friendly? Use descriptive language.

12. Greeting : Write a story or poem that starts with the word “hello” or another greeting.

13. The Letter: Write a poem or story using words from a famous letter or inspired by a letter someone sent you.

14. The Found Poem : Read a book and circle some words on a page. Use those words to craft a poem. Alternatively, you can cut out words and phrases from magazines.

15. Eavesdropper : Create a poem, short story, or journal entry about a conversation you’ve overheard.

16. Addict: Everyone’s addicted to something in some shape or form. What are things you can’t go without?

17. Dictionary Definition : Open up a dictionary to a random word. Define what that word means to you.

dictionary success

18. Cleaning: Hey, even writers and creative artists have to do housework sometimes. Write about doing laundry, dishes, and other cleaning activities.

19. Great Minds: Write  about someone you admire and you thought to have had a beautiful mind.

20. Missed Connections: If you go to Craigslist, there is a “Missed Connections” section where you can find some interesting storylines to inspire your writing.

21. Foreclosure : Write a poem or short story about someone who has lost or is about to lose their home.

22. Smoke, Fog, and Haze: Write about not being able to see ahead of you.

23. Sugar: Write something so sweet, it makes your teeth hurt.

24. Numbers:  Write a poem or journal entry about numbers that have special meaning to you.

25. Dread: Write about doing something you don’t want to do.

26. Fear: What scares you a little? What do you feel when scared? How do you react?

27. Closed Doors: What’s behind the door? Why is it closed?

creative writing prompts diary

28. Shadow: Imagine you are someone’s shadow for a day.

29. Good Vibes: What makes you smile? What makes you happy?

30. Shopping:  Write about your shopping wishlist and how you like to spend money.

31. The Professor: Write about a teacher that has influenced you.

32. Rewrite : Take any poem or short story you enjoy. Rewrite it in your own words.

33. Jewelry: Write about a piece of jewelry. Who does it belong to?

34. Sounds : Sit outside for about an hour. Write down the sounds you hear.

35. War and Peace: Write about a recent conflict that you dealt with in your life.

36. Frame It: Write a poem or some phrases that would make for good wall art in your home.

37. Puzzle: Write about putting together the pieces of puzzles.

38. Fire-starters: Write about building a fire.

39. Coffee & Tea: Surely you drink one or the other or know someone who does- write about it!

40. Car Keys: Write about someone getting their driver’s license for the first time.

41. What You Don’t Know: Write about a secret you’ve kept from someone else or how you feel when you know someone is keeping a secret from you.

42. Warehouse : Write about being inside an old abandoned warehouse.

warehouse writing prompt

43. The Sound of Silence: Write about staying quiet when you feel like shouting.

44. Insult: Write about being insulted. How do you feel? Why do you think the other person insulted you?

45. Mirror, Mirror: What if you mirror started talking to you? What might the mirror say?

46. Dirty: Write a poem about getting covered in mud.

47. Light Switch : Write about coming out of the dark and seeing the light.

48. The Stars : Take inspiration from a night sky. Or, write about a time when “the stars aligned” in your horoscope.

writing prompt star idea

49. Joke Poem : What did the wall say to the other wall? Meet you at the corner! Write something inspired by a favorite joke.

50. Just Say No : Write about the power you felt when you told someone no.

51: Sunrise/Sunset : The sun comes up, the sun goes down. It goes round and round. Write something inspiring about the sunrise or sunset.

52. Memory Lane : What does Memory Lane look like? How do you get there?

53. Tear-Jerker : Watch a movie that makes you cry. Write about that scene in the movie.

54. Dear Diary: Write a poem or short story about a diary entry you’ve read or imagined.

55. Holding Hands : The first time you held someone’s hand.

56. Photograph : Write a story or journal entry influenced by a photograph you see online or in a magazine.

57. Alarm Clock: Write about waking up.

58. Darkness: Write a poem or journal entry inspired by what you can’t see.

59. Refreshed: Write a poem about a time you really felt refreshed and renewed. Maybe it was a dip into a pool on a hot summer day, a drink of lemonade, or other situation that helped you relax and start again.

60. Handle With Care : Write about a very fragile or delicate object.

61. Drama: Write about a time when you got stuck in between two parties fighting with each other.

62. Slip Up: Write about making mistakes.

63. Spice: Write about flavors and tastes or a favorite spice of yours.

64. Sing a New Song: Take a popular song off the radio and rewrite it as a poem in your own words.

65. Telephone: Write about a phone call you recently received.

66. Name: Write a poem or short story using your name in some way or form.

67. Dollhouse: Write a poem or short story from the viewpoint of someone living in a doll house.

68. Random Wikipedia Article : Go to Wikipedia and click on Random Article . Write about whatever the page you get.

69. Silly Sports: Write about an extreme or silly sport. If none inspire you, make up the rules for your own game.

70. Recipe : Write about a recipe for something abstract, such as a feeling.

71. Famous Artwork: Choose a famous painting and write about it.

72. Where That Place Used to Be : Think of a place you went to when you were younger but it now no longer there or is something else. Capture your feelings about this in your writing.

73. Last Person You Talked to: Write a quick little poem or story about the last person you spoke with.

74. Caught Red-Handed: Write about being caught doing something embarrassing.

75. Interview: Write a list of questions you have for someone you would like to interview, real or fictional.

76. Missing You: Write about someone you miss dearly.

77. Geography: Pick a state or country you’ve never visited. Write about why you would or would not like to visit that place.

geography writing prompt

78. Random Song: Turn on the radio, use the shuffle feature on your music collection or your favorite streaming music service. Write something inspired by the first song you hear.

79. Hero: Write a tribute to someone you regard as a hero.

80. Ode to Strangers: Go people watching and write an ode to a stranger you see on the street.

81. Advertisement: Advertisements are everywhere, aren’t they? Write using the slogan or line from an ad.

82. Book Inspired: Think of your favorite book. Now write a poem that sums up the entire story in 10 lines.

83. Magic : Imagine you have a touch of magic, and can make impossible things happen. What would you do?

84. Fanciest Pen: Get out your favorite pen, pencils, or even colored markers and write using them!

85. A Day in the Life: Write about your daily habits and routine.

86. Your Muse: Write about your muse – what do they look like? What does your muse do to inspire you?

87. Convenience Store : Write about an experience you’ve had at a gas station or convenience store.

88. Natural Wonders of the World: Choose one of the natural wonders of the world. Write about it.

89. Status Update: Write a poem using the words from your latest status update or a friend’s status update. If you don’t use sites like Facebook or Twitter, you can often search online for some funny ones to use as inspiration.

90. Green Thumb: Write about growing something.

91. Family Heirloom: Write about an object that’s been passed through the generations in your family.

92. Bug Catcher: Write about insects.

93. Potion: Write about a magic potion. What is it made of? What does it do? What is the antidote?

94. Swinging & Sliding: Write something inspired by a playground or treehouse.

95. Adjectives: Make a list of the first 5 adjectives that pop into your head. Use these 5 words in your story, poem, or journal entry.

96. Fairy Tales: Rewrite a fairy tale. Give it a new ending or make it modern or write as a poem.

97. Whispers: Write about someone who has to whisper a secret to someone else.

98. Smile: Write a poem about the things that make you smile.

99. Seasonal: Write about your favorite season.

100.  Normal: What does normal mean to you? Is it good or bad to be normal?

101. Recycle : Take something you’ve written in the past and rewrite it into a completely different piece.

102. Wardrobe: Write about a fashion model or what’s currently in your closet or drawers.

103. Secret Message : Write something with a secret message hidden in between the words. For example, you could make an acrostic poem using the last letters of the word or use secret code words in the poem.

104. Vacation: Write about a vacation you took.

105. Heat: Write about being overheated and sweltering.

106. Spellbinding: Write a magic spell.

107. Collection : Write about collecting something, such as salt shakers, sea shells, or stamps.

108. Taking Chances: Everyone takes a risk at some point in their life. Write about a time when you took a chance and what the result was.

109. Carnival: Write a poem or story or journal entry inspired by a carnival or street fair.

110. Country Mouse: Write about someone who grew up in the country visiting the city for the first time.

111: Questions: Write about questions you have for the universe. Optional: include an answer key.

112. Rushing: Write about moving quickly and doing things fast.

113. Staircase : Use a photo of a staircase or the stairs in your home or a building you love to inspire you.

114. Neighbors: Make up a story or poem about your next door neighbor.

115. Black and Blue: Write about a time you’ve been physically hurt.

116. All Saints: Choose a saint and create a poem about his or her life.

117. Beach Inspired: What’s not to write about the beach?

118. Shoes: What kind of shoes do you wear? Where do they lead your feet?

119. The Ex: Write a poem to someone who is estranged from you.

120. My Point of View: Write in the first person point of view.

121. Stray Animal: Think of the life of a stray cat or dog and write about that.

122. Stop and Stare : Create a poem or story about something you could watch forever.

123. Your Bed: Describe where you sleep each night.

124. Fireworks : Do they inspire you or do you not like the noise and commotion? Write about it.

125. Frozen: Write about a moment in your life you wish you could freeze and preserve.

126. Alone : Do you like to be alone or do you like having company?

127. Know-it-all: Write about something you are very knowledgeable about, for example a favorite hobby or passion of yours.

128. The Promise: Write about a promise you’ve made to someone. Did you keep that promise?

129. Commotion: Write about being overstimulated by a lot of chaos.

130. Read the News Today : Construct a poem or story using a news headline for your first line.

131. Macro: Write a description of an object close-up.

132. Transportation : Write about taking your favorite (or least-favorite) form of transportation.

133. Gadgets: If you could invent a gadget, what would it do? Are there any gadgets that make your life easier?

134: Bring on the Cheese: Write a tacky love poem that is so cheesy, it belongs on top of a pizza.

135. Ladders: Write a story or poem that uses ladders as a symbol.

136. Bizarre Holiday : There is a bizarre holiday for any date! Look up a holiday for today’s date and create a poem in greeting card fashion or write a short story about the holiday to celebrate.

137. Blog-o-sphere : Visit your favorite blog or your feedreader and craft a story, journal entry, or poem based on the latest blog post you read.

138. Mailbox: Create a poem, short story, or journal entry based on a recent item of mail you’ve received.

139. Sharing : Write about sharing something with someone else.

140. Cactus: Write from the viewpoint of a cactus. What’s it like to live in the desert or have a prickly personality?

141. It’s a Sign : Have you seen any interesting road signs lately?

142. Furniture: Write about a piece of furniture in your home.

143. Failure: Write about a time you failed at something. Did you try again or give up completely?

144. Mystical Creatures: Angels or other mystical creatures – use them as inspiration.

145. Flying: Write about having wings and what you would do.

146. Clear and Transparent: Write a poem about being able to see-through something.

147. Break the Silence : Record yourself speaking, then write down what you spoke and revise into a short story or poem.

148. Beat: Listen to music with a strong rhythm or listen to drum loops. Write something that goes along with the beat you feel and hear.

149. Color Palette: Search online for color palettes and be inspired to write by one you resonate with.

150. Magazine: Randomly flip to a page in a magazine and write using the first few words you see as an opening line.

151. The Grass is Greener : Write about switching the place with someone or going to where it seems the “grass is greener”.

152. Mind & Body: Write something that would motivate others to workout and exercise.

153. Shaping Up : Write something that makes a shape on the page…ie: a circle, a heart, a square, etc.

154. Twenty-One: Write about your 21st birthday.

155. Aromatherapy: Write about scents you just absolutely love.

156. Swish, Buzz, Pop : Create a poem that uses Onomatopoeia .

157. What Time is It? Write about the time of day it is right now. What are people doing? What do you usually do at this time each day?

158. Party Animal: Have you ever gone to a party you didn’t want to leave? Or do you hate parties? Write about it!

159: Miss Manners : Use the words “please” and “thank you” in your writing.

160. Cliche: Choose a common cliche, then write something that says the same thing but without using the catch phrase.

161. Eco-friendly : Write about going green or an environmental concern you have.

162. Missing You: Write about someone you miss.

163. Set it Free: Think of a time when you had to let someone or something go to be free…did they come back?

164: Left Out : Write about a time when you’ve felt left out or you’ve noticed someone else feeling as if they didn’t belong.

165. Suitcase: Write about packing for a trip or unpacking from when you arrive home.

creative writing prompts diary

166. Fantasy : Write about fairies, gnomes, elves, or other mythical creatures.

167. Give and Receive : Write about giving and receiving.

168. Baker’s Dozen: Imagine the scents and sights of a bakery and write.

169. Treehouse: Write about your own secret treehouse hideaway.

170.  Risk: Write about taking a gamble on something.

171. Acrostic : Choose a word and write an acrostic poem where every line starts with a letter from the word.

172. Crossword Puzzle: Open up the newspaper or find a crossword puzzle online and choose one of the clues to use as inspiration for your writing.

173. Silver Lining : Write about the good that happens in a bad situation.

174. Gloves: Write about a pair of gloves – what kind of gloves are they? Who wears them and why?

175. All that Glitters: Write about a shiny object.

176. Jealousy: Write with a theme of envy and jealousy.

Want to Download these prompts?  I am super excited to announce due to popular demand we now have an ad-free printable version of this list of writing prompts available for just $5. The  printable version  includes a PDF as a list AND print-ready prompt cards. {And all the design source files you could ever need to customize any way you would like!}

177. How Does Your Garden Grow? Write about a flower that grows in an unusual place.

178. Jury Duty : Write a short story or poem that takes place in a courtroom.

179. Gifts: Write about a gift you have given or received.

180. Running: Write about running away from someone or something.

181. Discovery: Think of something you’ve recently discovered and use it as inspiration.

182. Complain:  Write about your complaints about something.

183. Gratitude: Write a poem or journal entry that is all about things you are thankful for.

184. Chemistry: Choose an element and write a poem or story that uses that word in one of the lines.

185. Applause: Write about giving someone a standing ovation.

186. Old Endings Into New Beginnings:  Take an old poem, story, or journal entry of yours and use the last line and make it the first line of your writing today.

187. Longing: Write  about something you very much want to do.

188. I Am: Write a motivational poem or journal entry about positive traits that make you who you are.

189. Rainbow : What is at the end of a rainbow? Or, take a cue from Kermit the Frog, and ask yourself, why are there so many songs about rainbows?

end of the rainbow writing idea

190. Museum: Take some time to visit a nearby museum with your journal. Write about one of the pieces that speaks to you.

191. Cartoon: Think of your favorite cartoon or comic. Write a poem or story that takes place in that setting.

192. Copycat: Borrow a line from a famous public domain poem to craft your own.

193. From the Roof-tops:  Imagine you could stand on a rooftop and broadcast a message to everyone below – what would you say?

194. Time Travel: If there was a time period you could visit for a day, where would you go? Write about traveling back in time to that day.

195. Changing Places: Imagine living the day as someone else.

196. Neighborhood: Write about your favorite place in your neighborhood to visit and hang out at.

197. Pirates: Write about a pirate ship.

198. Interview : Write based on a recent interview you’ve read or seen on TV or heard on the radio.

199.  Hiding Spaces : Write about places you like to hide things at. What was a favorite hiding spot for you as a child playing hide-and-seek?

200. Extreme Makeover: Imagine how life might be different if you could change your hair color or clothing into something completely opposite from your current style.

201. Empathy: Write about your feelings of empathy or compassion for another person.

202. Opposites: Write a poem or story that ties in together two opposites.

203. Boredom: Write about being bored or make a list of different ways to entertain yourself.

204. Strength : Think of a time when you’ve been physically or emotionally strong and use that as inspiration.

205. Hunger: Write from the perspective of someone with no money to buy food.

206. Greed: Write about someone who always wants more – whether it be money, power, etc. etc.

207. Volcano: Write about an eruption of a volcano.

208. Video Inspiration : Go to Vimeo.com or YouTube.com and watch one of the videos featured on the homepage. Write something based on what you watch.

209. Sneeze: Write about things that make you sneeze.

210. Footsteps on the Moon:  Write about the possibility of life in outer-space.

211: Star-crossed: Write a short modern version of the story of Romeo and Juliet or think of real-life examples of lovers who are not allowed to be together to use as inspiration for your writing.

212. Font-tastic: Choose a unique font and type out a poem, story or journal entry using that font.

213. Schedule: Take a look at your calendar and use the schedule for inspiration in writing.

214. Grandparents: Write about a moment in your grandparent’s life.

215. Collage: Go through a magazine and cut out words that grab your attention. Use these words to construct a poem or as a story starter or inspiration for your journal.

216. Oh so Lonely: Write a poem about what you do when you are alone – do you feel lonely or do you enjoy your own company?

217. Waterfall: Think of a waterfall you’ve seen in person or spend some time browsing photos of waterfalls online. Write about the movement, flow, and energy.

218. First Kiss: Write about your first kiss.

219. So Ironic: Write about an ironic situation you’ve been in throughout your life.

220. Limerick: Write a limerick today.

221. Grocery Shopping: Write about an experience at the grocery store.

daily writing prompt ideas

222. Fashion : Go through a fashion magazine or browse fashion websites online and write about a style you love.

223. So Close: Write about coming close to reaching a goal.

224. Drinks on Me: Write a poem or short story that takes place at a bar.

225. Online Friends: Write an ode to someone online you’ve met and become friends with.

226. Admiration: Is there someone you admire? Write about those feelings.

227. Trash Day: Write from the perspective of a garbage collector.

228. Mailbox: Open your mailbox and write something inspired by one of the pieces of mail you received.

229. Fresh & Clean: Write about how you feel after you take a shower.

230. Energized: Write about how you feel when you’re either at a high or low energy level for the day.

231. Rhyme & No Reason: Make up a silly rhyming poem using made up words.

232. Tech Support: Use computers or a conversation with tech support you’ve had as inspiration.

233. Hotel: Write from the perspective of someone who works at a hotel or staying at a hotel.

234. Underwater: Write about sea creatures and under water life. What’s under the surface of the ocean? What adventures might be waiting?

underwater life picture

235. Breathing: Take a few minutes to do some deep breathing relaxation techniques. Once your mind is clear, just write the first few things that you think of.

236. Liar, Liar: Make up a poem or story of complete lies about yourself or someone else.

237. Obituaries: Look at the recent obituaries online or in the newspaper and imagine the life of someone and write about that person.

238. Pocket: Rummage through your pockets and write about what you keep or find in your pockets.

239. Cinquain: Write a cinquain poem, which consists of 5 lines that do not rhyme.

240. Alphabetical: Write a poem that has every letter of the alphabet in it.

241.  Comedy Club: Write something inspired by a comedian.

242. Cheater: Write about someone who is unfaithful.

243. Sestina: Give a try to writing a sestina poem.

244. Fight: Write about witnessing two people get in an argument with each other.

245. Social Network : Visit your favorite Social Networking website (ie: Facebook, Pinterest, Google, Twitter, etc.) and write a about a post you see there.

246. Peaceful: Write about something peaceful and serene.

247. In the Clouds: Go cloud watching for the day and write about what you imagine in the clouds.

248. At the Park: Take some time to sit on a park bench and write about the sights, scenes, and senses and emotions you experience.

