Before you plunge into journal writing, do you know how to write a journal? A journal records thoughts, experiences and observations that have been penned down.
A journal is different from a diary, which records things that occur each day. You can do journal writing on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. The entries of a journal are done in a notebook or binder.
Meanwhile, you can also use online journaling websites that can be utilized and sometimes people love to keep track of information about their day, what happened, why it happened and how it made them feel.
Some also prefer to use a journal or writing prompt, use a specific theme or present themselves by drawing.
It is also the case that journals or the purpose of journaling relies upon the person. There is no hard and fast rule about how one journal, nor is there a correct or incorrect way to craft and maintain one.
Since there are personal perspectives, the journal meaning of the user has entire control over what is there in a journal.
What is meant by journaling?
Journaling is simply a process of informal writing, and you can call it general practice. Journals exist in different forms and offer different purposes. Many people see journaling as a creative activity.
Writers also keep journals as a place to collect thoughts, improvise their craft and catalog ideas as they happen with them. Journals are perfect places for unstructured free writing, but some people also take the help of writing prompts, known as journaling prompts.
Even people who are not writers by profession love to keep a record of daily events, events that cause them stress or their todo list in their journals. This is how you can do journal writing for students.
Another famous type of journal is gratitude journal and it’s absolutely an amazing experience which means taking stock of good things in your life to impetus your self esteem.
Moreover it does not matter which type of journal you would like to have, it’s always a good idea to do journaling and immerse yourself into a complex process of self awareness.
Advantages of journaling for writers
There are many advantages of journaling for writers. It includes personal development, improved communication skills and self-awareness. Writing a journal is a practice that can help you cope with the negative sides and stress management by prompting writers an opportunity to indulge in self-discovery and self-reflection.
For writers, the advantages of journaling are overpowering.
1. Forces you to practice the art of writing
Engaging in journaling is a beneficial habit that establishes a consistent writing practice. Experiencing a blank page is one of the most irritating tasks a writer goes through.
Young writers can nourish their writing skills and elucidate the process through practice by writing regularly.
2. Motivates you to explore new ideas
Another advantage of journaling is having a place for exploring new ideas. It’s also a spot for problem-solving. Many established writers and even successful people in non-technical fields keep journals to record their thoughts. As a writer, a journal can be a helpful place to write and formulate ideas on blank paper freely.
3. Makes you break through the writer’s block
Writer’s block is a huge problem that many have to confront at every level. With the help of personal journals and daily journal entries, you can fight this writer’s block by creating amazing juices flowing and feeling free to write about the pressure of the end product roaming over you.
4. Allows you to practice stream of consciousness
This is how you learn about how to write a journal. One such approach that many writers find useful is stream-of-consciousness-free writing. Some writers like to write daily and keep journals as morning pages, a term famous in the book “The Artist’s Way”.
Thus writing using this technique can help you to develop new ideas that you would not prefer can happen to you.
5. Provides a space to practice expressive writing without pressure
One of the biggest journaling benefits is the freedom to write whatever you want and from the pressure of a formal written document. Journals give you a spot to write down whatever half-formed, unpolished ideas flow to you at the moment.
All that is needed to create a regular journaling practice are blank pages and pen and paper.
Journals take different shapes, but it does not matter what type of journal you keep or how regularly you choose to write it.
So you are now clear that there are many advantages to writing in a journal.
Useful tips on how to write a journal
We have a lot of things running in our heads, but we put less down on paper. All these thoughts and ideas hitting around can feel shattering. Your journal can encompass lists, problems, hopes, secrets, failures, love, and the highs and lows of life.
Many thoughts come and go, but feelings pass. How can you recognize them?
To keep your ideas and thoughts organized on paper, writing a journal daily or diary is an outstanding practice. This is how one can clear his/her mind.
Writing is a captivating task and a wonderful way of staying sane.
You must understand the mechanism of learning how to write a journal entry. It is not important for you if you are good at writing or not. Only thing that is needed from you is the commitment to write. It also does not matter what you are going to write in your journal, just let your thoughts come on blank paper.
We are going to list some useful tips about how to write a journal.
- You can fix timings about when you are going to do journaling. You must be clear about the idea of what to write in your journal.
