Journaling for Beginners: 20 Creative and Fun Prompts to Start with
Where should I begin as a beginner to journaling?
You might feel overwhelmed by the endless terms out there—bullet journals, junk journals, reading journals... But fundamentally, the essence of all those formats is simply to express yourself and create memories on paper that hardly fade away.
The quickest and most effective way to start journaling for beginners is to write with prompts, because it allows you to bypass the fear of a blank page and explore content that is most fun and important to you. If you find yourself unable to stop writing even when a page is full, you are on the right track.
How do I know which prompts work for me?
The golden rule of our journaling tips: make everything simple, memorable, and authentic.
You don't need to write a masterpiece every time you open your notebook. The best prompts are the ones that spark a sudden memory, a silly thought, or a deep reflection without making you feel like you are doing homework.
What are some fun journaling prompts to start with?
Don't worry if your mind goes blank when thinking of a prompt to start with. Here is a list of 20 creative ideas to get your pen moving.
- If I were to describe my soul, what shape and color would it be?
- What is the wildest dream I have ever had?
- If I had all the money in the world, what would I do tomorrow?
- If my life so far were a novel, what would the title be and why?
- Can I write a poem consisting of exactly three words?
- How can I tell a complete story using only one single word?
- What are 12 imaginary ice cream flavors I would invent?
- If I could choose one object to enter a time loop with me, what would it be and what would happen?
- Imagine this: I wake up sleepy-eyed, open my front door, and a famous celebrity is standing there. What happens next?
- What is my favorite movie quote from the past month?
- Can I write a short story starting with the line: "At 4 AM, I received a phone call..."?
- How would I describe a specific room I once stayed in and the feelings it gave me?
- What does my shadow look like?
- Which song perfectly describes my best friend?
- What would happen in a short fantasy story where the 10-year-old, 20-year-old, and 30-year-old versions of me go to an amusement park together?
- What message do I want to leave for myself 10 years in the future?
- What exactly happened on my favorite day of this year so far?
- How would I describe the clouds I saw in the sky today?
- How can I beautifully describe a simple green, pink, or blue item in my bedroom?
- Can I write a passionate paragraph praising my absolute favorite food?
Of course, always feel free to find your own angle, make tweaks, and write about things that matter only to you.
How can I bring these prompts to the next level?
Recently, I started a diary exchange with my closest friend—we write on the exact same prompt and swap pages to see what the other person wrote. We laugh so hard every time. Exchanging diaries with a friend definitely brings people closer.
Featured above: Kuura's Balloon Journal Cover for A5 & A6 Notebooks
What comes after writing down your thoughts?
Once you are comfortable letting your words flow, another great way to create stunning journal spreads is to play with various materials and decorations. Adding aesthetic sticker sheets, washi tapes, vintage stamps, and your own little doodles can turn a simple page into a piece of art—but that is a fun topic we will dive into for another day!
Another easy way to start journaling is to find templates that are accessible online. To help you start your journaling journey, I share a fresh new journaling template every month for free. Don't forget to sign up for our newsletter to receive them in your inbox. The templates are perfect for printing out and adding straight to your binder. We would love to see your creativity bloom, so don't forget to share your printed-out template setups on social media and tag us!
And... if you are looking for more daily journaling inspiration and aesthetic stationery updates, simply follow us on Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube to join the Kuura community. Let's create together on paper!