249. Sonnet: Write a sonnet today.

250. Should, Would, And Could: Write a poem or story using the words should, would, and could.

251. How to: Write directions on how to do something.

252. Alliteration: Use alliteration in your poem or in a sentence in a story.

253. Poker Face: Write about playing a card game.

254. Timer: Set a timer for 5 minutes and just write. Don’t worry about it making sense or being perfect.

255. Dance: Write about a dancer or a time you remember dancing.

256. Write for a Cause: Write a poem or essay that raises awareness for a cause you support.

257. Magic : Write about a magician or magic trick.

258. Out of the Box: Imagine finding a box. Write about opening it and what’s inside.

259. Under the Influence: What is something has impacted you positively in your life?

260. Forgotten Toy : Write from the perspective a forgotten or lost toy.

261. Rocks and Gems: Write about a rock or gemstone meaning.

262. Remote Control: Imagine you can fast forward and rewind your life with a remote control.

263. Symbolism: Think of objects, animals, etc. that have symbolic meaning to you. Write about it.

264. Light at the End of the Tunnel: Write about a time when you saw hope when it seemed like a hopeless situation.

265. Smoke and Fire : “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.” Use this saying as inspiration to write!

266. Railroad: Write about a train and its cargo or passengers.

creative writing prompts diary

267. Clipboard: Write about words you imagine on an office clipboard.

268. Shipwrecked: Write about being stranded somewhere – an island, a bus stop, etc.

269. Quotable: Use a popular quote from a speaker and use it as inspiration for your writing.

270. Mind   Map it Out: Create a mind map of words, phrases, and ideas that pop into your head or spend some time browsing the many mind maps online. Write a poem, story, or journal entry inspired by the mind map.

271. Patterns : Write about repeating patterns that occur in life.

272. Scrapbook : Write about finding a scrapbook and the memories it contains.

273. Cure: Write about finding a cure for an illness.

274. Email Subject Lines: Read your email today and look for subject lines that may be good starters for writing inspiration.

275. Wishful Thinking: Write about a wish you have.

276. Doodle : Spend some time today doodling for about 5-10 minutes. Write about the thoughts you had while doodling or create something inspired by your finished doodle.

277. Chalkboard: Imagine you are in a classroom. What does it say on the chalkboard?

278. Sticky: Imagine a situation that’s very sticky, maybe even covered in maple syrup, tape or glue. Write about it!

279. Flashlight : Imagine going somewhere very dark with only a flashlight to guide you.

280. A Far Away Place : Envision yourself traveling to a fictional place, what do you experience in your imaginary journey?

281. On the Farm : Write about being in a country or rural setting.

282. Promise to Yourself: Write about a promise you want to make to yourself and keep.

283. Brick Wall : Write a poem that is about a brick wall – whether literal or figurative.

284. Making a Choice: Write about a time when you had to make a difficult choice.

285.  Repeat: Write about a time when you’ve had to repeat yourself or a time when it felt like no one was listening.

286. Outcast : Write about someone who is not accepted by their peers. (for example, the Ugly Ducking)

287. Scary Monsters: Write about a scary (or not-so-scary) monster in your closet or under the bed.

288. Sacrifice: Write about something you’ve sacrificed doing to do something else or help another person.

289. Imperfection: Create a poem that highlights the beauty in being flawed.

290. Birthday Poem: Write a poem inspired by birthdays.

291. Title First : Make a list of potential poem or story titles and choose one to write from.

292. Job Interview : Write about going on a job interview.

293. Get Well : Write a poem that will help someone who is sick feel better quick!

294. Lost in the Crowd: Write about feeling lost in the crowd.

295. Apple a Day: Write about a health topic that interests you.

296. Cravings: Write about craving something.

297. Phobia: Research some common phobias, choose one, and write about it.

298. In the Moment: Write about living in the present moment.

299. Concrete : Write about walking down a sidewalk and what you see and experience.

300. Battle: Write about an epic battle, whether real, fictional or figurative.

301. This Old House : Write about an old house that is abandoned or being renovated.

302. Clutter: Is there a cluttered spot in your home? Go through some of that clutter today and write about what you find or the process of organizing.

303. Go Fly a Kite: Write about flying a kite.

304. On the TV: Flip to a random TV channel and write about the first thing that comes on – even if it is an infomercial!

305. Fruit: Write an ode to your favorite fruit.

306. Long Distance Love: Write about a couple that is separated by distance.

307. Glasses: Write about a pair of eyeglasses or someone wearing glasses.

308. Robotic : Write about a robot.

309. Cute as a Button: Write about something you think is just adorable.

310. Movie Conversation: Use a memorable conversation from a favorite movie to inspire your writing.

311. Easy-Peasy : Write  about doing something effortlessly.

312. Idiom: Choose from a list of idioms one that speaks to you and create a poem around that saying or phrase. (Ie: It is raining cats and dogs)

313. Playground: Whether it is the swings or the sandbox or the sliding boards, write about your memories of being on a playground.

314. Romance: Write about romantic things partners can do for each other.

315. Rock Star: Imagine you are a famous rock star. Write about the experience.

rock star life

316. Come to Life: Imagine ordinary objects have come to life. Write about what they do and say.

317. Airplane: Write about meeting someone on an airplane and a conversation you might have.

318. Health & Beauty: Take some time to peruse your medicine cabinet or the health and beauty aisles at a local store. Write a poem, short story, or journal entry inspired by a product label.

319. Determination: Write about not giving up.

320. Instrumental Inspiration: Listen to some instrumental music and write a poem that matches the mood, beat, and style of the music.

321. Wait Your Turn: Write about having to wait in line.

322. Personality Type : Do you know your personality type? (There are many free quizzes online) – write about what type of personality traits you have.

323. Decade: Choose a favorite decade and write about it. (IE: 1980’s or 1950’s for example)

324. I Believe: Write your personal credo of things you believe in.

325. Lost and Found: Write about a lost object.

326. Say it: Write a poem or story that uses dialogue between two people.

327. The Unsent Letter: Write about a letter that never made it to its recipient.

328. The Windows of the Soul: Write a poem about the story that is told through someone’s eyes.

329. Trial and Error: Write about something you learned the hard way.

330. Escape : Write about where you like to go to escape from it all.

331. What’s Cooking: Write something inspired a favorite food or recipe.

332. Records : Go through your file box and pull out old receipts or records…write something inspired by what you find!

333. Banking: Write about visiting the bank.

334. Sweet Talk: Write about trying to convince someone of something.

335. Serendipity: Write about something that happened by chance in a positive way.

336. Distractions: Write about how it feels when you can’t focus.

337. Corporation: Write about big business.

338. Word of the Day: Go to a dictionary website that has a word of the day and use it in a poem, story or journal entry you write.

339. Pick Me Up:  What do you do when you need a pick me up?

340. Unfinished: Write about a project you started but never completed.

341. Forgiveness: Write about a time when someone forgave you or you forgave someone.

342. Weakness: Write about your greatest weakness.

343. Starting: Write about starting a project.

344. Mechanical: Think of gears, moving parts, machines.

345. Random Act of Kindness : Write about a random act of kindness you’ve done for someone or someone has done for you, no matter how small or insignificant it may have seemed.

346. Underground: Imagine living in a home underground and use that as inspiration for writing.

347. Classic Rock: Pick a classic rock love ballad and rewrite it into a story or poem with a similar theme.

348. Night Owl : Write about staying up late at night.

349. Magnetic : Write about attraction to something or someone.

350. Teamwork: Write about working with a team towards a common goal.

351. Roller-coaster : Write about the ups and downs in life.

352. Motivational Poster: Look at some motivational posters online and write a poem or journal entry inspired by your favorite one.

353. Games: Write about the games people play – figuratively or literally.

chess game story starter

354. Turning Point: Write about a point in life where things turned for the better or worse.

355. Spellbound: Write about a witch’s spell.

356. Anniversary: Write about the anniversary of a special date.

357. Gamble:  Be inspired by a casino or lottery ticket.

358. Picnic: Write about going on a picnic.

359. Garage: Write about some random item you might find in a garage.

360. Review: Review your week, month, or year in a journal entry or poem format.

361. Detective: Write about a detective searching for clues or solving a mystery.

362. Camera: Take your camera for a walk and write based on one of the photographs you take.

363. Visiting : Write about visiting a family member or friend.

364. Trust: Write about putting trust in someone.

365. Congratulations : Did you write a poem, short story, or journal entry every day for a whole year? Write about what you’ve learned and celebrate your achievement!

We hope you enjoy these creative writing prompts! And of course, if you write anything using these prompts, we’d love to know about it! Tell us how you’ll use these everyday creative writing prompts in the comments section below!

And of course, if you’d like the printable ad-free version of these prompts to reference again and again or to use in your classroom, you can find them at our Etsy shop !

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Chelle Stein wrote her first embarrassingly bad novel at the age of 14 and hasn't stopped writing since. As the founder of ThinkWritten, she enjoys encouraging writers and creatives of all types.

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191 comments.

I have been on a reading binge since being on vacation from school. By rereading Little House, Anne of Green Gables, and Little Women among others, one wonders about writing a book. I stumbled across this while looking up unit supplements for my kiddos, and thought, hey, write a page a day and see what happens! Thank you for this collection of prompts! I’ve linked back to this page several times so others can try their hand at writing. Thank you again!

The Flicker, The Teeth, and A Warehouse in the Dark (the warehouse prompt)

I am in a large abandoned warehouse with a flickering light The only light in the whole room. It flickered leaving me in temporal darkness It flickered again and as it was dark I swore I saw something glowing It looked like glowing teeth The lights return and I see nothing Flickers on Flickers off I see the teeth closer Flickers on I see nothing Flickers off The teeth so close Flickers on An empty warehouse Flickers off The glowing teeth are inchings away bright red blood drips from their tips Flickers on Panic rises in my chest but nothing is there Turns off The mouth of bloody teeth is before my eyes I wait for the light to flicker back on I wait in complete darkness I wait And wait And wait The teeth open wide I try to scream by the darkness swallows it A hear the crunch of my bones I see my blood pore down my chest But I wait in darkness for the pain I wait And wait And wait The mouth of teeth devours my lower half I wait for pain and death I wait And wait And wait The light flickers on I see no monster Only my morphed body And blood And blood And blood And so much blood The light flickers off The monster eats my arm Flickers on I wait for pain Flickers off I watch as the creature eats my limbs Flickers on I wait for death Flickers off Slowly the teeth eat my head All I see is dark I wait for it to flicker on Where is the warehouse light? Where is the only light in the room? Where is the flicker? Where am I? Where are the bloody teeth? I wait for the light to come back And wait And wait And wait And wait And wait And wait And wait in eternal darkness

WOW. Thank you!

This is such a helpful tool! I’ve learned a lot about my self through picking a random prompt and writing the first thing that comes to mind. I’d love to see a follow up list of possible! Definitely a recomended sight!

I agree. Very helpful.

I am new at the blogging game. You have provided some wonderful ideas for blog posts. Great ideas just to get used to writing every day. Thanks

This list is really impressive and useful for those of us who are looking for good topics to blog about. Thanks!

Thank you! That somes in handy

Very nice list. Thanks for compiling and posting it. It’s not only good for bloggers, but poets, as well.

yess im using it for my new years resolution, which is to write a poem daily!

Wow, thanks so much for all these wonderful prompts! They are lots of fun and very helpful. I love how you’ve provided 365 of them–A prompt for every day of the year! 🙂

Not if it’s a leap year…

Haha. Yea. This is great though all the same.. ;-;

Lol actually there’s 364 days in a year and 365 in a leap year so……yeah

are you fucking stupid

There are actually 366 days in a leap year so… yeah

I use this for my homeschooling-I love it! Thank you so much!! This is a wonderful list. So creative! 🙂 🙂

Thanks! I’m preparing for writing every day next year and this will come in really handy. It’s just 364 writing prompts though. 164 is missing. 😉

MiMschi is wrong 164 is there i looked

I think they meant that as a joke, 164 is called left out…

Good it is useful

no its not you nonce

You Don’t Love Me, Damn You

things left unsaid

and then some

anger strangles the baby

in its crib,

flowers wilt,

rivers dry up

harsh words clatter upon the day,

echo unfortunately

till silence smothers

in its embrace

you wish you could take it back

what’s done is done

never to be undone

though things move on

part of you remains

locked in the middle of protesting

one last thing,

mouth open,

no words emerging

why must you be misunderstood?

why must everything you say

no way of straightening things out

gestures halted mid-air

an accusatory finger

shoulders locked

in sardonic shrug

dishes smash on the floor

spray of fragments

frozen mid-air

slam the door

it doesn’t open

but in spite of yourself

you turn and look

one last time…..

(Greg Cameron, Poem, Surrey, B.C., Canada)

Love these. Thank you!

This is really amazingly deep. I love it so much. You have so much talent!!

Thanks SOOO much for the prompts but I have another suggestion!

A Recipe for disaster- write a recipe for a disastrous camping trip…

that one sounds awesome.

Haha. Reminds me of the old twin’s show.. what was it.. where the two girls switch places when they meet at camp?

Pretty sure I know what you’re talking about. The Parent Trap, right? Never seen the whole movie, but it seems funny.

and also #309, everyone should have thought of a hamster “write” away XD!

May I have permission to use this list at my next Ozarks Chapter of the American Christian Writers meeting. Thank you for consideration.

Hi Leah, please send some more info here: https://thinkwritten.com/contact

i am using it for my homeschooling and i love it

i am using it for my homeschooling

where is prompt 165?

sorry I meant 164, my mistake.

well kay, there is a 164 AND 165. So your head is clearly ????????????

What I like most about these is how you can combine them and get really weird ideas. For example, empathy from the rooftops: what if you shouted something positive in public every day – or if everyone did so? It might be fun to try, and then write a diary about it. Online time travel: if people could live virtually in incredibly well=constructed versions of different time periods, what would the effects be on today’s society? Could it change our language or customs?

It would be cool if we could have goggles that showed places during a certain time period. Like Seattle 1989. And you could buy special plugins, like specific people you want to hang out with, famous or non.

That one about online time travel is crazy brilliant!!! And highly thought-provoking.

It is amazing what creative writing could do to you. Daily prompts have proven to be very inspiring and overtime writers develop their own style of writing depending on how passionate they are about it. I would love to write about all 3, online, space, and time travel. cheers! and Don’t stop writing!

I belong to a writing club. We seem to have a lot of prompts to use. I love stories having to do with rain. Would you join me. I am jim

Wow! Inspiration right here.

May I use this list for a speech at my Ozarks Chapter of the American Christian Writers?

Love the inspiration

THANK YOU. THAT IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS THANK YOU.

What about a leap year? You’re missing one topic.

Wonderful! I love writing and these prompts are very helpful. Thank you very much! ♥

It’s been really useful in getting me to write again! Thank you very much!

I really love the list of writing ideas you have compiled here. I will be using it and others to get myself back into writing every single day if I can be away with it. Also, I have noticed a few problems with this list. One is a repeat topic. Those are numbers 76 and 162. And you skipped a number. And have only 364 days of writing. Still through! All these ideas are absolutely amazing and awesome ideas! I commend you for putting it all together in an easy to read format too. Thank you so very much.

I think we have the list all fixed now, but thanks for catching a couple of early mistakes!

Thank you for helping me edit Lora! I don’t always have a second pair of eyes + appreciated this to fix + update the post! I always say my readers are my best editors. 🙂

these days get brighter, mine gets darker, why does it has to be me , why not life.

Mirror, Mirror: What if you mirror started talking to you?

u r awesome man

Wonderful compilation of ideas! I will send your blog along to my many Creative Writing students. I’m enjoying reading your posts.

wow!! great tips! but how long did it take you to write that? its a lot of words!! lol great stuff though..

This is so cool! I love these prompts and will definitely recommend some to my teacher!!

The promise “I made a promise with my best friend, I said i’d never break, Our personalities really did blend, But then I lied awake, The people disappearing, Her gaze was always leering. I never thought she was serious, I always took it as a joke, But it really made me curious, When she was digging around that oak, My best friend is a serial killer, And i knew the truth, My life turned into a thriller, And eating at me took away my youth, I couldn’t take it any long living with this weight, To the police I went to tell my tale, Looking at me with eyes of hate, she smiled and said, without her I would fail. Now i sit in the prison cell, Waiting for my call My friend across the room smiling, my eyes begin to swell, My neck snapping on the, from my sides my hands fall

Although my writing style is dark, that’s the way I enjoy writing, and thank you for this list, even though I didn’t do one per day, scrolling through I was able to see keywords that formed ideas in my mind

I love this <3 It's amazing :))

These are really nice I absolutely love them.

This is very helpful and I’ve been finding a way to help improve my creative writing!!! Thank you very much!

You are such a life developer, who can virtually transform a life busy with unnecessary activities humans are posted to through internet. And who can restore the appetite of people to purchase pen and paper which have considered the last commodity in the market at the expense of that great vampire ‘social media’ that left both old and young paralyzed. Thanks to the proponent of this great idea.

These are great. The Closed door one gives me a great idea for a new story! Thank you so much!

man what the fuck is this shit! i was looking for short story writing prompts and I get stuck with shit like “write about the weather outside”. Damn this shit is disappointing.

Hi John, the weather might seem boring, but there are a lot of ways you can springboard from that – maybe you write a story about a character who despises the sunshine or melts if they get rained on or they live in a underground tunnel and the house gets flooded…You can also use it as an exercise in developing more descriptive writing that shows, not tells for the scenes in your story. Writing about the weather seems “easy and boring” but seriously challenge yourself to write about it in a way that makes it interesting – it is not so easy to avoid the cliches as you might think!

I LOVE IT SO MUCH i do not know why but my kids, they will just like come on this website every time it is time to have a little bit of video games! XD

The weather outside that day was dark.

It was a perfectly reasonable sort of darkness. The kind of darkness you might get if you wake up an hour before sunrise. But it was late in the morning.

He had to make sure of that. He checked his alarm clock, his microwave oven clock, and his cell phone.

The sun was supposed to be out. But the moonlit sky was starlit and clear.

And as he looked outside again, he saw that people were out, going about their business, as if none of this really mattered at all.

What was he missing here?

(There. Now you have a short story writing prompt..)

You know what “John” i think this website is great so fuck you.

yeah you tell him john

It depends on how you view it. That one topic for instance has given me a beautiful story telling. I am currently about to round up with it and trust me the feedback has been amazing.

That is great! I’m glad it helped inspire you!

Dude kids go on here so stop swearing “John”

Maybe you need to work on improving the quality of your writing. Your use of expletives is totally uncalled for. I see nothing wrong with “writing about the weather outside”. In fact, this is a great topic and can lead to awesome discussions.

Very useful indeed. Thank u

i think this is a good prompted

I think it’s awesome, I looked for inspiration, I found inspiration, thank you

well! i fall in love with all these ideas! i loved this page! thanks for sharing these amazing ideas!

Great stuff mat Keep up the good work

I LOVE THIS SO MUCH IT IS VERY HELPFUL BUT FOR A SUGGESTION YOU COULD DO DIARY STUFF MAYBE

When I read your comment, I thought you said “DAIRY,” not “DIARY.”

So… why not both? Write something based on a dairy farmer’s diary. Or… a dairy COW’S diary. Tell their stories, their private dreams. Or hidden shame…

That’s the way to think + use this list 🙂

Great idea!

Awesome list! Thank you!