- Create a schedule as you help to make a habit of writing. Also, choose a fixed time or day when you only will write in a journal.
- You can also set reminders on your phone when to start journaling and don’t forget it.
Idea to starting a journal on a daily basis also helps you to develop a habit of consistency and discipline with the passage of time.
1. Select a space for writing
It’s essential to have a proper space where you can focus and write a personal journal. It’s best if you find a comfortable place with no distractions. You must concentrate on writing a journal and get rid of all interruptions. This approach promotes both physical comfort and mental clarity. An office or study room is always an amazing spot to work.
2. Ask questions yourself
What did you go through that day? What made you ponder over? Are you feeling good right at the moment? Find out spare time to reflect on your thoughts, emotions and feelings that you are experiencing.
3. Take a moment to throw back on the day
It’s ok not to understand the topic you write about. You can write about anything, any thought, idea or experience in your journal. Just close your eyes and open for writing what you went through. How do you start writing a journal?
4. Start writing
It’s quite easy to begin sentences with “I think,” “I wonder” or “I feel”. But don’t feel stressed about using a particular format or topic. Your journal writing may be a way to write down your thoughts, and you feel it easy to write a personal journal.
5. Set a time limit
Make sure that you write for at least 10 minutes and it is reliant on how many words you can easily manage to write. But by setting a time limit, you will realize the importance of time and discipline.
So if you set a time about how to write a journal entry, you will feel more focussed towards writing and less deviated. You can easily realize the need to record every single detail.
6. Add your thoughts and reread your journal entry
After finishing writing you can go and look back on what you wrote. It’s up to you if you want to add more sentences at the end that entails your thoughts and feelings about the words you wrote.
This is a great way to niche down topics and subtopics.
Additional tips for new journal writers
Everybody is different, especially when matters come towards journal writing. Everyone has their writing style, and each person goes through different experiences.
Whatever your aim is, we are here to help you accomplish it. Listed below are additional tips for new journal writers.
● Set yourself free to write
Writing is free without proper direction, structure or inspiration. Let your imaginative ideas flow wildly, and then take it to the next page. Write down any idea or thought without thinking that comes to your mind.
Don’t need to make it cohesive or have an aim.
● Write from different perspectives
It’s a great way to hone your writing skills. Write about a topic you feel inclined about and then try to think from different paradigms.
Try to look at things from different perspectives as it unlocks your narrow thinking.
● Add pictures to journaling
Pictures can motivate and speak louder than words. You can add pictures while writing a journal at any point in the entry or at the start to inspire. Talk about the photo’s subject matter, who captured it, and what is lacking in it. It’s just like giving the image a detailed and motivating caption.
So you learn how to write a journal example.
● Try prompt journaling
You can create your content personally or creatively if you are facing an issue choosing a particular topic. There exists simple prompts for journaling that you should think about:
Which was your favorite game?
- Write a short story about any experience you had?
- Anything you wish to have as a teenager?
- Which was the mark when you first fell on the floor?
● Plan first and practice later
You should plan aside time to write a personal journal. This will enable you to think about what you wish to write and prepare ideas. If you plan ahead, You will get more enticed towards writing a journal.
Spend time on writing as much as you can. With the passage of time, it becomes convenient for you. More time you do writing practice, you will become more proficient at it.
● Write letters that you will not send
There will be many times when you wish you should have something special or not. You should always write letters about these moments that you will not send to anyone.
You can also address them to particular people in your life, which completely depends on you.
It’s a great idea to share honest thoughts and make engaging entries when doing journal writing for students.
Different types of journals
Now let’s switch to the fun part and which type of journal you should opt for.
What is the complete solution for your journaling requirements? Here are the different types of journals you can pick from:
● Morning pages
Morning pages are taken from the book, “That Artist Way” by Julia Cameron. This idea is to let your stream-of-consciousness thoughts pour on the paper, especially in the morning when you feel more creative.
Don’t think; just write consecutively up to 2 pages.
Journaling for mental peace is one of the most healthy activities.
● The diary journal
Journaling is great in its classic form; one feels nostalgic just typing about this.
