Today I’m super excited to share some of my favorite creative writing and journaling techniques that have completely transformed my relationship with writing. Whether you’re looking to process emotions, spark creativity, or simply establish a regular writing practice, these approaches have something for everyone.
As someone who’s journaled since my teen years (with many stops and starts!), I’ve discovered that the right prompts and techniques can make all the difference between a dusty notebook and a cherished daily ritual. Let’s dive into some approaches that might just help you fall in love with writing!
Morning Pages: Brain Dump for Clarity
If you’ve never tried morning pages, you’re in for a treat. This technique, popularized by Julia Cameron in “The Artist’s Way,” involves writing three pages of stream-of-consciousness content first thing in the morning. No editing, no overthinking—just get everything out of your head and onto the page.
What I love about morning pages is how they clear mental clutter before the day begins. Some mornings I start writing about how tired I am and end up having a breakthrough about a creative project or relationship issue. The magic happens when you push past the surface thoughts!
Try this prompt: “Today I woke up feeling…” and just keep writing without lifting your pen for 10 minutes, no matter what comes out.
Unsent Letters: Process Complex Emotions
One of my most therapeutic writing techniques is drafting letters I never intend to send. These provide a safe space to express complicated feelings toward someone without the potential consequences of actually sharing those thoughts.
I’ve written unsent letters to ex-partners, family members, younger versions of myself, and even to concepts like “my anxiety” or “my creative blocks.” The freedom of knowing no one will read these words allows for radical honesty.
Try this prompt: “Dear [person or thing], What I’ve never told you is…” Write without censoring yourself for 15 minutes.
Fiction Snapshots: Flex Your Creative Muscles
Even if you don’t consider yourself a fiction writer, creating quick character sketches or scene descriptions can be incredibly fun and liberating. I call these “fiction snapshots”—they don’t need to become full stories to be valuable exercises.
Set a timer for 10 minutes and create a brief scene based on an interesting prompt. Don’t worry about plot or continuity—just immerse yourself in creating a moment in time.
Try this prompt: “Write a scene where someone discovers an unexpected object in their coat pocket while standing in line at a grocery store.”
Sensory Journaling: Heighten Your Awareness
We often default to describing our thoughts when journaling, but focusing on your senses can create richer entries and heighten your awareness of the world around you.
Try dedicating a page to each sense. What are you seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and feeling right now? This exercise is particularly powerful when done in new environments or during transitional times in your life.
Try this prompt: “If this moment in my life had a taste, it would be…” (Then repeat with smell, sound, texture, and color.)
Dialogue With Your Inner Critic: Transform Resistance
We all have that inner voice that tells us our writing isn’t good enough. Instead of trying to silence it, try engaging with it through written dialogue.
When you notice critical thoughts arising, write them down as if your inner critic is a character. Then respond as yourself. This technique creates distance from negative thoughts and often leads to surprising insights.
Try this prompt: Create a conversation starting with “Inner Critic: Who do you think you are, trying to write like this?” followed by your response.
List-Making as Creative Practice
Sometimes a blank page is too intimidating. That’s when list-making comes to the rescue! Lists provide structure while still offering creative freedom.
Some of my favorite lists to create include “Things I’ve let go of,” “Questions I’m living with right now,” and “Small moments of beauty I noticed this week.”
Try this prompt: “10 things I know to be true” (Don’t overthink—just write the first 10 truths that come to mind, whether profound or mundane.)
Perspective Shifts: See Through New Eyes
Writing from different perspectives stretches your empathy and creativity. This technique involves adopting another viewpoint—whether it’s another person, an animal, or even an inanimate object.
I once spent a week writing daily entries from the perspective of my houseplant, and it completely changed how I saw my living space!
Try this prompt: “Write about your morning routine from the perspective of your coffee mug.”
Structured Reflection: End-of-Day Integration
While free writing has its place, sometimes a bit of structure helps extract meaningful insights from your day. I love using a simple three-part template for evening journaling:
- Three good moments from today (big or small)
- One challenge or struggle
- One thing I learned or realized
This takes just five minutes but helps identify patterns over time and ensures you’re noticing the positives alongside the difficulties.
Try this prompt: “The unexpected gift in today was…” followed by reflections on a surprise positive moment, no matter how small.
Word Banks: Play With Language
Creating collections of interesting words can jumpstart creativity when you’re feeling stuck. Keep a running list of words that delight, intrigue, or move you.
When you need inspiration, randomly select 3-5 words from your bank and challenge yourself to use them in a paragraph or poem.
Try this prompt: Open a book, select 10 interesting words at random, and write a paragraph incorporating all of them.
Metaphor Extension: Deepen Your Thinking
Metaphors aren’t just literary devices—they’re powerful tools for understanding our experiences. Identify a metaphor that resonates with your current life situation, then explore it in depth.
If you feel “at a crossroads,” describe the roads in detail. What do they look like? Where might each lead? Who travels them? Extending metaphors often reveals subconscious knowledge we haven’t fully acknowledged.
Try this prompt: “Right now, my creativity feels like a…” (Complete the metaphor, then explore it for at least a page.)
Time Capsule Entries: Write to Your Future Self
Create entries specifically intended for your future self to read. These can be predictions, questions, advice, or simply descriptions of your current reality that might fade from memory.
I write a letter to my future self every birthday and open the previous year’s letter. It’s amazing to see how much changes—and what stays surprisingly constant.
Try this prompt: “Dear Me, one year from today…” Write about what you hope will have happened, changed, or remained the same.
Collage Journaling: Combine Words and Images
Who says journaling has to be just writing? Combining words with visual elements creates multi-dimensional entries that engage different parts of your brain.
Try pasting in photos, tickets, or magazine cutouts, then writing around or in response to these visual elements. This technique is particularly helpful when words alone feel inadequate.
Try this prompt: Find an image that resonates with you, paste it in your journal, and write a backstory for it as if it’s a scene from a novel.
Final Thoughts
Remember that the most important aspect of any writing practice is consistency, not perfection. Even five minutes of regular writing yields more benefits than occasional marathon sessions.
I keep multiple journals for different purposes—a small pocket notebook for observations on the go, a dedicated morning pages journal, and a nicer book for more polished reflections. Find what works for your lifestyle!