When most high school, home school writers think of writing in a journal, they think of Anne Frank’s Diary – personal anecdotes, dreams, and rants captured in a diary.
But most writers use a journal not to capture day to day anecdotes and moods, but to explore writing topics before actually writing about them.
Hence, below is a list of journal topics for exploring specific writing genres.
Enjoy!
Some Possible Journal Topics
Journaling topics below may help to inspire you to think about topics for your writing projects.
Friendly Letter Writing Journal Topics
- What is your favorite time of year?
- I was happiest when. . . .
- What is the most important thing you will ever do?
- I always wanted to …
- When I’m older. . . .
- If I had my way. . . .
- My plans for the summer…
- Describe the best hour of the day.
- Complaints.
- Daydreams.
- What is your favorite kind of weather? Why?
- Write one characteristic or habit about yourself that you like and describe it.
- What is your hobby? Why do you enjoy it?
- Write about something you desperately wanted when you were a kid.
- Write about a time you were talked into something and regretted it.
- Did you ever make friends with a wild animal?
- Write about picking apples, berries, or other fruit or vegetables.
- What was it like to get glasses or braces?
- Describe your favorite restaurant.
- Write about a time your parents were proud of you.
- What is the best decision you have ever made?
Personal Narrative Journal Topics
- Home
- My neighborhood
- My family
- My pets
- My favorite holiday
- Awards I’ve earned
- My favorite toy
- My favorite game
- My friends
- Traveling
- My favorite song
- My birthday
- Chores
- My bedroom
- The local store
- Cousins
- My yard
- Hobbies
- Unforgettable vacations
- Strangers
Family Narrative Journal Topics
- Nothing can be worse than. . . .
- The problem is. . . .
- I know better now.
- I’ll never forget …
- I took the blame for …
- Why does it always have to be me?
- Jealousy led to his downfall.
- _____ used to be my hero.
- I was telling the truth and ____ didn’t believe me.
- When he(she) showed up, we were all surprised.
- Our next door neighbor…
- On my first visit to the dentist…
- This weekend I couldn’t ….
- My dad’s (mom’s) greatest accomplishment is …
- The neighborhood bully…
- We were so disappointed …
- It seemed like he (she) had everything.
- I can’t believe I forgot….
- I was only trying to help…
- Thank goodness it was only a nightmare.
- The best advice I’ve ever gotten was from …
Legend Journal Topics
- What is something you do well?
- What is a good neighbor?
- What is your idea of a dull evening?
- What is something that really bugs you?
- What is your favorite song and why?
- 6. What is your favorite movie and why?
- What would happen if everyone wore the same clothes?
- What would happen if you found gold in your backyard?
- What would you do if a friend borrowed things from you but never returned them?
- What would you do if the surprise party was for you but you weren’t surprised?
- What would you do if you found a magic wand?
- If you were five years older you would…
- How would you feel if a new child moved into your neighborhood?
- How do you feel on a warm sunny day?
- How do you feel during a thunderstorm?
- How do you feel when something scares you? What do you do when this happens?
- How do you think eating junk food affects you?
- When you are angry, how do you look?
- Once, when your feelings were hurt, what happened?
- Once, when you were very frightened, what happened?
- Once, when you were embarrassed, what happened?
Interview Journal Topics
- Describe a family member.
- Compare the personalities of two of your friends.
- _____ used to be my hero.
- If he/she had his/her way …
- My favorite holiday guest is …
- I was telling the truth and ____ didn’t believe me.
- A strange meeting …
- The unexpected guest …
- The stranger ….
- Our next door neighbor …
- My favorite teacher …
- My favorite cousin …
- My best friend …
- I’ll never look him/her in the face again.
- Who is the person from history that you would most like to meet and talk to? Why? What would you like to ask?
- Who is the person alive today that you would most like to meet and talk to? Why? What would you like to ask?
- Who is the person from literature that you would most like to meet and talk to? Why? What would you like to ask?
- Babysitting …
- How do you get along with your cousins?
- A famous person …
Research Project Journal Topics
- How do I feel about competition? (sports, school, friends, etc.)
- How I can earn money.
- Buying your own clothes.
- Places I have lived.
- Describe the qualities of a good teacher.
- Describe the qualities of a good parent.
- Describe the qualities of a good friend.
- Pets are like people.
- Cooking is an art.
- Who is the person from history that you would most like to meet and talk to? Why? What would you like to ask?
- Who is the person alive today that you would most like to meet and talk to? Why? What would you like to ask?
- Describe an animal that you identify with strongly. Why do you have a special feeling about this animal?
- What is your favorite kind of weather? Why?
- If you could go back in time anywhere and “anywhen,” where/when would you go and why?
- What law would you like to see enacted which would help people? How would it help?
- What is your hobby? Why do you enjoy it?
- Is there any machine you feel you could not live without? Explain.
- Write about something you desperately wanted when you were a kid.
- Were you ever in a helicopter? limousine? hot-air balloon?
- Write about moving to another city.
- Describe an outdoor game you used to play in the summertime.
Poetry Journal Topics
- A place from my past, including smells, tastes and textures, is …
- Describe sloppy.
- Nothing can be worse than…
- Compare the personalities of two of your friends.
- I was happiest when …
- If my desk could talk…
- Write about an incident that illustrates shyness.