Thanks so much! I’ve always been told I’m a great writer and should publish. I haven’t done a lot of leisure writing because I’m afraid I might realize I’m NOT a good writer. My therapist wants me to write more and these prompts are perfect!

This is fun i will keep doing this no matter what every year. I can’t stop writing either. Thanks for making this, it is very fun.

This helps so much! love these ideas

Can this website give me a write on the following topic. –

Imagine that the scientists could replace the human brains with computers or invent the computers with human feelings. What do you think would happen?Would the world become a better place to live in???

I’ve been looking for prompts to work through my creative art/collage journal for 2017…and love the ones you offer here….LOVE THEM! I like that they are more than just one word and give me something to think about before I start creating each day as a warm up to what is ahead.

I hope don’t mind, but I shared them on both Instagram and my FaceBook page in hopes to get my artist/creative friends to follow along with me in creating each day. I would like to include a link to your page in a near future blog post about my creative journal.

Thank you for posting and sharing you prompts…I’m excited to get started!

I’m on number 43 and I’ve already discovered a whole bunch about myself! These prompts are amazing and I can’t wait for the next 322 of them. I’ve recommended this to several of my friends. Totally worth several notebooks chock full of prompts and a years worth of writing 🙂

Very inspiring….

Hello! Is it alright if I add some of these to a little book I’m making for my Grandmother? She hasn’t opened a computer in her life but I know these prompts would do her a world of good. I believe in the importance of asking permission to use the creative property of another person 🙂 Cheers!

Hi Maxx, of course you may share with your grandmother – the only thing we would worry about is if you were to publish them for monetary gain. Enjoy! 🙂

This is really helpful. I’m glad I saw it first. ♥

OMG!! I’ve never been in this website before!!

Thank u so much this was so helpful. Idk how u came up with all thoughts prompts. It was very helpful. Thank u again.

For the first time in a long time it finally felt like I knew was going to happen next. I was gazing into her eyes and she was gazing back. I remember it like it was just yesterday, when she was still the one for me but never forgave me. I miss the sweet sound of her laughter and now all i hear are friends. I have tried to go back and apologize to her just to see if the answer will change but even I know that it will never change because I will never be enough for her. But if she ever decides that she wants me back she can have me because a life without love is one not worth living.

gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooood

can u give me one using the prompt “normal”

Thanks for this!!!!! Will definitely help me in learning to tap into my creative writing genius 🙂

Thanks, this helped me a lot!

u have a typo!!!! 364

Thanks for pointing out, got it fixed 🙂 Sometimes my brain goes faster than the computer. 🙂

I wrote this, tell me what you think; prompt #4-dancing You see her tapping her toes, always listening to music. Although she doesn’t like the music, what she doesn’t know yet is it will be stuck in her head for the next year. She’s as graceful as a butterfly yet as strong as a fighter. Many only see a pretty face yet those close enough to the fire know the passion burning deep inside of her. At home she’s quiet, always in her room yet making loud noises through the floorboards. Her parents know what she’s up to but her little brothers don’t quite understand yet. All they know is that when she goes up there she’s listening to music and soon she will play it for the whole neighborhood to hear. They don’t know that she’s practicing, practicing for the most important day of the year. The one she’s been waiting for since she’s been a little girl. Tapping her toes at the table only stops when her parents beg her to rest. Even in her dreams she on stage, dancing like a swan. Yet deep down she’s scared of the failure that she will feel if this one day goes a bit to south. Tapping her toes to the beat of her music gives her a bit of pip in her pep when she walks down the halls. No one quite understands the stress she’s going through. Through her smile she’s worries, scared that one misstep might end it all for her. But she won’t let anyone see that she’s nervous. She’s used to getting bruises, she falls on the ground but always gets back up. Because she’s a dancer, the show must go on.

Brilliant. Loved it.

Amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I’m working on a site in Danish about writing and I would love to translate these awesome prompts into Danish and use it on the site. Would that be OK? I’ll credit with links of course!

Hi Camilla, you cannot copy + post these on your site, but feel free to link to the article – our site is compatible with Google translate 🙂

Hi Camilla, this list cannot be republished, even if translated into another language. However, if you would like to link to our website that would be great, your readers are able to translate it into any language if they use a web browser such as Google Chrome.

My goal is to write all of these prompts before 2018

This is amazing! I am writing for fun and this is a list of amazing prompts!

Ha, Ha . I see what you did , #164 was missing and now it say write about being left out .

Thanks a ton !!!

This link has been really helpful for my blog, loved the ideas.

Thanks for not publishing my email address

You are welcome! We never publish email addresses. If you’d like to learn more about how we collect and use information you may provide us with on this website, you can read more on our privacy policy page. Hope that helps! https://thinkwritten.com/privacy/

I have another suggestion, What about “The Secret Journey to the Unknown”. I reckon it’s awesome!

I was wondering if you could please send new ideas to me, much appreciated thanks.

I love all of these so much and i try to write referring to these at least once everyday thank you so much for these!

Trust, It is a beautiful thing. You give it to others, For them to protect. They can keep it forever, Or they can destroy it.

Wow what a treasure! Am glad I have found the right place to begging my writing journey.Thanks guys

Super awesome! Thanks so much for this collection of writing prompts!!

Today is the last day of the year 2017. I’m proud to say that I was able to complete this challenge. Thank you for the inspiring prompts! 🙂

That is awesome! We might just have to think of some new ones!!

how about one with sports like the NBA

I thought my life was over when I couldn’t access this for a couple weeks. These prompts are excellent. I write two page short stories on one every day. I hope you guys never take down this site but I’m printing these for insurance because it truly was devastating. I’m very emotionally attached to this list. Thank you so much for sharing.

Yes, we did have a small glitch in our hosting services for a few days! Fortunately, it was only temporary and unexpected! {Though I’m sure it did feel like 2 weeks!} Good to hear you are using the prompts!

Very nice article. Very useful one for improving writing skills

Thank you Sid! Glad it is useful for you!

Oh my god.. This is something a different, thought provoking and a yardstick to those who cultivated passion on writing, like me, beginners. Wishes for this website. I really wanted to try this 365 days of writing. Thanks in tons.

Glad you find it helpful! I hope it keeps you inspired to keep growing as a writer!

i love writing too! i am writing a book and this website inspired me too!

i have been writing lots of things and am getting A + on writing

thxs for your time with the web

i am making a epic book. it is because of this website. you really help. i will share a link of my book once i am done with it to your awesome cool really helpful website! thank you for your time

That is great to hear Christopher! Would love to see some of your work when you are ready to share! 🙂

WOOOOOOOOW BEST SITE!

I’m going to write few marvelous essays based on ideas in your impressive list. Thanks!

Just to tell some people that 165 or 164 is not missing because some people probably can’t see but just to let u know that 164 is a prompt called “Left Out”

Dang. The second idea about writing about what it feels like to love someone who doesn’t love you back, I wrote something like that BEFORE I found this website.

You can always try writing it again, maybe from the other person’s perspective this time? That is the beauty of the open-ended writing prompts – you can always interpret them in a way to push and challenge you as a writer!

Thank you for these prompts! I enjoyed looking through them and writing them! They gave me great ideas and inspired me so much.

This is my favorite website to find inspiration to write. I had run out of ideas and i had a huge writers block but this made it all go away. Here’s something i wrote:

He is a mess She is beautiful He has tears streaming down his face She glides across the room as if it were her kingdom And she’s The reigning queen He’s curled up in a ball In the corner of the room He looks at me I wonder what he thinks I can’t take my eyes off her The way she subtly smiles when she realizes Someone is looking She seems to be happy all the time But I can see through the smile It’s my first time noticing It’s not complete That was the first time I wanted to say hi But I thought Why would he look at me? The nerd with all the answers in her head All the books in her hands And Her sleeves full of hearts She looked at me From the corner of her eye She saw me looking The boy with the tear stains She saw me His tears were no longer streaming He had finally stood up Tall and handsome As he is Eyes Bluer than the blue jay that sat outside my bedroom window She had opened a book and started reading She hadn’t changed pages for a while Safe to assume She was distracted She looked up and Without knowing I was in front of her “Hi” Her brown eyes Stared in to my soul Erased the memory of why the tears Were streaming in the first place “Hi”

I love it Cynthia, thank you for sharing and glad that it inspired you to keep writing! 🙂

Thank you for so many amazing ideas! I love the sound of mirror, mirror!

Glad you found it inspiring Ar!

read the whole thing and didn’t find anything I’d enjoy writing 🙁

What kinds of things do you like to write? We have a whole collection of additional writing prompts lists here. Sometimes challenging yourself to write something you don’t like all in its own can be a good exercise for writing. Hope that helps!

These are ingenious!

I love these prompts! They’re inspiring! I’ve chosen to challenge myself by using one of these prompts every day of this 2019 year. I posted my writings for the first prompt on my Tumblr and Facebook pages with the prompt and a link back to this article- I hope that’s alright. If not, I can take it down, or I would love to discuss a way I could continue to do this. I hope more people can see and use these prompts because I have already found joy in using the first one.

Hi Elizabeth! Glad you are enjoying the prompts! You can definitely post what you write with these prompts as long as you do not copy the entire list or claim them as your own. Linking back to our website or this post will help others find the prompts so they too can use them for writing! If you have any questions feel free to contact us anytime using our contact form. Thanks!

Amazing original prompts Thank you so much!

Good list, but you’re not supposed to mistake it’s for its. Not on a website for writers, of all places!

I appreciate your comment, especially because after triple checking the article AND having a few grammar-police personality type friends do the same we could not find any typos. All of the instances of its and it’s are the correct usage.

However, one thing we did remember is that it is very easy for the person reading to accidentally misunderstand and not interpret it the way as the writer intended.

To clarify when we should use it’s vs. its:

We use it’s when we intend the meaning as the contraction. This is a shortened way of writing it is . We use its without an apostrophe when we use it as a possessive noun. Any instances you may note here are correct for their intended meaning.

Some examples:

Prompt #141 It’s a Sign : In this case we intend it to be interpreted as IT IS a Sign , where the usage is a contraction.

Prompt #7 The Rocket Ship : In this case we intend it to be interpreted as the possessive form.

I hope that helps clear up any possible confusion for you!

Thank you soooo much! That helped me a lot!

You’re welcome Keira! Glad you enjoyed our list of writing ideas!

It is so rich in bright and thought-provoking ideas. Thank you so much. Get inspired to have more, please

Thanks for this. I love to write things like this. Some of these though, weren’t as interesting as I wanted it to be, not saying that they aren’t interesting. I like the help you’ve added in, such as being led into a dark room with only a flashlight to help so it gets us started. Great job!

Thanks Maya, I’m glad you like the prompts. Sometimes the prompts that seem boring are the best ones to help you practice your skills as a writer to make them interesting topics. Some of the best writers can make the most mundane topics fun!

Nice….I don’t think I’ll ever lack something to write on … I so appreciate your ideas ..,they are great

Thank you, glad you enjoyed them!

Thank you for providing these writing prompts! They are great!

Thank You so much, these are amazing to start of with to get the creative juices flowing

Thank you very much

Sweet! Thank you so much! I plan to use some of these for some creative writing on CourageousChristianFather.com

I’m glad they inspired you Steve! I always love seeing what everyone writes with these prompts – I really enjoyed your post about the cookie ad jingle! 🙂

Thanks so much for this list. I needed something to kickstart my writing. This is exactly what I’ve been looking for! I just wrote #1. WooHoo!!

Thank you for your list. This is great!

I write feature articles for our church library’s monthly newsletter. Perusing this list has helped me come up with a couple dozen ideas to consider for future issues! Thanks much for putting this together – it is being used beyond the scope of what you intended, I think!

That’s wonderful Debbie! There are so many ways to apply these prompts to any sort of project – thank you for sharing how you are using them!

Thanks for your prompts, an idea I have for a prompt is write a story based on your favorite story for example I’m writing a fantasy book based on the game dungeons and dragons…

i guss its ok

cgv hbvkd vjvhsvhivhcickbcjh

Just needed to ask: I’d like to think these prompts are for free writing with no pauses? But, does one edit and polish the piece after that? I keep reading about writing every day…like brain dumping. But, there is never a mention of what one does with the piece after that??

This article has been written with sheer intelligence. Such 365 creative writing prompts has been written here. This article is worth marking as Good. I like how you have researched and presented these exact points so clearly.

Thank you for this list! You’ve inspired me to take up the challenge, though I haven’t written anything in years!

I have even created a blog to post my ideas, and keep myself accountable. I hope this is okay, I will credit, and provide a link back to this page on each post. https://thefishhavegotitright.blogspot.com/

I love it Ariadne, I’ll definitely come check out your site! Keep at it!

This is really Helpful thanks I love it😊

I never knew how much I had to write about. This should definitely keep me busy! Thank you so much for the list.

Hi! I saw a note saying this had been updated for 2020. I was curious if there are plans to update it for 2021. If so, when would the 2021-updated list become available?

Hi Gabrielle, I am not sure when we will next update this list, but feel free to check out some of our other writing prompts lists if you’ve exhausted this one! Writing Prompts for Kids {which is for grown-ups too!} and Poetry Writing Prompts are two great ones to check out. Hope that helps!

Loved this a lot! I would like to ask permission for using these prompts for my poetry and stories page on Instagram. Kindly let me know if I can use these and let my followers write on them too.

Hi, Piyusha, I’m just a user of the site like you, so I’m not “official”. But if you hit CTRL + F in your browser, that should open the “Find” dialog. Search on “Camilla”, and that will take you to a post and response concerning your request. Have a great and productive writing day. K. B. Tidwell

very informative thank you

I have always had problems finding something to write about. My problem is solved🥰 Thank you

I love this

Oh great. Good for everyone who enjoys picking the pen and writing something readable

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WEEKLY WRITING PROMPTS

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Write a story where your character is travelling a road that has no end., write a story where the laws of time and space begin to dissolve., start your story with it raining… anything but rain (e.g. flowers, cutlery, seashells, running shoes)., write a story where a regular household item becomes sentient., set your story at a silent retreat., write a story in which an important message is cut off, leaving characters to wonder or puzzle out what was left unsaid., write a story including the line “i can’t say it.”, write a story in which a conversation takes place where the true subject is only implied., start or finish your story with a speaker unable to finish their sentence, perhaps overcome by emotion., win $250 in our short story competition 🏆.

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Creative Writing Prompts

When the idea to start a weekly newsletter with writing inspiration first came to us, we decided that we wanted to do more than provide people with topics to write about. We wanted to try and help authors form a regular writing habit and also give them a place to proudly display their work. So we started the weekly Creative Writing Prompts newsletter. Since then, Prompts has grown to a community of more than 450,000 authors, complete with its own literary magazine, Prompted .  

Here's how our contest works: every Friday, we send out a newsletter containing five creative writing prompts. Each week, the story ideas center around a different theme. Authors then have one week — until the following Friday — to submit a short story based on one of our prompts. A winner is picked each week to win $250 and is highlighted on our Reedsy Prompts page.

Interested in participating in our short story contest? Sign up here for more information! Or you can check out our full Terms of Use and our FAQ page .

Why we love creative writing prompts

If you've ever sat in front of a computer or notebook and felt the urge to start creating worlds, characters, and storylines — all the while finding yourself unable to do so — then you've met the author's age-old foe: writer's block. There's nothing more frustrating than finding the time but not the words to be creative. Enter our directory! If you're ready to kick writer's block to the curb and finally get started on your short story or novel, these unique story ideas might just be your ticket.

This list of 1800+ creative writing prompts has been created by the Reedsy team to help you develop a rock-solid writing routine. As all aspiring authors know, this is the #1 challenge — and solution! — for reaching your literary goals. Feel free to filter through different genres, which include...

Dramatic — If you want to make people laugh and cry within the same story, this might be your genre.

Funny — Whether satire or slapstick, this is an opportunity to write with your funny bone.

Romance — One of the most popular commercial genres out there. Check out these story ideas out if you love writing about love.

Fantasy — The beauty of this genre is that the possibilities are as endless as your imagination.

Dystopian – Explore the shadowy side of human nature and contemporary technology in dark speculative fiction.

Mystery — From whodunnits to cozy mysteries, it's time to bring out your inner detective.

Thriller and Suspense — There's nothing like a page-turner that elicits a gasp of surprise at the end.

High School — Encourage teens to let their imaginations run free.

Want to submit your own story ideas to help inspire fellow writers? Send them to us here.

After you find the perfect story idea

Finding inspiration is just one piece of the puzzle. Next, you need to refine your craft skills — and then display them to the world. We've worked hard to create resources that help you do just that! Check them out:

  • How to Write a Short Story That Gets Published — a free, ten-day course by Laura Mae Isaacman, a full-time editor who runs a book editing company in Brooklyn.
  • Best Literary Magazines of 2023 — a directory of 100+ reputable magazines that accept unsolicited submissions.
  • Writing Contests in 2023 — the finest contests of 2021 for fiction and non-fiction authors of short stories, poetry, essays, and more.

Beyond creative writing prompts: how to build a writing routine

While writing prompts are a great tactic to spark your creative sessions, a writer generally needs a couple more tools in their toolbelt when it comes to developing a rock-solid writing routine . To that end, here are a few more additional tips for incorporating your craft into your everyday life.

  • NNWT. Or, as book coach Kevin Johns calls it , “Non-Negotiable Writing Time.” This time should be scheduled into your routine, whether that’s once a day or once a week. Treat it as a serious commitment, and don’t schedule anything else during your NNWT unless it’s absolutely necessary.
  • Set word count goals. And make them realistic! Don’t start out with lofty goals you’re unlikely to achieve. Give some thought to how many words you think you can write a week, and start there. If you find you’re hitting your weekly or daily goals easily, keep upping the stakes as your craft time becomes more ingrained in your routine.
  • Talk to friends and family about the project you’re working on. Doing so means that those close to you are likely to check in about the status of your piece — which in turn keeps you more accountable.

Arm yourself against writer’s block. Writer’s block will inevitably come, no matter how much story ideas initially inspire you. So it’s best to be prepared with tips and tricks you can use to keep yourself on track before the block hits. You can find 20 solid tips here — including how to establish a relationship with your inner critic and apps that can help you defeat procrastination or lack of motivation.

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Creative Primer

25 Creative Writing Prompts to Ignite Your Creativity

Brooks Manley

Creative writing is a vast and dynamic field that offers a platform for individuals to express their ideas, emotions, and stories in an imaginative and original way.

It plays a crucial role in enhancing communication skills, fostering empathy, and also promoting a deep understanding of the human experience. If you’re not sure how to get started, consider these helpful writing prompts – let’s get creative!

The Importance of Creative Writing

In the realm of literature and beyond, creative writing holds a pivotal role. It not only allows for personal expression but also:

  • fosters critical thinking
  • enhances vocabulary
  • improves writing skills
  • conveys complex ideas and emotions
  • serves as a therapeutic medium
  • enhances empathy

From short stories and poetry to novels and screenplays, creative writing spans a wide array of genres and styles, and offers endless opportunities for exploration and expression.

In the professional realm, creative writing skills are highly valued. They can lead to various creative writing jobs in fields like publishing, advertising, journalism, and content creation. For those interested in pursuing higher education in this field, you might want to explore whether a degree in creative writing is worth it .

