I’ve found journaling to be an empowering tool for self-reflection, and it’s also a wonderful gateway into creative writing on a daily basis. There are a few simple ways to get started so you too can be inspired to make creativity part of your routine:

Jotting down words, phrases, or stories

Writing down anything that sparks an interest can improve our writing capabilities. This could be as simple as a word or even an unusual event that happened to you or someone else. These can be used to improve and inspire our stories.

Dream journaling 

This can open up a new world of opportunities and allows us to record some of our most creative and surprising thoughts. We can then use these ideas within our writing or as a stimulus for further ideas.

Gratitude journal 

The perfect way to start or end your day with writing. Yes, the focus here is on self-care, but any kind of daily writing helps to create a natural rhythm to the process that we can then use as a building block for further creative writing.

Journal journeys

Take your journal on a walk or to a cafe – a change of scenery may help to shake off the writer’s block that can develop at home. Describing nature that you see, the weather, passers-by, and how your drink tastes all allows for the flow of language that we need to encourage. Even if your writing starts off simple, as time passes, your descriptions will come alive on the page.

Writing as often as possible, without pressure and expectation on what is produced, can help us to create a flow of language, which is key to improving our abilities. There really are no limitations on what journaling can produce or inspire, so pull out that journal lurking in the back of your drawer and start writing…anything!