● Scrapbooks
Scrapbooks are amazing for gathering memories, and dreams, creating mood cards, or whatever makes your heart happy. It’s probably a captivating idea to gather thoughts onto the vision board and then turn it into something extraordinary.
In this way, you learn how to write a journal entry.
● The food journal
If you want to lose body fat or have a clear insight into what you paddle your face with. Having a food journal in your bag is the way to step forward. Log everything you eat, drink and also mention the times of the day.
● Gratitude Journal
Journal to feel blessed and express gratitude. Start and end your day by writing about what you are grateful for in life, whether big or small.
● Dream Journal
How to write a dream journal? These types of journals contribute to your dreams. These dreams are the ones you have once you sleep or dreams you have for your life.
Every morning when you wake up, write down a few sentences about a dream you had or things you envy to have in store for your future.
● Mental health journal
In order to experience peace of mind in your life, you can start writing a mental health journal. It’s an excellent option for individuals dealing with anxiety, depression, or sleep disturbances. Just imagine a mental health journal as a therapy session with yourself. It helps to stay healthy and keep yourself away from negative thoughts.
Even therapists suggest it as it is helpful for emotional well-being and best for mental health if you are facing depression, anxiety or having negative thoughts. Journaling serves as a great thing to keep your mind at peace.
● Art journal
This means we are artistic, can draw doodles and shapes, and devote journals to art.
● Bullet Journal
It has become one of the most outstanding ways to journal for productivity and goal setting. This concept came into being by Ryder Caroll. Bullet journal is also described as one of the different types of journals.
Bullet journal is treated as a mindfulness practice disguised as a productivity system.
● Brainstorming journal
Collect any fascinating idea that arrives your way and knock at your door to start brainstorming journals. You must have this journal with you when you are out at a restaurant to eat, when traveling and when even in the office. You never have to wait in order to write down any thoughts that come to mind, just grab your journal and start writing.
● Pregnancy Journal
If you are expecting, keeping a journal helps lock your pregnancy journey. It will be amazing to track symptoms, sudden mood swings and general things you do during this special part of your life.
The only way to make how to write a journal habit is to get started and do it in small chunks. You don’t have to journal with an aim in mind to fill up blank pages. This is not how you go.
Frequently Asked Questions
The journal writing format is somehow different from diary writing. Let’s examine a few of the most frequently asked questions about journal writing.
1. Is it nice to write a journal?
Writing a journal can be very helpful. Relieving stress by permitting others to unload private feelings and release tension is important.
Journaling is important to improve writing skills and sharpen senses, like being more observant of someone’s surroundings.
It can be a track of cherished memories that will be forgotten if not written properly one day.
2. How do you embark on a journal writing journey?
Starting a journal is not a cup of tea. First, think about if the journal will be on paper or online. Then choose what you want to write about. It can be thought of as something you experience from a prompt, doodle, or drawing.
3. Can a journal have multiple meanings?
A journal can sometimes be confused with diary writing. Though both are the places where you write about your personal feelings, they are quite different from each other.
Diary is about writing things that you go through on a daily basis while journal writing can be done weekly or monthly .
4. What is a journal, and are there any types of journals?
A journal can be a colorful website to record your own experiences, ideas or random feelings.
Some journals can be very specific or what the writer is utilizing the journal for.
So this is about how to write a journal example.
A fine example is if the writer envies writing about the places they visit, they can start a travel journal. If someone likes to write about the type of food they cook well, they would be interested in starting a food journal. It is very versatile. And on the other hand, it goes well with the needs of one that uses it.
5. How do you start writing a journal?
Finding the right place to write, having your physical journal, closing your eyes, diving straight into writing, asking questions from yourself and adding additional thoughts is a great way to start writing a journal.
6. What to write in a journal?
You can write a lot of things in your journal, such as personal or career goals, what you are grateful for, things you wish to improve, can give compliments to yourself, write down quotes that inspire you the most and may be where you want to see yourself after five years.
Conclusion
Writing daily helps you to develop a habit of journaling. To help you remember, try to write down at the same time every day.
In this way you get to know about how to write a journal. If you don’t want to use a paper journal, don’t worry. With the advent of technology there are many apps where you can start journaling. Meanwhile, you can also take help of word processors such as microsoft word or google docs to embark on your journaling venture.