Understanding Creative Writing Prompts

When it comes to igniting creativity and fostering unique ideas, creative writing prompts play an invaluable role. They provide a starting point, a spark that can lead to a flame of inspiration for writers.

How Prompts Can Ignite Creativity

While creative writing is an exciting field, it can sometimes be challenging to kickstart the creative process. This is where creative writing prompts come into play. These prompts are designed to ignite the imagination and inspire writers to create original and compelling pieces.

They help to overcome writer’s block , encourage experimentation with different styles and genres. So, whether you’re a seasoned writer or a beginner, creative writing prompts can be an invaluable tool to spark creativity and enhance your writing skills.

What are Creative Writing Prompts?

Creative writing prompts are essentially ideas, questions, or topics that are designed to inspire and stimulate the creative writing process. They serve as a catalyst, helping to ignite the writer’s imagination and encourage them to explore new themes, concepts, or perspectives.

These prompts can take a myriad of forms. They might be a single word, a phrase, a sentence, or even an image. Remember, regardless of the format, the goal of a creative writing prompt is to trigger thought and also encourage writers to delve deeper into their creative psyche, producing unique and compelling pieces of writing.

For more understanding of what creative writing entails, read our article on what is creative writing .

Types of Creative Writing Prompts

There are various types of creative writing prompts, each tailored to stimulate different forms of writing, cater to various genres, or inspire certain ideas. For example, you might encounter:

  • Fiction Writing Prompts : These prompts are designed to inspire stories. They might provide a setting, a character, a conflict, or a plot point to kick-start the writer’s imagination.
  • Non-Fiction Writing Prompts : These prompts are geared towards non-fiction writing, such as essays, memoirs, or journalistic pieces. They might pose a question, present a topic, or propose a perspective for the writer to explore.
  • Poetry Writing Prompts : These prompts are tailored for writing poetry. They could suggest a theme, a form, a line, or a poetic device to be used in the poem.
  • Dialogue Writing Prompts : These prompts focus on conversations and are designed to inspire dialogue-driven pieces. They generally provide a line or a snippet of conversation to act as a starting point.
  • Story Starter Writing Prompts : These prompts serve as the opening line or the first paragraph of a story. The writer’s task is to continue the narrative from there.

Understanding the different types of creative writing prompts is essential to making the most of them. For example, when you choose the right type of prompt, you target specific writing skills , push boundaries of creativity, and provide the necessary spark to bring your ideas to life.

25 Creative Writing Prompts

Using creative writing prompts is a great way to jumpstart your creativity and get the ideas flowing. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or a beginner, these prompts can help inspire your next piece. Here, we’ve broken down 25 prompts into five categories: fiction, non-fiction, poetry, dialogue, and story starters.

Fiction Writing Prompts

Fiction allows writers to flex their imaginative muscles. The following prompts can help to stir up new ideas for a unique storyline:

  • Write a story where the main character finds an old, mysterious letter in the attic.
  • Imagine a world where animals can talk.
  • Create a tale where a character discovers they have a superpower.
  • Write about a character who wakes up in a different era.
  • Write a story set in a world where money doesn’t exist.

Non-Fiction Writing Prompts

Non-fiction writing can help you explore real-life experiences and lessons. Here are some prompts to get you started:

  • Write about a time when you faced a significant challenge and how you overcame it.
  • Describe the most influential person in your life.
  • Share a moment when you learned a valuable lesson.
  • Write about an unforgettable trip.
  • Discuss a current event that has impacted you personally.

Poetry Writing Prompts

Poetry allows for artistic expression through words. These prompts can inspire new verses:

  • Write a poem about a dream you can’t forget.
  • Create a sonnet about the changing seasons.
  • Write about an emotion without naming it directly.
  • Craft a poem inspired by a piece of art.
  • Pen a haiku about nature’s power.

Dialogue Writing Prompts

Dialogue writing can help you improve your dialogue creation skills. Try these prompts:

  • Write a conversation between two people stuck in an elevator.
  • Describe a heated argument between a character and their best friend.
  • Create a dialogue where a character reveals a deep secret.
  • Write an exchange between a detective and a suspect.
  • Craft a conversation between two people who speak different languages.

Story Starter Writing Prompts

Story starters are great for sparking an idea for a story. Here are some to try:

  • “When she opened the door, she couldn’t believe her eyes…”
  • “He’d waited his whole life for this moment, and now…”
  • “It was a town like no other, because…”
  • “She was the last person on earth, or so she thought…”
  • “The letter arrived, marked with a seal she didn’t recognize…”

These creative writing prompts are designed to challenge you and spark your creativity. Remember, the goal is not to create a perfect piece of writing but to ignite your imagination and hone your writing skills. Also, don’t forget, you can always revise and refine your work later .

For more on the art of writing, check out our article on what is creative writing .

Making the Most of Your Creative Writing Prompts

Now that you have a list of creative writing prompts at your disposal, it’s important to understand how to utilize them effectively. The value of a prompt lies not just in the initial idea it provides, but also in how it can be expanded and developed into a full-blown piece of writing.

How to Use Creative Writing Prompts Effectively

Using creative writing prompts effectively requires an open mind and a willingness to explore. Here are some strategies to make the most of your prompts:

  • Brainstorming: Allow yourself to brainstorm ideas after reading the prompt. Jot down whatever comes to mind without self-judgment or censorship.
  • Freedom: Give yourself the freedom to interpret the prompt in your own way. Remember, prompts are starting points, not rigid guidelines.
  • Experimentation: Experiment with different genres, perspectives, and writing styles. A prompt can be turned into a poem, a short story, or even a script for a play.
  • Consistency: Try to write regularly. Whether you choose to do this daily, weekly, or bi-weekly, consistency can help develop your writing skills.
  • Reflection: Finally, reflect on the prompt and your writing. Consider what worked, what didn’t, and also what you would like to improve in your next piece.

In addition to this, check out our article on what is creative writing .

Tips to Expand on a Prompt

Expanding on a prompt involves transforming a simple idea into a fully developed narrative. Here are a few tips:

  • Character Development: Flesh out your characters. Give them backgrounds, motivations, and flaws to make them more relatable and interesting.
  • Plot Building: Develop a coherent plot. Consider the key events, conflicts, and resolutions that will drive your story forward.
  • Show, Don’t Tell: Show the reader what’s happening through vivid descriptions and actions rather than simply telling them.
  • Dialogue: Use dialogue to reveal character traits and advance the plot. Make sure it’s natural and adds value to your story.
  • Editing: Finally review and revise your work. Look for areas where you can improve clarity, tighten your prose, and also eliminate any inconsistencies or errors.

Editor’s Note : Don’t get rid of old ideas or unfinished works – you never know when looking back over these might spark inspiration or two ideas might mesh to form something cohesive and new!

The Right Prompts Grow Your Skills

By using these strategies, you can take full advantage of creative writing prompts and improve your writing skills. So, whether you’re pursuing a career in creative writing or just looking for a new hobby, these tips can help you unlock your full creative potential.

For more insights on creative writing, check out our articles on creative writing jobs and what you can do with a creative writing degree and how to teach creative writing .

Also, don’t miss our master list of more than 250 journal prompts .

Brooks Manley

Brooks Manley

creative writing prompts diary

Creative Primer  is a resource on all things journaling, creativity, and productivity. We’ll help you produce better ideas, get more done, and live a more effective life.

My name is Brooks. I do a ton of journaling, like to think I’m a creative (jury’s out), and spend a lot of time thinking about productivity. I hope these resources and product recommendations serve you well. Reach out if you ever want to chat or let me know about a journal I need to check out!

Here’s my favorite journal for 2024: 

the five minute journal

Gratitude Journal Prompts Mindfulness Journal Prompts Journal Prompts for Anxiety Reflective Journal Prompts Healing Journal Prompts Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Journal Prompts Mental Health Journal Prompts ASMR Journal Prompts Manifestation Journal Prompts Self-Care Journal Prompts Morning Journal Prompts Evening Journal Prompts Self-Improvement Journal Prompts Creative Writing Journal Prompts Dream Journal Prompts Relationship Journal Prompts "What If" Journal Prompts New Year Journal Prompts Shadow Work Journal Prompts Journal Prompts for Overcoming Fear Journal Prompts for Dealing with Loss Journal Prompts for Discerning and Decision Making Travel Journal Prompts Fun Journal Prompts

Is a Degree in Creative Writing Worth it?

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What is the Creative Process? A Framework for Creative Thinking

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101 Creative Journal Prompts To Spice Up Your Creative Writing

  • June 26, 2023

Creative Journal Prompts

Journaling is an effective way to tap into your creative energy and get ideas flowing. Whether you’re looking for a new project, trying to work through a problem, or just need some writing inspiration, these 101 creative journal prompts can help. Dive in and see where the words take you!

What is Creative Journaling?

Creative journaling is the practice of putting your thoughts and ideas down on paper in an imaginative way.

Creative journaling can help you work through difficult emotions, express yourself more honestly, and explore new ideas that may not come to mind otherwise.

Whether it’s free-flowing writing or structured prompts , creative journaling can open up a whole new world of exploration and insight.

101 Creative Journal Prompts

1. Write about a time when you surprised yourself with creativity.

2. Write a letter to yourself in the future.

3. Describe your dream creative workspace.

4. Create a poem about something you’ve learned in life so far.

5. What is the most difficult thing you’ve ever created?

6. Make a list of ideas for an upcoming project.

7. Brainstorm ideas for a new business.

8. Describe the best creative moment you’ve experienced.

9. Imagine yourself in five years and what you would like to have accomplished by then.

10. Make a list of all your creative achievements so far.

11. What are some of your goals as a creative person?

12. Create an alternate ending for your short story.

13. Write about an artist or creative whose work you admire.

14. Make a list of potential themes for your next creative project.

15. Brainstorm ideas for a unique photo series.

16. Describe the feeling of creating something from nothing.

17. Create a short poem about the act of being creative.

18. What are some of the biggest creative challenges you face?

19. Make a list of people who have inspired your creativity.

20. What do you think is the key to unlocking your creative potential?

21. Imagine an alternate universe and what it would be like to live there.

22. Create a character profile for someone in your story ideas.

23. Make a list of creative resources that have been helpful to you.

24. Describe the process of taking an idea from concept to reality.

25. Brainstorm different ways to market your work.

26. Write about a memorable moment from your creative journey.

27. What would you do if you had all the time and resources necessary to create something special?

28. Make a list of techniques and tools that have helped improve your creativity.

29. Imagine an ideal creative environment and what it would be like to work in it.

30. Describe the feeling of finishing a creative project you’re proud of.

31. How can creativity help solve problems in society?

32. Make a list of potential mentors or partners who could help with your next project.

33. What are some common mistakes creatives make, and how can they be avoided?

34. Create a character sketch for someone in your story.

35. Write about a time when you surprised yourself with the writing ideas you came up with.

36. Make a list of ways to stay motivated and inspired when working on creative projects.

37. Brainstorm different angles that could be explored in an upcoming project.

38. Describe the feeling of starting something new and exciting.

39. Create a poem or story about what creativity means to you.

40. What do you think is the key to unlocking your potential as a creative?

41. Imagine living in an alternate reality and how it would be different from our own world today.

42. List out any challenges or obstacles standing in the way of your next project.

43. Think about a time when your creativity was stifled and how you overcame it.

44. Describe the process of turning an idea into something tangible.

45. Brainstorm ideas for a product or service that could make life easier for people.

46. Write about the most rewarding moment in your creative journey so far.

47. Imagine yourself five years from now and what kind of work you would like to be doing then.

48. Make a list of different techniques or tools you can use to improve your creative skillset.

49. What is the importance of collaboration in creativity?

50. Describe the feeling of coming up with something completely original.

51. Brainstorm ideas for a unique art project.

52. Write about the most influential person in your creative life.

53. Make a list of potential markets or outlets for your work.

54. Describe the feeling of being completely immersed in a creative process.

55. What do you think is the key to staying inspired and motivated when working on projects?

56. Create an alternate version of yourself in another reality and write about what it would be like to live there.

57. Make a list of different resources you can use to stay up-to-date with industry trends and news related to your craft or profession.

58. Describe what creativity means to you in one sentence.

59. Write a poem or journal entry inspired your best friend.

60. Brainstorm ideas for a new invention or product that could make life easier for people.

61. Describe the feeling of achieving something creative and unique.

62. Make a list of potential partners or mentors who could help with your next project.

63. Write about how creativity can be used to solve problems in society.

64. Imagine what it would be like to have unlimited resources and time to create something special.

65. What do you think is the key to unlocking your creative potential?

66. Make a list of techniques or tools that have been helpful in improving your creative writing skills.

67. Describe the process of taking an idea from concept to reality.

68. Brainstorm different ways to market your work and reach a wider audience.

69. Write about a time when you surprised yourself with the ideas that came up during your creative process.

70. What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a creative person?

71. Create a character sketch for someone in your story or project idea .

72. Make a list of books, podcasts, or other resources that have been helpful in inspiring and motivating you in your work.

73. Describe how collaboration can be used to create something unique and special.

74. Brainstorm ideas for a unique photo series or art project.

75. Imagine yourself in five years and what you would like to have accomplished by then.

76. Make a list of any creative achievements from your past that you’re proud of.

77. What are some of your goals as a creative person?

78. Describe how creativity has changed the way you look at the world.

79. Create an alternate ending for a story you know well.

80. Write about an artist or creative whose work you admire and why

81. What do I need to do today to make it a successful day?

82. How can I be kinder to myself and others?

83. What are three things that I’m grateful for right now?

84. If I could have one wish, what would it be?

85. What part of myself am I most proud of?

86. What healthy habits can I start practicing today?

87. How can I best show up for those in need around me?

88. Who are the people that have had a positive influence on my life?

89. What experiences do I want to have in the next year?

90. What is something I can do today that will bring me joy?

91. What am I afraid to admit to myself?

92. What are the qualities that make up my personal identity?

93. Who are the people most important to me and why?

94. What new skills would I like to learn this year?

95. What are some of my greatest accomplishments?

96. How can I make a positive difference in the world?

97. What lights up my soul and why?

98. What do I want to explore more deeply in life?

99. How have I been holding myself back from growth and learning?

100. What small action can I take today to move towards my goals?

101. Who are some potential mentors or partners who could help with my next project?

Tips for Using Creative Journal Prompts Successfully

Take time for yourself.

Make sure to take some quiet time for yourself so you can focus on the creative writing prompts and allow your thoughts and ideas to flow freely.

Be open-minded

Don’t let preconceived notions, fears, or judgments limit your creativity. Stay open-minded when considering different possibilities and ideas while writing in your creative journal .

Before writing out your response, take a few moments to brainstorm all the possible answers that come to mind. Consider different scenarios, perspectives, and ideas before settling on one answer or approach.

Get inspired by others

If you’re feeling stuck while working through creative journal writing prompts , find inspiration from other creative people or different sources outside your own field. This can help spark new ideas and perspectives that you hadn’t previously considered.

Talk it out

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, take a break and talk to someone else about it. This will give you a fresh perspective on the problem at hand as well as a chance to explore different solutions with another person.

While working through creative writing prompts ideas, make note of any interesting ideas or connections that come up during your thought process so that you don’t forget them later on.

Set aside time for reflection

Dedicate some time each day or week to reflect on what you’ve written in your creative journal entry, this will help you identify patterns and connections that you may have missed while writing.

Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone while exploring creative journal prompts. Trying new things can open up entirely new possibilities for creative expression and inspiration.

Celebrate small victories

Remember to celebrate the small successes along the way towards reaching your goals, this will help keep you motivated and inspired to continue working through challenging tasks or projects.

Be patient with yourself

Creative work takes time, so don’t be discouraged if progress isn’t as rapid as you would like it to be. Take breaks when needed, but stay focused on moving forward and keeping up the momentum in your work.

What are good creative writing prompts?

When seeking creative writing prompts, it’s crucial to explore various sources of inspiration. Start by contemplating your everyday life experiences, as they often conceal hidden gems for storytelling. 

Everyday routines can morph into unique short story ideas or compelling journal entry inspirations. Writer’s block, a common challenge, can be overcome by diving into writing prompt ideas that break the monotony. 

Don’t shy away from the power of acrostic poems, which can spark creativity and take your writing style to new heights. Whether it’s about your dream house, a dear diary, or just a blog post, creative writing prompts can transform mundane moments into captivating stories.

What are 5 minute writing prompts for adults?

For busy adults, engaging in 5-minute journal writing prompts can be a game-changer. Start by jotting down a brief journal entry inspired by an aspect of your everyday life, focusing on a specific detail or experience. 

These quick exercises are excellent for combating writer’s block and sparking writing ideas. Consider penning a snippet of a short story, exploring a single moment in time. 

Keep it concise and to the point, crafting writing prompt ideas that fit into your daily routine. This approach ensures that you can consistently nurture your writing process without overwhelming your schedule.

How do I make my journal unique?

To make your journal stand out, infuse it with your personal touch. Reflect on the same story from different angles, offering fresh perspectives and insights. Try incorporating creative writing prompts into your journal entries, as they can transform your writing style and keep it engaging. 

Blend various elements such as acrostic poems or short stories to add depth. Documenting everyday life is essential, but it’s your unique voice and approach that will set your journal apart. Explore different writing styles, experiment, and embrace your individuality.

What prompts are in the 5 minute journal?

The 5-minute journal prompts are designed to be quick yet meaningful. They often revolve around aspects of daily life that promote positivity and self-reflection.

 You might find questions about what would make today great, encouraging you to consider small goals and joys. 

These journal ideas prompt you to list daily affirmations and reflections on the day, fostering a mindful journaling practice. By using such prompts, you can manifest a daily habit of gratitude and self-improvement.

What should I write in my mini journal?

Your mini journal is your creative canvas. Consider employing prompts that inquire about what makes today great or what you’re grateful for. These journal ideas can guide your daily entries, nurturing a habit of positivity. 

Utilize writing prompts tailored to mental health , allowing you to document your emotions and thoughts. 

Write about your experiences, daily challenges, and strategies for self-improvement. Remember, it’s your space to be genuine and reflect on your journey, making it an essential tool for personal growth.

What would make today great journal ideas?

What would make today great” journal ideas offer a structured approach to daily reflection. Consider setting specific goals, listing moments of gratitude, or envisioning the positive aspects of your day. 

These prompts encourage a focus on everyday life’s silver linings, fostering a positive mindset. Include affirmations to boost your morale and manifest a great day. 

Experiment with different manifestations, as the better every day journal is a versatile tool for self-improvement and maintaining a positive outlook.

What makes a good junk journal?

Crafting a good junk journal is an art that combines creativity and personalization. Start with selecting materials and mementos that resonate with your story, allowing you to blend creative writing with visual elements. 

Integrate writing prompts and short stories inspired by your chosen items. The journal’s charm lies in its eclectic mix of everyday life fragments, turning them into a unique narrative. 

The key is to create a journal that feels like a piece of you, weaving memories and writing ideas together into a beautiful tapestry.

What is the better everyday journal?

The “better every day journal” is a powerful tool for personal growth . It typically consists of prompts that encourage daily reflection and self-improvement. 

Writing in this journal nurtures a positive mindset, as you engage with writing prompts related to gratitude, goals, and affirmations. By consistently documenting your journey, you’ll manifest a better version of yourself. 

This practice helps you stay motivated, focused on your dreams, and attuned to the positive aspects of everyday life, making it a valuable addition to your daily routine.

How do you manifest a journal daily?

Manifesting a journaling habit involves setting a routine and sticking to it. Start by selecting a specific time and place for your journal entries, making it a part of your everyday life. 

Utilize writing prompts that inspire you, such as the 3-6-9 method of manifestation, which involves focusing on intentions, actions, and gratitude. By using these prompts consistently, you’ll ensure that journaling becomes a daily practice that promotes personal growth and self-reflection.

What is the 3-6-9 method of manifestation?

The 3-6-9 method of manifestation is a structured approach to manifesting your desires. It involves three key steps: setting clear intentions (3), taking consistent actions (6), and practicing gratitude (9).

 This method is a powerful way to harness the law of attraction in your journaling routine. By aligning your writing with these principles, you can bring your goals and dreams to life. It’s a valuable tool for personal growth and achieving what you desire in everyday life.

How do you journal daily for mental health?

Journaling for mental health can be a transformative practice. Begin with writing prompts that encourage self-expression, helping you process emotions and thoughts related to your everyday life challenges. Incorporate affirmations to boost your self-esteem and resilience.

 Embrace a mindful journaling approach, focusing on the present moment and practicing gratitude. 

Regular journal entries will enable you to identify patterns, manage stress, and nurture your mental well-being. It’s a vital tool for self-care and personal growth.

How do you journal and do affirmations?

Combining journaling and affirmations is a powerful way to boost self-confidence and positivity. Start by writing daily affirmations that reflect your goals and intentions. 

Then, in your journal entries, reflect on how these affirmations relate to your everyday life. Document your progress and experiences as you work toward your aspirations. 

This synergy between affirmations and journaling reinforces a positive mindset and encourages self-improvement, making it an effective tool for personal growth.

How do you do a mindful journal?

Creating a mindful journal involves focusing on the present moment and cultivating self-awareness. 

Start by setting aside time to write in your journal, paying full attention to your thoughts and feelings. Incorporate writing prompts that encourage self-reflection and gratitude, grounding you in the here and now. 

Engage in deep introspection, exploring your everyday life experiences from a mindful perspective. This practice can reduce stress, enhance emotional well-being, and promote personal growth, as it encourages you to live in the moment.

How do you change your mindset in a journal?

Your journal is a potent tool for reshaping your mindset. Begin by using writing prompts that challenge negative thought patterns and encourage positivity . Document your everyday life experiences and reactions, then analyze and reframe them to foster a more positive outlook. 

Consistently incorporating affirmations can also reinforce this shift in mindset. Journaling enables you to identify and address self-limiting beliefs, ultimately promoting personal growth and a healthier perspective on your life’s journey.

How do you write a manifestation sentence?

Writing a manifestation sentence involves clearly stating your desires and intentions. Start by identifying what you want to manifest in your everyday life. 

Then, craft a concise, positive statement that reflects your goals. Utilize the power of the 3-6-9 method, combining intentions, actions, and gratitude. 

By consistently writing these sentences in your journal, you are harnessing the law of attraction and actively working towards manifesting your desires, making it an effective practice for personal growth and self-improvement.

Bottom Line

Creative journaling can be a great way to explore your thoughts and feelings, unlock new ideas, get your creative juices flowing, and gain clarity on difficult tasks or projects.

Don’t forget to take the time to reflect on your journey as it can help you stay focused on reaching your goals. Implement these tips to help ensure that you make the most of creative journal prompts

Ben

I'm Ben, a data engineer who adores journaling. My passion for recording life experiences inspired me to develop Otto's Journal, an online diary app. Join me as I blend data and storytelling in the ever-changing tech world, making journaling more accessible and exciting.

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Crafting a Green World

Creative Writing Journal Prompts For Adults

creative writing journal prompts for adults

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Unleash your inner writer with our unique creative writing journal prompts for adults. Explore new themes, refine your narrative skills, and spark your imagination in unexpected ways. Perfect for beginners and seasoned writers alike.

Unleashing your creativity in a journal can be both a liberating and self-discovery journey. It can help you navigate through your thoughts, unspoken words, or hidden imagination, while also enriching your writing skills. In this piece, we’re going to share an impressive plethora of creative writing journal prompts specifically designed for adults. Whether you are an aspiring novelist, a journaling hobbyist, or simply someone seeking a channel for pent-up emotions, our treasure trove of prompts will fuel your inspiration.

So, ready your pens, prepare your journals, and let’s embark on an extraordinary voyage of words and self-expression. Let’s inspire the creative writer that lies within you. 📚✍️

Emotional Healing

Harnessing creative writing for emotional healing can help us process and understand complex feelings, leading to greater self-awareness and resilience. Here are 20 writing prompts aimed at promoting emotional healing:

  • Write a letter to your past self, what would you say to comfort him/her?
  • Chronicle a breakthrough moment in your emotional health.
  • Detail an instance where you were able to successfully manage your emotions.
  • Recount a situation that made you feel strong emotion, can you see it from a different perspective now?
  • Scribble down what your ideal day would look like free of emotional turmoil.
  • Think of a person who has hurt you and write a forgiving letter to them.
  • Jot down an emotional goal for this week, and elaborate a plan to achieve it.
  • Write about a time when you turned a negative experience into a positive one.
  • Sketch out a trauma or challenge you faced and how it ultimately led to emotional growth.
  • List three things you would like to tell your future self about your emotional journey.
  • Pen down an emotionally challenging situation and how you could respond differently to it next time.
  • Reflect on a life event that has brought you emotional peace.
  • Imagine a conversation with your emotions, what would they be saying?
  • Write about someone who was there for you during a difficult time and how they helped you.
  • Consider an emotion that you often struggle with, and write a plan on how to better manage it.
  • Record a significant moment when you overcame an emotional hurdle.
  • Create an affirmation to boost your emotional health.
  • Compose a poem about the process of emotional healing.
  • Describe something that's worrying you, then write about possible solutions.
  • Express your feelings about today, are there any patterns in your moods you notice?

Exploring Personal Strengths

Exploring personal strengths through journaling helps to build self-awareness and harness one's innate abilities, traits, and skills to foster personal growth and resilience. Here are 20 prompts to help you delve into your personal strengths:

  • Write about a time when you used your strengths to overcome a challenge or obstacle.
  • Describe an achievement you're proud of. How did your strengths play into this success?
  • Make a list of three personal strengths that define you.
  • Write a letter to yourself celebrating your strengths.
  • Reflect on how your strengths have shaped your life journey so far.
  • Think about a person who admires you. What strengths do they recognize in you?
  • Share a story displaying one of your strengths in action.
  • How have your strengths helped you in your relationships with others?
  • Write about how you can use your strengths to achieve your future goals.
  • Reflect on how your strengths can help you cope with stress and challenges.
  • Describe how one of your strengths can also be a weakness. How can you address this?
  • Write a thank you note to yourself for a strength you often take for granted.
  • How can you use your strengths to contribute positively to your community?
  • Describe an instance where you empowered someone else with your strengths.
  • List three ways you can further develop your strengths.
  • Write about how your strengths align with your passions and values.
  • Reflect on a strength you recently discovered in yourself.
  • How does understanding your strengths enhance your self-esteem and confidence?
  • Write about what your ideal day would look like if you could use all your strengths.
  • Share a time when you had to rely on your strengths to make a difficult decision.

Celebrating Achievements

Recognizing and celebrating achievements is integral to maintaining a positive motivation in our writing journey, helping us acknowledge our strides and progress. Here are 20 writing prompts to reflect on your accomplishments:

  • Jot down an accomplishment in your life, big or small, that made you extremely proud.
  • Imagine meeting your teen self. Describe how you would share your achievements with them.
  • List three skills you gained through your most significant achievement.
  • Write about a time when you reached a goal, and how it felt accomplishing it.
  • Detail a challenge you overcame and the steps you took to achieve success.
  • Discover a past failure that led to a later achievement. Reflect on the lesson learned.
  • Describe someone who recognized your accomplishment and how it affected you.
  • Pen down your greatest professional achievement and the journey towards it.
  • Write a thank-you note to someone who contributed to your achievement.
  • Describe an unexpected achievement, and how it surprised you.
  • Detail the achievement you're most proud of in the last five years.
  • Remember a moment you achieved a personal goal. Reflect on your feelings then.
  • Write about a time you celebrated an achievement alone. How did it feel?
  • List five achievements that have impacted your life the most.
  • Think of a community or team achievement you were part of. Reflect on the collective efforts.
  • Pen down the feelings when you received recognition for an accomplishment.
  • Describe an achievement that required patience and foresight.
  • Write a letter to future you, outlining your future achievements.
  • Share the journey of an achievement that pushed you out of your comfort zone.
  • Reflect on an achievement you initially took for granted but now consider significant.

Memory Recall Exercises

Incorporating Memory Recall Exercises in your journaling routine not only stimulates your mind but also deepens your introspective abilities, allowing you to connect in unique ways with your personal history. Here are 20 writing prompts related to Memory Recall Exercises:

  • Detail your earliest childhood memory. What stands out the most?
  • Reflect on a past event that significantly influenced your major life decisions.
  • Write a letter to your younger self, offering advice or words of encouragement.
  • Recall and describe a memory linked to a specific smell or taste.
  • Write about a past event you wish you could relive, how would you view that event now as an adult?
  • Describe your favorite birthday memory. Who was there, what was memorable?
  • Think about an old friend who you've lost touch with. Write about a day you spent together.
  • Write about a moment from your past that is associated with a song.
  • Describe a time when you felt immensely proud of yourself.
  • Write about an unexpected encounter you had, and how it influenced you.
  • Recall a tradition from your childhood, do you still follow it today?
  • Think about a challenge you overcame. How did it change you?
  • Reflect on a memory associated with a place that you've moved away from.
  • Describe a moment from your past that involved a beloved pet.
  • Write about a fear you had as a child. How do you feel about that fear now?
  • Write about a moment of failure from your past and what you learned from it.
  • Reflect on a memory that involves a family recipe.
  • Describe a moment in the past when you experienced a cultural shock.
  • Write about a memorable travel experience, what was unique about it?
  • Recall a childhood leisure activity, would you still enjoy it today?

Inspiring Gratitude

Focusing on inspiring gratitude through journaling helps adults cultivate a greater appreciation for the good in their life, promoting positivity, and enhancing overall wellbeing. Here are 20 writing prompts to help you connect more deeply with gratitude:

  • Identify and describe a simple pleasure that you're grateful for.
  • Reflect on a personal achievement you've made. How does it make you feel grateful?
  • Write a letter of gratitude to a loved one, expressing why you appreciate them.
  • Discuss a challenging situation that later led you to feel grateful.
  • Write about a time you expressed gratitude, and its impact.
  • List three things that you're grateful for about your body.
  • Who is a person that you were grateful to recently meet and why?
  • What is a memory that you’re grateful for?
  • How has gratitude positively impacted your life?
  • Detail something you're grateful for about your current home environment.
  • Write about an aspect of your job that you're grateful for.
  • Name something about yourself that you're grateful for.
  • Reflect on a time someone did an unexpected act of kindness for you.
  • Describe an experience with nature you're grateful for.
  • List three things that you're grateful for in the past week.
  • Write about an area of personal growth you're grateful for.
  • How does showing gratitude make you feel about your relationships?
  • What is a book or movie you're grateful for and how has it changed your life?
  • What is a personal belonging that brings you joy and why are you grateful for it?
  • Reflect on a moment of peace or relaxation you experienced lately. How did it make you feel grateful?

Imaginative Storytelling

Imaginative storytelling within a journaling practice encourages expansive thinking and rejuvenates our creative impulses, energizing our connection to the boundless world inside us and outside. Below are 20 prompts designed to stimulate your imagination:

  • Imagine an animal could talk. What would it say?
  • You suddenly have the ability to time travel. Where would you explore?
  • Write a diary entry from the perspective of a fictional character.
  • Describe a world where different physical laws apply.
  • Imagine waking up on a deserted island. How would you survive?
  • Write a letter to your future self, 50 years from now.
  • Describe an interaction between two inanimate objects.
  • Create a conversation between you and a famous painter from the past.
  • What would life look like inside a mirror?
  • Imagine meeting an alien. What would you say?
  • If trees could whisper secrets, what would they tell you?
  • Develop a story from the perspective of the last book you read.
  • Picture waking up in the body of your worst enemy. Describe your day.
  • Transform an ordinary item into something extraordinary.
  • Conjure a day where everything you wish happens.
  • If your favorite song told a story, write that tale.
  • Write an imaginary letter from someone you admire.
  • Imagine what the world would look like if a natural disaster struck.
  • Write from the perspective of a cloud in the sky.
  • What would you do if you suddenly became invisible?

Scripting Your Future

Scripting Your Future through journaling is an empowering exercise, turning abstract dreams into tangible goals and focusing your mind on the practical steps needed to realize your future self. Here are 20 prompts designed to help you articulate and work towards your vision of the future:

  • Visualize and describe your ideal life five years from now.
  • Script a typical day in the life of your future self.
  • Write about a goal you want to achieve in the next 12 months. Why is it important to you?
  • Jot down the key steps you need to take to achieve this goal.
  • Look five years into the future and script a congratulatory speech you'd give yourself.
  • Identify a habit you’d like your future self to adopt. Why this habit?
  • Choose a skill you want to have gained in the future. Write about why you've chosen it and how getting it would change your life.
  • Script a conversation with a mentor or important figure in your future career.
  • Note down potential obstacles in your path towards your future and how you would deal with them.
  • Write a letter to your future self about your hopes and dreams.
  • Name three things you can do today to move closer to your envisioned future.
  • Write about how your life will change once you achieve one of your long-term goals.
  • Identify one fear or doubt regarding your future and script a plan to overcome it.
  • Write a 'thank you' note from your future self to your present self.
  • Visualize a hurdle you overcame in your past that has prepared you for your future.
  • Script a situation where your future self feels proud of a hard-earned accomplishment.
  • Write about what success looks like for your future self.
  • Identify one area of personal growth you'd like to see in your future self.
  • Write about a place you want your future self to visit. Why this place?
  • Finally, script a declaration of commitment – a promise that your present self makes to your future self.

Nostalgia Writing

Nostalgia writing, in the context of creative journal prompts for adults, invites us to dive into our past to relive, reassess, and gain insights from our memories, while instigating growth and sparking creativity. Here are 20 writing prompts that revolve around nostalgia writing:

  • Write about your favorite summertime memory from your childhood.
  • Recount an incident from high school that still makes you laugh.
  • Write a letter to your past self, sharing the wisdom you've acquired through the years.
  • Describe the taste, smell, and feel of your favorite food from your childhood.
  • Write about a song that takes you back in time, and why it has such an effect on you.
  • Share a story about the first trip you took without your parents.
  • Write about your first heartbreak and how you've grown since then.
  • Describe the view from the window of your childhood home.
  • Write about a family holiday tradition that brings up feelings of nostalgia.
  • Share a moment from your past that helped shape who you are today.
  • Write about a missed opportunity and how it changed your life.
  • Share a story of the first book that truly captured your imagination as a child.
  • Write about a valuable lesson learned from a childhood mistake.
  • Describe the aroma of your grandmother's house.
  • Write about a piece of clothing or accessory from your past and the story associated with it.
  • Share your memories of a person who profoundly influenced your early years.
  • Write about a playground games or outdoor activity you loved as a child.
  • Recount your experiences and emotions on your first day at your first job.
  • Write about a spontaneous trip or adventure that you still remember vividly.
  • Share a story of the first time you remember experiencing wonder or awe.

Personal Growth And Development

Exploring personal growth and development through your creative writing journal can lead to greater self-awareness, improved emotional intelligence, and a mindful approach to life's challenges. The following 20 prompts can inspire introspection and progress in these aspects:

  • Reflect on the most significant change you've undergone in the past year.
  • Write about a challenge you overcame and what it taught you.
  • Describe a moment in your life where you felt truly satisfied with yourself.
  • Outline three personal qualities you'd like to enhance and how you plan on doing so.
  • Contemplate on someone who inspires you. What qualities do they portray that you'd like to embody?
  • Illustrate your ideal self in five years time. Include all aspects of your life.
  • Recall a moment when you were proud of yourself. What led to this moment?
  • List three habits you'd like to implement and why.
  • Explore an instance where you showed resilience.
  • Record the biggest life lesson you've learned so far.
  • Write about the role personal development plays in your life.
  • Let a list unfold of all the positive changes you've noticed in yourself over the past five years.
  • Explore how you handle stress and whether this is something you'd like to work on.
  • Contemplate on a skill you'd like to learn and why.
  • Develop a plan to enhance your emotional intelligence.
  • Write about the impact personal growth and development has had on your relationships.
  • Reflect on a moment of self-discovery.
  • Ponder how you would define success. Is it different from conventional definitions?
  • Analyze your strengths and weaknesses. How can you make the best use of them?
  • Write about your personal development goals for the upcoming year.

Inspirational Figures

Reflecting upon inspirational figures in our lives can open new channels of creativity and personal growth especially through journaling. Here are 20 journaling prompts dedicated to exploring the influences of these figures:

  • Write about an inspirational figure who has significantly influenced your life. How have they made an impact?
  • List and describe the qualities you most admire in your inspirational figure.
  • Write a letter to this person expressing your admiration and thanking them for their influence.
  • Detail a specific instance when this figure's actions or words greatly inspired you.
  • Reflect on what your life might be like if you had never known of or been influenced by this figure.
  • Write a fictional story featuring your inspirational figure as the protagonist.
  • Journal about what you would discuss if you had an hour to spend with this person.
  • Imagine yourself in this inspirational figure's shoes, write a deep self-reflection.
  • Consider a challenge your inspirational figure faced and overcame. How does this inspire you in your own challenges?
  • Write about how you have applied their teachings or examples in your life.
  • Explore how this person fits into your definition of success.
  • Write about how you might carry their legacy forward.
  • Explore a weak or negative trait of this person and how it influenced your image of them.
  • If this person were alive today, how would they respond to current world issues?
  • Write a poem dedicated to this person.
  • Chronicle the moment or period of life when you first noticed their influence.
  • Examine how their influence has shaped your long-term goals.
  • Outline an imaginary day spent with this figure, detailing the activities and conversations.
  • Reflection on any personal values or beliefs that were influenced by this figure.
  • Envision and note how you would like your relationship with this figure to develop in the future.

Exploring Fears

Examining personal fears through journaling is a profound way to gain self-understanding, face our anxieties, and challenge limiting beliefs. Here are 20 writing prompts to guide you in exploring your fears:

  • Describe a fear you've had since childhood. Is it still present in your life?
  • Write a letter to one of your fears. What would you want to say to it?
  • Conjure a memory in which fear stopped you from doing something you wanted to do.
  • Identify a fear you've overcome. How did you do it?
  • Imagine a situation where fear is your ally, not your enemy.
  • List three fears related to your personal life and why they scare you.
  • Think of a fear related to your professional life. Write about its roots.
  • Write a short story where the main character confronts their biggest fear.
  • Describe a personified version of your fear. What does it look like, sound like, or feel like?
  • Write down the thoughts that pop into your head when you face fear.
  • List ways that fear has affected your relationships.
  • Imagine a world where none of your fears exist. What does it look like?
  • Think about a fear you discussed with another person. How did it feel to open up about it?
  • Reflect on a time when fear led you to grow or change in some way.
  • Write a dialogue between you and your fear.
  • List three fears related to your health or body and explain why they scare you.
  • Describe a dream where your fear manifested.
  • Think of someone you admire. Imagine and write about their fears.
  • Write a poem about the positive aspects of fear.
  • Reflect on a fear you have about the future. How might you navigate this fear?

Life Moments

Exploring significant life moments through journaling encourages us to appreciate and reflect on the richness and complexity of our life journey. Here are 20 prompts to help you delve deeper into your own life moments:

  • Write about your most memorable childhood event. What made it memorable?
  • Recall a time in your life when you made a decision that changed your path. What was the decision and how did it impact you?
  • Describe a moment when you felt particularly proud of yourself.
  • Recount an instance when you faced a significant challenge or adversity. How did you overcome it?
  • Write about a time when you experienced a profound sense of happiness. What triggered that happiness?
  • Explore a moment when you discovered something new about yourself.
  • Describe a situation when you felt especially vulnerable. How did that event help you grow?
  • Recall a moment when you showed courage. What was the situation and how did it affect you?
  • Write about a time when you felt truly loved and cherished.
  • Describe your first-day experience at your first job.
  • Write about a significant trip or journey that had deep impact on you.
  • Recall a funny or embarrassing moment that still makes you laugh or cringe.
  • Chronicle a moment when you conquered one of your fears.
  • Highlight a significant personal loss and how it impacted you.
  • Describe a time when you made a difficult choice and how it affected your life.
  • Explore a time when you took a risk and how it paid off.
  • Write about an influential person in your life and a memorable moment with them.
  • Describe the moment or time period when you felt most content in life.
  • Write about a moment when you truly felt one with nature.
  • Reflect on a time when you experienced a major accomplishment. How did it make you feel?

Understanding Relationships

Exploring the concept of Understanding Relationships in a creative writing journal can deepen self-awareness, enhance communication skills, and foster empathy. Below are 20 prompts to stimulate reflection and understanding about relationships in your writing practice:

  • Jot down the three most important relationships in your life and why they hold such significance.
  • Reflect on a relationship that has challenged you and what you learned from it.
  • Write a letter to someone you've lost contact with and wish to reconnect.
  • Describe a relationship you admire. What makes it successful?
  • Envision a conversation with someone you've had a misunderstanding with. What would you say?
  • Think about a relationship that ended. What would you have done differently?
  • Write about a moment of significant growth in one of your relationships.
  • Discuss how trust plays a role in your relationships.
  • Write a dialogue between you and a fictional character. What kind of relationship would you have?
  • Describe a time when a relationship expectedly changed for better or worse.
  • Discuss the concept of 'sacrifice' in a relationship.
  • Write about a relationship you'd like to improve, sketching out a plan on how to do so.
  • Narrate a scenario where you successfully resolved a conflict in a relationship.
  • Reflect upon the role of vulnerability in your relationships.
  • Describe a time when you felt misunderstood in a relationship and how it was resolved.
  • Write about the role of forgiveness in your relationships.
  • Visualize a perfect relationship. What does it look like and why?
  • Spin a tale about a random encounter that evolves into a deep friendship.
  • Write an entry addressing the expectations vs. reality in relationships.
  • Reflect on a time when you had to set boundaries in a relationship.

Building Character Arcs

Building Character Arcs through journal prompts encourages shaping multi-dimensional, believable characters that change and evolve over time in your stories. Here are 20 writing prompts to help develop dynamic character arcs:

  • Describe your main character’s biggest fear and why they have it.
  • Write a scene where your protagonist's deepest fear comes true.
  • Envision a situation that challenges your character’s beliefs or values.
  • Write about a traumatic event in your character’s past and how it affects them today.
  • Describe an encounter that forces your character to confront their prejudice or biased views.
  • Detail a turning point in your character's life where they made a significant decision.
  • Imagine a powerful moment that changes your character's worldview.
  • Show how your character reacts under extreme stress or pressure.
  • Write a letter from your character apologizing for their biggest regret.
  • Describe a moment when your character takes a stand for something they believe in.
  • Picture the moment your character realizes their life needs to change.
  • Write about an incident causing your character to question their identity.
  • Detail a scene where your character forgives someone who deeply wronged them.
  • Imagine your character's reaction to a sudden and drastic shift in their life.
  • Write about a personal victory for your character after a long struggle.
  • Describe how your character deals with failure and disappointment.
  • Write a scene from your character's lowest point and what they learned.
  • Document your character's most cherished memory and how it shapes their values.
  • Write about a pivotal moment of self-discovery for your character.
  • Imagine a scene portraying a radical change in your character for better or worse.

Descriptive Language Exercises

Descriptive language exercises nourish your capacity to articulate meaning with precision and vibrance. Here are 20 creative writing prompts specifically designed to strengthen your descriptive writing skills:

  • Recreate the atmosphere of your favorite coffee shop using only sensory descriptions.
  • Write about the hands of someone you know well – what stories do they tell?
  • Imagine your mind as a physical space. Describe its landscape.
  • Pick a color. Now describe it without actually naming it.
  • Recall a memory from childhood. Describe it in detail to make your readers feel like they were there with you.
  • Choose a season and describe it using only the sense of smell.
  • Write about an emotion, but don't name it. Use only physical sensations and actions for descriptions.
  • Revisit a momentous event in your life and discuss it from a third-person perspective.
  • Write a detailed description of a loved one's face, focusing on unique features.
  • Imagine walking down a foreign city street at night. Describe what you might see, hear, smell, and feel.
  • Choose an unpleasant smell and describe it in a way that makes it appealing.
  • Describe your favorite food in such a way that the reader can taste it as they read.
  • Take a simple object like a pen or a chair and describe it as if it's the first time you've seen it.
  • Describe a sunrise to someone who's never seen before.
  • Write about a stormy day from the perspective of a bird.
  • Evoke the feeling of peace using only descriptions of nature.
  • Describe the taste of rain to an alien who's never experienced it.
  • Narrate a journey by focusing on the sights, sounds, and smells encountered along the way.
  • Describe the busiest place you know at the quietest time of day.
  • Define love in descriptive terms, without using the word itself or other emotional terms.

Mindfulness In Daily Activities

Incorporating mindfulness in daily activities can open up a new dimension of self-awareness and present-moment appreciation, making journaling an even more rewarding experience. Here are 20 creative writing prompts designed to stimulate mindfulness in daily activities:

  • Write about a regular daily task, describing each detail and sensation, as if it's the first time you're doing it.
  • Describe a conversation you had today, focusing solely on the other person's expressions and reactions.
  • Draw your breath. Use words or doodles to describe the experience of a single breath cycle.
  • Document your morning routine in detail. Focus on how each action makes you feel.
  • Freewrite for five minutes on the sounds you can hear right now.
  • Describe a recent moment in which you found beauty in something simple or mundane.
  • Write a thank-you letter to a body part that helps you in your everyday life.
  • Reflect on a meal you had today. Describe all five tastes as if you were savouring them for the first time.
  • Record the emotions that arose during a normal conversation today.
  • Write about a routine task as if it were an exciting adventure.
  • Document a moment of stillness in your day today. What did you notice in that moment?
  • Sketch the path of an everyday object in your home, pile of books or a cup, through all its movements.
  • Recall a moment when you became aware of tension in your body. Write about the feeling and how you alleviated it.
  • Describe the sensation of an everyday object in your hand, without revealing what the object is.
  • Spend a minute observing your surroundings. List five things you noticed that you usually overlook.
  • Write about a moment when a familiar smell transported you to an unexpected memory.
  • Record your thoughts as you walk or drive to your usual destination.
  • Journal about any moments of synchronicity you experienced today.
  • Recount a moment you spent outside today, detailing the sensations and sceneries that come to mind.
  • Write about a moment today where you laughed or smiled, describing the sensations and emotions involved.

Practice Of Positivity

Engaging in the practice of positivity through journaling can greatly enhance an individual's mood and perspective by enabling them to actively seek and center on the positive aspects of life. Here are 20 prompts to help you channel the power of positivity in your everyday journaling routine:

  • Jot down three things that made you smile today.
  • Write about a positive memory that always lightens your mood.
  • Detail a recent compliment someone gave you and how it made you feel.
  • Summarize your best qualities.
  • List five things you're passionate about.
  • Look to the future – describe a positive goal you'd like to achieve within the year.
  • Reflect on a recent success, no matter how small, and what it means to you.
  • Write a letter to your future self, filled with positivity and encouragement.
  • Think about your favorite space or place – what makes it so wonderful?
  • Recall the nicest thing you've ever done for someone else.
  • Describe something beautiful you saw today.
  • Note down three positive things about your personality.
  • Imagine your dream job, then write about why it appeals to you.
  • Detail a negativity-banishing routine, capturing all the steps to stay positive.
  • Write a thank you letter to someone who's positively influenced your life.
  • Describe a positive change you've made lately.
  • Think of a difficult situation you overcame and detail how it has strengthened you.
  • Share a favorite motivational quote and why it inspires you.
  • Acknowledge three things about your body that you appreciate.
  • Reflect on the happiest day of your life and describe it in detail.

Writing About Passions

Exploring your passions through writing allows for a deeper understanding of your motivations, interests and aspirations, often leading to self-discovery and personal growth. Here are 20 prompts to guide your exploration of writing about passions:

  • Write about the moment you discovered your passion. How did it feel?
  • Describe a time when you pursued your passion despite facing significant obstacles.
  • How has your passion evolved or changed over time?
  • Visualize your life without your passion. How would it be different?
  • Write a letter to your future self about your current passion. What do you hope for?
  • Imagine having a conversation with someone who shares your passion. What would you discuss?
  • Think about the biggest accomplishment you've achieved through your passion. Describe the journey.
  • Write about a time when your passion provided solace during a difficult situation.
  • Reflect on the positive impacts your passion has on your life.
  • How does your passion influence your relationships with others?
  • Consider the sacrifices you've made for your passion. Are they worth it?
  • If you could teach others about your passion, what would be your first lesson?
  • Write about someone who inspires you within your passionate field.
  • How would you nurture your passion if there were no limitations on time or resources?
  • Think about the emotions you experience while engaging in your passion.
  • Write about any doubts or fears you've had about pursuing your passion and how you overcame them.
  • If you could share one thing about your passion with the world, what would it be?
  • How did your passion help you discover other interests or skills?
  • Reflect on any negative impact that your passion might have had on your life. How did you handle it?
  • Write about your dreams and goals related to your passion. How will you reach them?

Creating Dialogue

Creating Dialogue in journaling can deepen characters, enhance storytelling, and make your writing more dynamic and intriguing. Here are 20 prompts to guide you in creating and improving dialogue in your journal entries:

  • Write a conversation between two characters with opposing views. How do they express their differences?
  • Imagine you're overhearing a conversation in a coffee shop. What are they discussing?
  • Recreate a memorable conversation you had recently. How accurately can you capture the words and sentiments?
  • Describe a dialogue where a character has to break bad news to another.
  • Create a conversation between two characters that share a secret. How is the secret revealed through their dialogue?
  • Write a dialogue where a character expresses their deepest fear.
  • Imagine a conversation between you and your future self. What do you talk about?
  • Sketch out a fiery argument between two passionate characters.
  • Create a dialogue where one character intentionally hides information from the other.
  • Imagine a dialogue where both characters are not saying what they truly mean. How does their true emotions slip out?
  • Write a revealing conversation between a character and a stranger they just met.
  • Write a dialogue that showcases a character's unique voice or distinctive speech.
  • Create a conversation that resolves itself with a surprising twist.
  • Write a dialogue where a character tries to convince another character of something they don't believe in.
  • Sketch out a conversation that begins with a misunderstanding.
  • Pen a dialogue where a character expresses love without saying "I love you."
  • Write a conversation where one character finds out a shocking truth about another character.
  • Create a dialogue in which a character lies. How do they try to convince the other character?
  • Write a conversation where each line of dialogue is a question.
  • Imagine a dialogue between a character and their conscience. What do they discuss?

Exploring Unknown Places

Engaging in the mental adventure of Exploring Unknown Places can stimulate the imagination and foster unique insights, providing valuable fuel for journal writing. Here are 20 creative writing prompts geared towards this theme:

  • Imagine you were the first person to step foot on Mars. Describe the landscape around you.
  • You've discovered an underwater city. What do its buildings and inhabitants look like?
  • Write about an encounter in a dense, mysterious forest that changes your perspective on life.
  • Create a dialogue between you and a creature you met in a fictional world.
  • Write a letter home detailing your experiences in a foreign land.
  • You found a door in your house that you've never noticed before. What's on the other side?
  • Describe your first day living among an alien civilization.
  • Craft a poem about the connection between humanity and an unexplored galaxy.
  • Write about uncovering ancient ruins. What secrets do they hold?
  • Chronicle a day in a city built in the clouds.
  • Narrate a thrilling adventure through a secret tunnel in your town.
  • You've been given the ability to breathe underwater. What do you discover in the ocean?
  • Detail a peaceful moment in a magical, hidden valley never seen before.
  • Imagine yourself in a world where dreams are physical locations. Explore your most recurring dream.
  • Write a letter to your past self about the wild and wonderful place you now live in.
  • Describe an encounter with a lost tribe that has strange customs.
  • Write about the experience of journeying into the center of the Earth.
  • You've stumbled into a forgotten kingdom beneath the Arctic ice. Describe your first impressions.
  • Recount an unexpected meeting within a grand castle hidden in the mountains.
  • Write a story featuring a map to an unknown land with a precious treasure.

Narrative Writing

Narrative writing can delve into personal experiences to create meaningful and engaging stories that can be both therapeutic and enlightening. Here are 20 prompts to help you explore the vast realms of narrative writing:

  • Document the most defining moment of your life so far and how it changed your perspective.
  • Recount a favorite childhood memory and why it holds significance.
  • Write down a vivid dream you had and its possible meanings.
  • Describe a conversation that greatly impacted your life and what you learned.
  • Share a time when you faced a fear and overcame it.
  • Discuss a challenging circumstance you faced and how you navigated it.
  • Reflect on an experience where you took a huge risk and its outcome.
  • Write about a moment when you felt utter happiness. What sparked that emotion?
  • Describe an event where you had to make a difficult decision. What was the result?
  • Share a unique travel experience and what you learned from it.
  • Recount an experience where you did something out of character. Why did you do it?
  • Write about a time when you experienced a strong feeling of deja vu.
  • Describe a moment when you witnessed something extraordinary or supernatural.
  • Share a life lesson that you learned through a particularly difficult time.
  • Write about an intense emotional experience, such as anger, joy, or shock.
  • Document a time when you had to rely on your intuition or gut feeling.
  • Write a letter to your future self discussing your current predicaments.
  • Recount an instance where you had to stand up for what you believed in.
  • Write about a chance encounter that left a deep impact on you.
  • Describe a personal victory and the obstacles you had to overcome.

Breaking Boundaries With Creativity

Breaking boundaries with creativity signifies an adventurous plunge into unexplored territories of your own imagination, a thrilling journey that defies traditional ideas and cultivates original thoughts. Here are 20 writing prompts designed to encourage daring exploration and creative freedom in your journaling:

  • Write a dialogue between your present self and your future self.
  • Rewrite a memory from the perspective of an inanimate object present at that time.
  • Pen down an alternative ending to your favorite book or film.
  • Write about a circumstance where a major setback turned into an unexpected opportunity.
  • Record your wildest dream and add a new character who changes the course of events.
  • Write a poem about the feeling of breaking boundaries.
  • Conceive a world where your biggest fear doesn't exist. Describe a day in that world.
  • Write a letter to your past self, offering advice from your present knowledge.
  • Write about an exciting journey on a mode of transportation that doesn't yet exist.
  • Imagine if you'd taken a entirely different path in life. Write about where you would be now.
  • Compose a short story in a genre you've never attempted before.
  • Describe a day in the life of a character with an entirely different life than yours.
  • Write a dialogue between two people who can communicate only through music.
  • Interpret your favorite piece of abstract art in words.
  • Imagine living in a different era. Create your own diary entry from that time.
  • Write about a conversation amongst the books in your library.
  • Create a letter from you to a world leader discussing an innovative solution to a global problem.
  • Pen down a story based on the photos in your phone gallery.
  • Write your own prophecy for the future of humanity.
  • Weave a riveting tale around a minor event that happened to you today.

Mind-mapping Ideas

Exploring mind-mapping as a technique can unlock fresh perspectives and novel associations in your creative writing journal. Here are 20 mind-mapping ideas tailored to the journaling experience:

  • Start with a central heading of 'Achievements.' Branch out with smaller bubbles listing your significant accomplishments.
  • Create a mind map around the word 'Fear.' Draw lines connecting to individual fears and the possible origins of those fears.
  • Mind map your favorite book, including spoiling plot points, character traits, and thematic elements.
  • Map out the most significant moments of your life, linking them with lines showing cause and effect or common themes.
  • Start with 'Dreams' in the center. List all the dreams, aspirations and goals you want to achieve.
  • Map out the pros and cons of a difficult decision you are currently facing.
  • Turn a simple grocery shopping trip into a map, linking items to recipes or meals.
  • Create a character profile for an imaginary person, with branches for personality traits, background, and relationships.
  • Draft a map about 'Happiness,' detailing what joy means to you, what brings you happiness, and how you could spread it to others.
  • Map out your five-year plan, arriving at personal and professional milestones you hope to reach.
  • Center a map around 'Places I want to Visit.' Branch out to continents, countries, cities, and attractions.
  • Map 'Lessons Learned' linking them to experiences or people who taught you the lesson.
  • Start with 'Personal Skills.' Brainstorm your strengths and areas of improvement, and ways to develop each skill further.
  • Mind map a typical day from wake-up to bedtime, linking activities to how they make you feel.
  • Create a map with 'Family' in the center, with branches representing every member and their relation to you.
  • Map 'Future Predictions,' imagining where you, your family, or the world might be in 10, 20, or 50 years.
  • Build a map centered around your career or business, including goals, strategies, competitors, or potential growth areas.
  • Design a map about 'Books I want to read,' connecting each book to an expected learning or emotional impact.
  • Map your favorite movie, listing the characters, memorable quotes, scenes and explaining why you love it.
  • Create a map dedicated to 'Self-care,' outlining activities that rejuvenate you physically, emotionally, and mentally.

Building Suspense In Stories

Building suspense in stories can significantly enhance reader engagement by instilling curiosity, anticipation, and tension that keeps them turning pages. Here are 20 creative journal prompts that can help sharpen your skills in creating suspense:

  • Describe a character witnessing something unspeakable without revealing what it is.
  • Write a scene where someone receives a secret message that is coded or cryptic.
  • Outline a situation where a character in your story must beat the clock to prevent a disaster.
  • Develop a story where the protagonist hears strange noises in an unknown location.
  • Write a scene where a character is being followed, but doesn't know by whom or why.
  • Outline a situation where a character must hide something or someone while under intense scrutiny.
  • Imagine your character found a secret door in their home. What lies behind it?
  • Write a scenario where a character finds a diary that predicts future events.
  • Develop a scene where a character is trapped and must find a way to escape.
  • Write about a character who begins to suspect that someone they trust is lying to them.
  • Outline a situation where the protagonist receives an ominous warning or threat.
  • Write a scenario where a beloved character unexpectedly goes missing.
  • Imagine your character is about to make a discovery. Build up the moment before the revelation.
  • Write about a mysterious character who knows more than they should.
  • Describe a character’s mounting paranoia as small things start going wrong around them.
  • Outline a scenario where your protagonist must venture into a dangerous territory or forbidden place.
  • Create a tense sequence where a character is in disguise or undercover.
  • Develop a scene where a character is forced to confront their deepest fear.
  • Write a situation where the reader knows danger is coming, but the protagonist does not.
  • Finally, outline a story where something crucial has been stolen from your protagonist and they must retrieve it.

Exploring Identity.

Exploring identity through journaling allows you to delve into your personal beliefs, characteristics, and experiences, fostering greater self-awareness and understanding. To help you navigate this self-discovery, consider these 20 writing prompts:

  • Write about a personal trait that defines your identity. How does this inform your everyday life?
  • List three events that significantly shaped your identity. Discuss how they impacted you.
  • Describe a time when your identity felt challenged. How did you react and what did you learn?
  • Journal about your cultural identity and the influence it has on you.
  • Reflect on how your identity has changed throughout your life. What prompted these changes?
  • Write a letter to your future self, discussing your current identity and predictions for future transformations.
  • Identify an aspect of your identity that you like and why.
  • Reflect on an aspect of your identity you wish to improve and why.
  • How would you describe your identity to someone who has never met you?
  • Document the various roles you play (e.g. parent, friend, professional) and how they shape your identity.
  • Discuss your personal heroes or role models and why you identify with them.
  • Write about your own definition of identity and what it means to you.
  • Document how your environment (location, culture, family) has shaped your identity.
  • Write about a time you felt misunderstood about your identity. How did you handle that situation?
  • Discuss how your gender identity influences your actions and thoughts.
  • Write about your professional identity and how it aligns with your personal values.
  • Reflect on your past identity as a child or teenager. How have you evolved since then?
  • Write a piece about the interaction between your identity and your passion or hobbies.
  • Explore the relationship between your identity and your aspirations.
  • Delve into how your identity influences your relationships with others. How does it affect the way you communicate and connect?

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Creative Writing Prompts

Anne Frank Writing Prompts: Reflect on Her Diary’s Impact

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My name is Debbie, and I am passionate about developing a love for the written word and planting a seed that will grow into a powerful voice that can inspire many.

Anne Frank Writing Prompts: Reflect on Her Diary’s Impact

Anne Frank’s Diary: ‌A Timeless Tale of Resilience ⁤and Hope

Exploring the profound impact of ​anne frank’s diary on society, unveiling the power of words: how⁢ anne frank’s diary transcends generations, a journey of⁢ reflection: connecting personal experiences to anne frank’s ‌diary, empathy and compassion in action: lessons⁤ learned from anne‌ frank’s words, empathy and compassion in action, keeping anne frank’s⁣ legacy alive: ⁣inspiring future generations through writing‌ prompts, harnessing the power of anne ‍frank’s diary: promoting tolerance and understanding, frequently‍ asked questions, the way forward.

Anne Frank’s Diary remains a powerful testament to the enduring human spirit, demonstrating⁤ resilience and hope ‍in the face of unimaginable adversity. Through her heartfelt words, ‍Anne takes us on an extraordinary journey of ⁢courage and determination,‌ evoking a range of emotions that touch the depths of our souls.

In her diary, Anne bravely chronicles the two years she spent hiding from the Nazis during World War II, scattering drops of hope amidst the darkest of times. Through her captivating storytelling, she vividly captures the daily challenges, fears, and ​aspirations of herself and those around her. The diary allows us to experience firsthand the harsh ‍realities of life in hiding, the constant threat⁤ of discovery, and the struggles ​of adolescence overshadowed by war.

  • Unflinching honesty: Anne’s diary serves as a remarkable example of candidness and ​authenticity, offering readers a raw and‌ unfiltered glimpse into her innermost thoughts and emotions.
  • Relatable experiences: Despite the unique circumstances, ​Anne’s​ diary resonates with⁤ readers of all ages, revealing the universal nature of human emotions and aspirations.
  • Timeless relevance: Anne’s story​ remains as relevant today‍ as it was during the time it was⁤ written, reminding us⁤ of the indomitable spirit of humanity in the face of adversity.

Through Anne’s unwavering optimism and unwritten dreams, her⁢ diary serves as a guiding light, inspiring generations to embrace resilience and ‍cultivate⁤ hope, even in the darkest of times. A testament to the power of the written word, Anne Frank’s Diary stands as an everlasting beacon ‍of hope, reminding us ⁤of the strength that lies within‍ us all, when we choose to embrace it.

Exploring the Profound Impact of Anne Frank's Diary on​ Society

The legacy of Anne Frank’s diary extends far beyond its role as a personal account of a young girl’s‍ experiences during the Holocaust. It has become a powerful symbol of hope, resilience, and the enduring‍ strength of the ⁢human ⁢spirit. The profound impact of Anne Frank’s ‍diary on society⁢ cannot‍ be overstated, as it continues to shape our understanding of history, educate future generations, and ​inspire ⁣individuals to stand up against injustice.

1. Education and Historical Insight:

  • Anne Frank’s diary provides invaluable insight into ⁢the daily lives of‍ Jews in hiding during World⁤ War II, offering a firsthand account of the fear,⁢ despair, and courage they experienced.
  • It serves as a crucial educational resource, allowing students and readers⁢ from around the world to ‌learn about the atrocities⁤ of the Holocaust and gain a deeper understanding of the impact of discrimination and persecution.
  • The diary serves as a historical​ artifact, providing evidence of the horrors​ of Nazi occupation and the resilience of those affected by it.

2. Promotion of Empathy and Tolerance:

  • By sharing her thoughts and emotions, Anne⁣ Frank ⁤humanizes the millions of victims of the Holocaust, making it easier for readers to empathize with their experiences and comprehend the immense tragedy.
  • Her story encourages society ⁣to reflect on​ the consequences of prejudice, discrimination, and hate, urging individuals to promote empathy and tolerance in their​ own lives.
  • The diary inspires hope by reminding us that even in the darkest times, the power of the human spirit can endure and triumph over ‌adversity.

Through its ability to educate, inspire empathy, and promote tolerance, Anne Frank’s diary continues to have a profound impact on society, ensuring that the lessons learned from the ⁣past are not ‍forgotten and providing a beacon of hope for a‍ brighter future.

Unveiling the Power⁢ of‌ Words: How ​Anne Frank's Diary Transcends Generations

Anne ​Frank’s diary is a testament to the enduring power of ⁣words, capturing the raw emotions and harrowing experiences of a young Jewish girl⁢ hiding from Nazi persecution ​during World‌ War II. ⁤Despite being written over 75 years ago, the profound impact of Anne’s diary ‌continues to resonate with readers across generations, serving as a stark reminder of the atrocities of the past‍ and the resilience of the human spirit.

In an unpredictable world plagued by social and political⁤ challenges, Anne Frank’s immortal words offer solace, inspiration, and crucial life lessons. Here are some reasons why her diary⁤ remains ​as relevant today as it was during⁤ its first publication:

  • A Voice Amidst Darkness: Anne’s diary provides an invaluable firsthand account of the horrors and complexities of war, ensuring that the atrocities committed during World War⁤ II are never forgotten. Her‍ vivid ‌descriptions and candid thoughts draw ⁢readers into ‍her confined world, shedding light⁤ on the‍ daily struggles, dreams, and fears of millions of individuals who experienced similar hardships.
  • Universal Themes of ‌Humanity: Anne’s writings go beyond her unique circumstances, addressing timeless themes ⁢such as hope, love, prejudice, and the search for‍ identity. The diary’s ability to transcend time ⁤and connect with readers on a deeply emotional level is a testament ⁣to the universal struggles and aspirations that ‌every individual, regardless of their background, can relate to.
  • The Power of Resilience: Anne’s unwavering spirit in the face of adversity serves as⁤ an inspiration, encouraging readers to find courage and‍ hope⁤ even in the darkest of times. Her unwritten future, cut short by the Holocaust, makes her words all the more powerful, urging us to appreciate the preciousness of life, fight against injustice, and cherish⁢ the freedoms we often take for granted.

In embarking on a journey of reflection, we uncover the power of connecting‌ our ‌own personal experiences to the profound words found within the pages of Anne Frank’s Diary. Spanning the depths of human emotion, Anne’s diary serves as a timeless reminder of ⁤the resilience and strength of‌ the human spirit, even in ‌the face of⁢ unimaginable⁣ adversity. As we delve into the intimate details of her life, we are confronted with the universal themes of ⁢hope, fear, love, and the quest for​ freedom.

By ‍immersing ourselves in​ the thoughts, dreams, and fears​ of a young girl living through one of humanity’s darkest periods, we gain a greater understanding of our own journeys and the complexity of the human experience. ‌The parallels between Anne’s struggles and our own become apparent, reminding us that despite the passage of time, the human⁣ experience still connects us in profound ways. Through this connection, we​ find solace, inspiration, and a renewed perspective on ‍our own ​lives. Anne’s words become a source of guidance and wisdom, urging us to embrace our individuality, stand up against⁣ injustice, and cherish the life and freedom we have been granted.

When it comes to understanding and​ embodying empathy ⁤and compassion, there is‌ perhaps no better teacher than Anne⁤ Frank. Her incredible ⁢words, written while hiding from the ‌horrors of the Holocaust, continue to inspire⁣ and teach us valuable lessons about the power of empathy in‌ action.

1. Understanding ⁤the pain ​of‍ others: Anne Frank’s diary‌ allows us ⁤to​ step into her shoes and experience ⁣the fear, sadness, and‍ longing ‍for freedom that‍ she and many others endured during that time. It reminds us to be sensitive to the struggles of others ⁣and to never underestimate the battles they may⁢ be fighting.

2. Sharing kind words: Despite the unimaginable circumstances, Anne Frank ⁤believed in the‌ power of uplifting others through her words. She wrote, “I⁢ can shake off everything if I write; my sorrows disappear, my‍ courage is ⁤reborn.” Her diary encourages us to use our own words to⁣ uplift and support others, even in the face of adversity.

One of the most powerful ways to keep⁤ Anne Frank’s legacy alive is by inspiring future generations through writing prompts. By encouraging young minds to reflect on⁣ Anne’s experiences, we can foster empathy, critical⁢ thinking, and a deeper understanding‍ of‍ the⁤ Holocaust. Through writing, we can ​ensure that ⁣Anne’s story remains a powerful tool for education and commemoration.

Writing prompts are a versatile tool that can be used in classrooms, writing workshops, or even individually. ⁣They provide a structured starting point for individuals to explore Anne’s​ life, her confinement in the secret ​annex,​ and the lessons we can learn from ‍her story. Whether it’s imagining what a day in Anne’s shoes would be like or reflecting on the importance of tolerance ‌and acceptance in today’s world, writing prompts offer a creative outlet for ⁣young people to engage with ⁤Anne’s diary and the larger historical ​context surrounding it.

  • Writing prompts encourage critical thinking about Anne ⁣Frank’s life and the Holocaust.
  • They‍ provide a safe space for students to express their thoughts and emotions.
  • Through writing, students can develop their empathy and understanding of historical events.

In conclusion, writing prompts play a vital role in keeping Anne Frank’s legacy alive by inspiring future generations to connect ‌with her story on​ a personal level. By using this creative ⁢tool, we can ensure that Anne’s voice continues ⁣to resonate, educating and fostering empathy in young⁢ minds around the world.

Anne‍ Frank’s Diary of a Young Girl is a powerful testament ‍to the strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity. Beyond its historical significance, the diary serves as a catalyst for promoting tolerance‍ and understanding among individuals and communities worldwide.⁤ Through her intimate reflections, Anne encourages empathy, challenges prejudice, and highlights the importance of ​embracing diversity.

Uncovering Personal Experiences:

Anne Frank’s diary allows readers to immerse themselves in her daily life, providing a first-hand account of the struggles and ⁤fears faced by ‌Jews during the Holocaust. Her words offer⁣ a ‌unique perspective on the human condition, urging us ⁣to empathize with those facing discrimination and persecution across different times and cultures.

Challenging Prejudice:

Anne’s diary helps to combat​ prejudice and stereotypes⁢ by breaking down walls of misunderstanding. By sharing her ⁣dreams, hopes, and ambitions, she reminds us ⁢of the common humanity we all possess. Her story compels ‌us to question our own biases and encourages a more inclusive ​outlook on the world.

Q: What are ⁢some Anne Frank writing prompts? A: There⁢ are several writing​ prompts inspired by Anne Frank’s diary that can help you reflect on her impact. Here are a few examples to get you started:

1. How has⁤ Anne Frank’s diary influenced your ⁤understanding ⁤of World War⁤ II and the Holocaust? 2. Describe ⁣a moment in Anne’s diary that resonated⁤ with you the most and explain why it was impactful. 3. If you had the⁢ opportunity to have a conversation with ⁤Anne Frank, what would you ask her and why? 4. Anne Frank’s diary often reflects themes of hope and ⁤resilience. Share a personal ⁣experience where these themes played a significant role​ in your life. 5.​ How does Anne Frank’s story inspire​ you to‌ be more compassionate and understanding towards others? 6. Compare and contrast Anne Frank’s experiences in hiding with other survivors⁢ of the Holocaust. What ⁢lessons can we learn‌ from their stories? 7. Reimagine a part of ⁢Anne Frank’s diary set in a modern-day context. What challenges would she face,​ and how would she cope with them?

Q: Why is it ‍important to reflect on Anne Frank’s diary? A: Reflecting on Anne Frank’s diary is vital as it allows us to connect with history on a personal and emotional level. Anne’s words provide first-hand accounts of the horrors faced during ⁢the Holocaust, offering a‍ human perspective that textbooks and documentaries cannot fully capture. By reflecting on her diary, we gain a greater understanding of the atrocities committed during World War II, the resilience of the human spirit, and the importance of standing up against injustice. Moreover, Anne Frank’s ⁣story serves as a reminder of the consequences‍ of ​hatred,⁢ discrimination, and intolerance, urging us to strive for a more compassionate and inclusive world.

Q: How can⁣ Anne Frank’s ‌diary inspire creative writing? A: Anne Frank’s⁤ diary is ‍an excellent source of inspiration for creative writing. Her introspective and poignant accounts of life in hiding provide a rich backdrop for exploring various themes and emotions. By allowing ourselves to be‌ immersed in Anne’s world,⁢ we can imagine new scenarios, develop fictional characters, and even rewrite history. Her ⁢story sparks our creativity, allowing us to empathize with the characters and situations she described. ⁢Whether it be penning a letter to​ Anne Frank, ​writing a parallel story set⁣ in a different time, or exploring‌ themes of hope and resilience through our own characters, her diary serves as a catalyst for our imagination.

Q: Can Anne Frank’s diary be relevant in today’s world? A: Absolutely! Despite being written‌ over 75 years ago,⁢ Anne⁣ Frank’s diary remains profoundly relevant​ in today’s world. Her words speak to universal ⁢themes of hope, resilience, and the importance of standing up against bigotry. Anne’s plight as a Jewish girl in hiding continues to ⁢resonate with individuals facing persecution⁤ and ⁤discrimination today. The lessons learned from her diary are a stark reminder of the consequences of hatred ‍and intolerance and serve as a call to action for creating a more inclusive‍ society. Moreover, Anne’s⁢ story highlights ​the power of the written word ⁢and the enduring impact that our voices ​can have, even in the face of adversity.

As we reflect on the impact of Anne Frank’s diary, we⁣ are reminded of the power of words and the importance of empathy and compassion in today’s world.

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70 Awesome Journal Ideas for Teens

These journal ideas for teens make for awesome prompts whenever they want to express themselves through writing.

For teens who love the written word, writing in a journal is a fun thing to do. By keeping a journal , they can enhance their writing skills and have the perfect chance to reflect on their personal experiences, thoughts, and emotions.

However, every writer knows how difficult it is to start. A blank page can look daunting, even to those who have been writing for years. 

These journal prompts for teens will help them overcome such a challenge. After all, these are designed to get those creative juices flowing and the young at heart to start writing.

How Do Teens Benefit From Writing?

There’s more to writing than just simply doing it for a school requirement. Outside of the academic setting, young teens can gain a lot from this activity. 

Here are some benefits of journaling for teens: 

Allows Teens to Self-Reflect

There are many forms of self-care, and journaling may be one of the best. Teens may use their journaling time to write about an emotional experience, whether happy or sad, which can help them process it better. 

They can also practice self reflection and self-exploration through this, which enhances emotional intelligence. It can help them better understand their behavior, feelings, and emotions when they write in a journal regularly. 

Journaling is also a good opportunity for teens to widen their perspective and experience growth and development as individuals.

Can Boost Creativity

There are many types of writing that teens can do in their journals.

Creative writing can be one of them. This is the art of using the written word to tell an interesting tale or story designed to elicit a reader’s thoughts and emotions. 

With creative writing, there’s no limit to a teen’s imagination. They can write anything, be it poetry, a story, an essay, or a memoir. They can even come up with fictional characters of their own. 

Cultivating creativity in teens can be possible through journal writing. 

Healthy Venting

Teenagers may face a lot of negative emotions as they grow up. Unfortunately, the changes they experience may make them feel confused, alone and scared.

Journaling is a great tool to help teens release bad energy in an otherwise healthy environment. Their journal can act as a safe space for them — that’s why it’s so important that they can use it anytime when they need to let off some steam and clear their mind of negativity. 

Apart from always communicating with a teenage son or daughter , a journal is without judgment, too, so teens can feel comfortable writing whatever they feel in their journal entries. 

What Is the Best Journal Topic for Teens?

The best journal topic is one that encourages someone to write — there are no wrong topics when it comes to journaling. It can be about literally anything. 

They can write about relationships and experiences or dreams and aspirations in life. Topics can explore painful and difficult experiences, too. 

Teens can choose simple ideas and topics they’re most comfortable with and start their writing journey. It should mean something to them, enough to inspire and motivate them to put their thoughts and feelings onto paper.

These writing ideas can help ignite the fire if they’re having difficulty selecting one. And if they’re keen on improving their writing in the process, these prompts can also serve as daily writing exercises.

List of Creative Journal Prompts for Teens

These journal ideas for teens are designed to encourage your teens to express themselves and their ideas through writing. From mindful prompts that encourage reflection to more creative writing topics that challenge their imagination, teens will have many options to try.

Mindful Journal Prompts for Teens

These journaling prompts can make your teens think deeply about themselves, like their experiences, thoughts and feelings. 

  • What makes being a teenager difficult for you?
  • Have you said anything mean to anyone this week that you regret? 
  • If you could travel back in time to witness a specific moment in history, what year would you pick and why?
  • What would you do differently in your life so far now that you are older?
  • Reflect on a mistake you made and what you learned from it.
  • What does success mean to you?
  • What’s something that you did this month that made you proud of yourself?
  • What is something you have now that you think you can live without?
  • What brings you the most joy?
  • Do you consider yourself to be a good friend to others? How?
  • What is the biggest, most difficult task or responsibility that your parents have given you?  
  • What do you like most about yourself?
  • What skills do you want to develop or learn before you graduate high school?
  • Describe your biggest fear in life. How would you overcome it? 
  • Do you highly admire someone? Who is it and what do you admire most about this person?
  • Who in your life do you trust the most? What makes them trustworthy?
  • What type of gifts do you like receiving the most? 
  • When was the last time your parents or siblings embarrassed you? Why was the experience embarrassing for you?
  • If you could spend a day with any of your relatives, who would you choose? 
  • If you can ask a loved one a specific question, who will you ask, what is the question and why did you choose that question?

General Prompts for Daily Journal Writing 

These journal ideas for teens can help develop a daily journaling habit. Even reluctant writers may find a topic or two from this list to write about.

  • Who do you think is the best artist of your generation?
  • Do you have a best friend? What quality of theirs do you like the most?
  • Do you think your zodiac sign perfectly describes you as a person?
  • What activity do you like to do the most when you’re hanging out with friends?
  • What is the most fascinating thing about life to you?
  • Describe a childhood memory that you can still recall so vividly. 
  • Do you believe in aliens or ghosts?
  • Where do you want to go for a vacation ? Why?
  • What’s a foreign food that you would love to try yourself? 
  • What do you consider the worst holiday ever? 
  • Are you more of a cat or a dog person?
  • Describe how a perfect date would go for you. 
  • What’s your favorite video game to play? What makes playing it fun for you?
  • What new thing did you learn today?
  • Make a bucket list of 10-20 things you want to do in your lifetime. 
  • What’s something you wish more people knew?
  • If you could live in the fictional world of any book or series, which one would you choose and why?
  • You need to uninstall a social media app for life. What would you choose and why?
  • Make a list of things that can help calm you down when you’re upset. 
  • When you grow up, would you go for a career that you love, but pays little or a job that you hate, but pays a lot?

Creative Writing Prompts for Teens

These writing prompts for teens allow them to exercise creative thinking by putting them in various imaginary situations. 

  • What’s the first thing you would tell a character that has come to life?
  • You’ve found a genie who will grant you three wishes. What will you wish for?
  • You’ve suddenly developed superpowers. How would you use them for world peace?
  • Which fictional world do you want to live in and why?
  • You’ve just won $10,000. Make a list telling how you will use it. 
  • You have now been elected as the President of the United States of America. What law would you enact first? 
  • It’s the zombie apocalypse. How would you make sure you and your family survive? 
  • Describe your perfect day.
  • If your life was made into a movie, which actors would you pick to portray you and your family? 
  • If your life was made into a movie, which scenarios from your life would you want to see on screen?
  • Your entire state lost internet for a month. List the activities that you would spend your time on.
  • Where do you think you will be exactly a year from now? 
  • You’re stuck in an elevator. Who would you most want to be stuck with? What would you ask this person?
  • Draft a letter addressed to your past or future self. 
  • You’ve discovered a brand-new type of animal or insect. How would you describe it to others? What would you call it? 
  • Write a short story about the worst summer vacation that ever happened to you. 
  • List the questions you would ask your favorite action hero if you were to interview them. 
  • If you were to invent a new machine or technology, what would it do?
  • If you could spend the day as someone else, whose identity would you take? 
  • You can suddenly talk to animals. What would your pet want to tell you? 

Gratitude Writing Prompts for Teens 

These journal ideas for teens can help your teens feel more appreciative and grateful for the things they have in life. 

  • What are you grateful for today?
  • What do you have that makes you feel lucky or privileged? 
  • What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received in your life?
  • What are you excited about in the next five years?
  • What memory from your childhood are you most grateful for?
  • Pick three to five people in your life. Write about the most recent time you felt grateful for having them around.
  • Write a thank you note  to someone you’re thankful for. 
  • What’s the best advice you’ve received from a relative or a friend? 
  • Write a thank-you note to yourself.
  • What makes you happy?

Free Printable Teen Journal Prompts

Want do download these journal prompts to keep on hand and have available whenever you need them? I’ve put them into a PDF, free for my subscribers. Just fill in the form below to have a copy sent to your inbox.

Use Journal Writing Prompts as a Starting Point 

The power of journaling extends far beyond the pages of a notebook — it becomes a personal space for thoughts, dreams, and personal growth. Encouraging teens to embrace this practice nurtures their writing skills and fosters a deeper connection with themselves. 

Support them on this journey of self-discovery through journaling. And let this list of journal prompts for teens kick off a possible new hobby.

Woman writing in a journal with a graphic overlay that reads

40+ Ramadan Journal Ideas (+ Free PDF)

Marking the spiritual journey of Ramadan can be enriching and insightful with the help of a dedicated journal. This blog post explores over 40 creative and engaging Ramadan journal ideas to inspire young people to document their experiences, reflections, and growth throughout the holy month.

40+ Ramadan Journal Ideas

To deepen your experience and reflection this Ramadan, delve into these 40+ thought-provoking journal prompts, designed to guide you on your personal journey.

Daily Reflections

Alongside your daily activities, carve out moments for personal reflection with these insightful prompts, fostering self-awareness and spiritual growth throughout the holy month.

  • Describe your favourite part of your Suhoor (pre-dawn meal).
  • What was the hardest part of fasting today? How did you overcome it?
  • Write a short message of gratitude for something you’re thankful for.
  • Name a good deed you did today and how it made you feel.
  • Draw or describe a dream you had during the night.
  • What is one thing you learned about Islam today?
  • Write a short prayer in your own words.
  • Share a funny or heartwarming experience you had with family or friends.
  • Reflect on a challenge you encountered today and how you dealt with it.
  • What are you most looking forward to for Eid ul-Fitr?

Creative Activities

Unleash your creativity and express your thoughts and emotions during Ramadan through these engaging activities.

  • Design a dream Eid outfit and describe it in detail.
  • Create a comic strip depicting a scene from a hadith (saying) or story about Ramadan.
  • Write a poem or short story about the spirit of Ramadan.
  • Design a poster encouraging others to perform good deeds during Ramadan.
  • Research and write about the traditions of Ramadan in a different country.
  • Compose a short song or rap about your Ramadan experiences.
  • Design a prayer card with a personal dua (prayer) on it.
  • Create a Ramadan word search or crossword puzzle for your friends.
  • Draw a picture of your local mosque and write about its significance during Ramadan.
  • Make a list of your favourite Islamic songs or nasheeds and explain why you like them.

Personal Growth

Embark on a journey of self-discovery and personal development this Ramadan. Dive into these thoughtful prompts, encouraging reflection on your values, aspirations, and ways to cultivate a stronger connection with your faith and yourself.

  • Write down one goal you want to achieve during Ramadan and a plan to reach it.
  • Reflect on a character trait you want to improve and how you will work on it.
  • Write a letter to your future self reflecting on your Ramadan experiences.
  • List three things you learned about yourself during this Ramadan.
  • Choose a hadith or Quran verse that resonates with you and explain why.
  • Write down three ways you can be a better friend or family member during Ramadan.
  • Reflect on the importance of patience and how you can practice it during fasting.
  • What does forgiveness mean to you? How can you be more forgiving this Ramadan?
  • Write a message to someone you admire explaining what inspires you about them.
  • What does Eid ul-Fitr represent to you? How will you celebrate it?

Bullet Journal Ideas

Get creative and enhance your Ramadan experience with this collection of unique bullet journal ideas. From habit trackers and daily reflections to artistic expressions and personal challenges, these prompts offer a fun and engaging way to personalize your Ramadan journey.

  • Daily Fasting Tracker:  Use a simple checkbox or colour a small section to track each day’s fast.
  • Quran Recitation Tracker:  Mark squares or use different colours to represent specific amounts of Quran recited each day (e.g., one juz’ – 1/30th of the Quran).
  • Salah Tracker:  Track your daily prayers with checkboxes or habit trackers.
  • Good Deeds Tracker:  Use a checklist or habit tracker to monitor your daily acts of charity or kindness.
  • Sadaqah Tracker:  Track your charitable donations throughout Ramadan.
  • Dhikr (Remembrance of Allah):  Track your daily practice of specific dhikr phrases.
  • Healthy Eating Habits:  Track your consumption of fruits, vegetables, and water during Suhoor and Iftar meals.
  • Gratitude Practice:  Write down something you’re grateful for each day.
  • Favourite Duas:  Write down your favourite supplications for daily use or specific situations.
  • Ramadan Recipes:  Collect recipes for delicious and healthy Suhoor and Iftar meals.
  • Learned Lessons:  Note down any lessons or realizations you have throughout Ramadan.
  • Eid Shopping List:  Plan your Eid shopping with a dedicated list.
  • Ramadan Mood Tracker:  Use different colours or symbols to represent your daily mood or energy level.
  • Decorative Prayer Times:  Write down daily prayer times with decorative calligraphy or embellishments.
  • Vision Board for the Next Ramadan:  Create a collage or illustration depicting your goals and aspirations for your future Ramadan experiences.

Bonus Ideas

Looking for even more ways to enrich your Ramadan experience? Delve into these bonus prompts, offering a diverse range of activities to spark new perspectives and enhance your personal connection with the holy month.

  • Decorate a page with Islamic patterns or calligraphy.
  • Create a Ramadan bucket list and tick them off as you complete them.
  • Write a short daily review of the Taraweeh prayers (night prayers).

Looking for more ideas? Check out our daily Ramadan writing prompts which aim to spark your creativity, encourage reflection, and foster a deeper understanding of the significance and spirit of Ramadan.

Free Printable Ramadan Planner

To simplify your Ramadan journey and stay organised, download our free printable Ramadan planner ! This complete resource offers dedicated sections for tracking prayers, meals, goals, and reflections, empowering you to make the most of this blessed month.

creative writing prompts diary

Print any amount of pages of each layout and complete your Ramadan planner!

A Ramadan planner can be a powerful tool to enrich your experience of the holy month. It helps you stay organized with prayer times, meals, and activities, while also providing dedicated space for reflection, goal-setting, and recording your thoughts and experiences. This combination of planning and reflection allows you to deepen your connection with your faith, track your personal growth, and make the most of this special time.

Looking for more Ramadan journal ideas? Check out these Ramadan Journals which encourage you to write for each day of Ramadan (The links below are Amazon affiliate links):

  • Children Ramadan Journal :

Children Ramadan Journal

  • Ramadan Journal :

Ramadan Journal

See these 15 must-read books about Ramadan for kids for more inspiration!

We hope these Ramadan journal ideas provide the spark you need to embark on a meaningful and enriching Ramadan experience. Do you have any other favourite journaling prompts or activities you find helpful? Share your tips and ideas in the comments below – we’d love to hear from you and continue the conversation about making the most of this blessed month.

Ramadan journal ideas

Marty the wizard is the master of Imagine Forest. When he's not reading a ton of books or writing some of his own tales, he loves to be surrounded by the magical creatures that live in Imagine Forest. While living in his tree house he has devoted his time to helping children around the world with their writing skills and creativity.

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  2. 128 Creative Journal Prompts (Updated!) » JournalBuddies.com

    Creative Journal Prompts is newly updated (August 2022) — Hooray! Here you will discover loads of fun, fabulous creative writing prompts and ideas for writers of all ages and stages of life. Best of all, this list of ideas has been updated and EXPANDED from 63 ideas to 128 wonderful creative writing prompts. Wow!

  3. 50 Inspiring Journal Prompts to Spark Your Creativity

    These are some journal prompts that can enable self-discovery: First, list five words that best describe you. Then, think about which five words you would like to describe yourself. Complete this sentence: "My life would be incomplete without….". Reflect on a phrase, quote, or mantra that resonates with you.

  4. 60 Daily Creative Prompts for Inspired Writing

    60 Absolutely Awesome Daily Creative Prompts. 129 More Daily Creative Prompts Lists for You. A Few Closing Thoughts. In the first 45 prompts, you'll write short stories, poems, dialogue-based scenes, brief memoirs, or personal essays, and reflect on topics through the lens of an object. You'll really be challenged to flex your creative ...

  5. 550+ Journal Prompts: The Ultimate List

    Creative Writing Prompts. Your journal can be a great place to explore creative writing projects like short stories, poetry, song lyrics, memoirs, or novels. Some people find it helpful to use their journal to record thoughts and ideas, which can then be used as inspiration for future writing projects. Others writers use their journal as a ...

  6. 64 Journaling Prompts for Self-Discovery

    The results suggest that keeping a journal led to more optimism and gratitude, both of which can boost well-being. A 2018 study suggests that writing about positive experiences for just 15 minutes ...

  7. 365 Journal Prompts to Help You Reflect, Grow, and ...

    365 Creative Writing Prompts for Your Daily Journal. Each day, choose one of the 365 journal writing prompts. Each journal writing prompt will put you in a creative space and help you reflect and work on your life. This is also a great way to record the key moments in your life that shape you. Season One - Self-Discovery

  8. 365 Creative Writing Prompts

    14. The Found Poem: Read a book and circle some words on a page. Use those words to craft a poem. Alternatively, you can cut out words and phrases from magazines. 15. Eavesdropper: Create a poem, short story, or journal entry about a conversation you've overheard. Printable Ad-Free 365 Writing Prompt Cards. 16.

  9. 72 Journal Prompts to Boost Your Creative Writing Skills

    Below are 72 journal prompts to help you get started. Journal Prompts. 1. When I'm in pain—physical or emotional—the kindest thing I can do for myself is…. 2. Make a list of the people in your life who genuinely support you, and who you can genuinely trust. 3.

  10. 1800+ Creative Writing Prompts To Inspire You Right Now

    Here's how our contest works: every Friday, we send out a newsletter containing five creative writing prompts. Each week, the story ideas center around a different theme. Authors then have one week — until the following Friday — to submit a short story based on one of our prompts. A winner is picked each week to win $250 and is highlighted ...

  11. 20 Journaling Prompts for Writers to Spark Creativity

    20 journaling prompts for writers. Here are 20 journaling prompts to help you tap into your creativity and get your words flowing. Choose one from the list that resonates with you, or allow this list to spark a new prompt. The main idea is to get you writing so go down the list in order, or do it another way. Whatever works! Question and answer. 1.

  12. 30+ Journal Prompts & Ideas to Inspire Your Creativity

    29 Journal Writing Prompts to Spark Your Creativity. Like a fisherman's fishing rod, the following journal writing prompts will help you fish out your best ideas from the depths of your mind. They will also help you: Exercise your creative writing skills; Land more writing jobs (if you're a freelancer) Learn how to write better

  13. 20 Marvelous Creative Journal Prompts for When You Just Don't Know What

    5 Daily Creative Writing Exercises You (Probably) Haven't Seen Before. Best Journals for Writing: 6 Top Picks. More Than 1064 Journal Writing Prompts. Top 7 Benefits of Journaling - Smart Mom Smart Ideas. How To Start Morning Creative Writing for More Productive Days. Quiet Journal: Discover Your Secret Strengths and Unleash Your Inner ...

  14. 25 Creative Writing Prompts to Ignite Your Creativity

    Creative Primer is a resource on all things journaling, creativity, and productivity. We'll help you produce better ideas, get more done, and live a more effective life. My name is Brooks. I do a ton of journaling, like to think I'm a creative (jury's out), and spend a lot of time thinking about productivity. I hope these resources and ...

  15. 54 Delightful Writing Prompts for Creativity

    Try working on a different type of art and write about your experience. For example, if you like to draw, try painting. If you normally write short stories, try to write song lyrics or a poem. 28. Make a list of 10 random words. Now, write one story that somehow includes each word. 29.

  16. 101 Creative Journal Prompts To Spice Up Your Creative Writing

    Tips for Using Creative Journal Prompts Successfully . Take time for yourself. Make sure to take some quiet time for yourself so you can focus on the creative writing prompts and allow your thoughts and ideas to flow freely. Be open-minded. Don't let preconceived notions, fears, or judgments limit your creativity.

  17. Creative Writing Journal Prompts For Adults • Crafting a Green World

    Here are 20 writing prompts designed to encourage daring exploration and creative freedom in your journaling: Write a dialogue between your present self and your future self. Rewrite a memory from the perspective of an inanimate object present at that time. Pen down an alternative ending to your favorite book or film.

  18. 100 Creative Writing Prompts for Writers

    100 Creative Writing Prompts for Writers. 1. The Variants of Vampires. Think of an alternative vampire that survives on something other than blood. Write a story or scene based on this character. 2. Spinning the Globe. Imagine that a character did the old spin the globe and see where to take your next vacation trick.

  19. 9 Best Creative Writing Journals: Take Your Thoughts to the Next Level

    Choosing a new creative writing prompt journal or book may seem like an overwhelming task, but being a little adventurous can help you break through writer's block and put your ideas on paper. Working with prompt journals can be a great way to bring out your creativity. I hope this list of best creative writing journals has helped you find ...

  20. Anne Frank Writing Prompts: Reflect on Her Diary's Impact

    The diary of Anne Frank has left an indelible mark on literature and history, providing a unique insight into the life of a Jewish teenager during the Holocaust. In this article, we explore writing prompts that encourage readers to reflect on Anne's diary, its impact on society, and the lessons we can learn from her experiences. Whether you are a student, a writer, or simply someone interested ...

  21. 10 Great Journal List Prompts (110 Ideas in All!)

    Journal List Prompts #2 - 11 Prompts for Tough Days. Journal List Prompts #3 - 11 Getting to Know Yourself. List #4 — 11 Writing Prompts for Stretching the Imagination. Journal List #5 -11 Writing Prompts for Practicing Empathy. List of Prompts #6 - 11 Writing Prompts for Writing Practice.

  22. 70 Awesome Journal Ideas for Teens

    These journal prompts for teens will help them overcome such a challenge. After all, these are designed to get those creative juices flowing and the young at heart to start writing.

  23. 68 Wonderful Daily Writing Prompts » JournalBuddies.com

    We Have Wonderful Journal Writing Prompts and Daily Prompts. It's true. Regular journal writing is a healthy and constructive tool that facilitates open self-expression, encourages free thought and logical arguments, and promotes confidence and candor. ... Daily writing prompts and creative writing prompts are the answer to getting your ...

  24. 40+ Ramadan Journal Ideas (+ Free PDF)

    40+ Ramadan Journal Ideas (+ Free PDF) February 24, 2024. Marking the spiritual journey of Ramadan can be enriching and insightful with the help of a dedicated journal. This blog post explores over 40 creative and engaging Ramadan journal ideas to inspire young people to document their experiences, reflections, and growth throughout the holy month.

  25. 30 Creative Writing Prompts High School » JournalBuddies.com

    With journal prompts for elementary school kids to middle schoolers to story starters for teenagers, Journal Buddies is your go-to resource for writing inspiration. Writers of all ages can use journal writing prompts to help them improve their creative writing skills and feel more confident about sharing their writing. The Favorites Prompt List

  26. 65 Creative Writing About Spring Ideas to Inspire You

    Sensory Exploration: Write a "found poem" using words found in nature during spring. Describe the taste, smell, touch, sound, and sight of a specific spring object, like a flower, raindrop, or butterfly. Create a collage or drawing using natural materials like leaves, flowers, and twigs.