- Write about an incident that illustrates kindness.
- Write about an incident that illustrates courage.
- Write about an incident that illustrates selfishness.
- Write about an incident that illustrates boastfulness.
- I cooked the dinner.
- If I had my way.
- Money of my own.
- Being alone…
- Pets are like people…
- Cooking is ….
- My favorite weather …
- My first vivid memory is …
- The most real emotion is …
- Two animals…
Technical Documents Journal Topics
- Describe your concept of luxury. Create an advertisement for it.
- Describe your ride home. Create a map with direction for it.
- How I can earn money. Write a series of steps to earn money.
- Buying your own clothes. Write a series of steps for how to buy new clothes.
- Your favorite food. Write the recipe for making your favorite food.
- My jobs at home. Write the steps to completing one of these jobs.
- My plans for the summer. Create an advertisement.
- Describe your holiday dinner table.
- Describe a day at the mall.
- Describe your dream room.
- Describe a day at the beach.
- Describe a practical joke you played on a friend or family member.
- Describe a narrow escape.
- Write an advertisement that describes the qualities of a good teacher.
- Write an advertisement that describes the qualities of a good parent.
- Write an advertisement that describes the qualities of a good friend.
- Write the steps to playing with your favorite childhood toy.
- Finish this thought: “If I could change one thing about myself. . .” and write a series of steps for making the change.
- What law would you like to see enacted which would help people? How would it help?
- Is there any machine you feel you could not live without? Write about how your life would be without it.
- Write about a time you performed in front of an audience. List what you did to prepare.
Journal Writing
Why Journal?
“I write entirely to find out what I’m thinking, what I’m looking at, what I see and what it means. What I want and what I fear.” – Joan Didion
Journaling (or keeping letters or diaries) is an ancient tradition, one that dates back to at least 10th centuryJapan. Successful people throughout history have kept journals. Presidents have maintained them for posterity. Oscar Wilde, 19th century playwright, said: “I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read on the train.”
Journaling is also beneficial for the typical citizen. The benefits of journaling are numerous.
Journaling has been shown to strengthen the right brain, the area of the brain that is creative and intuitive, as well as the left brain, the area of the brain that is rational, intellectual, and orderly (Dowrick, 2007). The act of writing accesses your left brain, which is analytical and rational. While your left brain is occupied, your right brain is free to create, intuit and feel. In sum, writing removes mental blocks and allows you to use all of your brainpower to better understand yourself, others and the world around you.
Journaling offers you the chance to reflect on what you are learning and experiencing (Spalding & Wilson, 2002) because journaling triggers metacognition – the ability to think about one’s thinking – requiring you to think about how you are thinking and how to express that it writing (Urquhart & McIver, 2005).
Journaling is a means of recording your personal thoughts, daily experiences, and evolving insights. You also are able to review or reread earlier writings to gain perspective or obtain clarification of previous events, feelings or thoughts. Journaling can also be used as a means for recording parts of books and articles you read, insights gained, new ideas you find, and reflection of your own personal growth. (Purcell, 2006).
You may also use journaling as a means for critical self-reflection when dilemmas, contradictions or changing life-views occur. Writing about these occurrences allows you the private time and space to explore, work through and hopefully resolve these moments in your growth.
Keeping track of what you did and when is another aspect of journal keeping. The ability to look back on your progress at the end of each school year will help you recognize the effort and commitment you have made to your education.
Finally, if you are hurt or angry about something that happens, a journal is a great place to vent your feelings. This may help take the “edge off” how you are feeling and make you more capable of handling the situation calmly and effectively.
Journal writing captures our thoughts and feelings on paper. This shows us how we think, create, learn and intuit. When we can see what we’re thinking, we can work with our thoughts in new ways. We break through habitual patterns to discover our innate wisdom and creative genius. (Hiemstra, 2002)
Types of Journal Writing
There are such a variety of journal writing “types” that it should be easy for everyone to find a type which fits his or her style. Once familiar with the types of journal writing, you may want to choose one type and stick with it for the year, or switch among the types to fit your mood, or the constraints of your time.
Learning Journals: This is typically a hand-written notebook or pad of paper for recording thoughts, reflections, feeling, personal opinions, and even hopes or fears during the learning experience. The process of maintaining this type of journal will help you become more organized and focused on the topic at hand. It may also help with the forming of new opinions, changing beliefs and changing feelings about certain topics.
Diary: This is typically a notebook or booklet of blank pages where you can record your thoughts, feelings, reactions to life, and fears about your experiences. It is usually unstructured, but many students like to keep track of dated entries for reflection at some future time. This is usually the most private type of writing and generally not shared with others.
Autobiography, Life Stories or Memoirs: This type of journal provides you with an arena to record your life experiences. This writing focuses not only on the experiences you have had, but allows you to focus on an understanding of your life experiences especially as they relate to a specific topic. Writing your life story allows you to be self-reflective and may encourage you to share your experiences with others to examine similarities or differences.
Interactive Reading Log: The interactive reading log provides you with a space to copy or record specific information you read, rephrase the reading into your own words then reflect on what the reading means to you personally. It is helpful to begin with a paragraph explaining what you are reading and why, make your entries as you read, and finish with a paragraph or two summarizing your experience.
Making Journaling a Family Activity
Journaling as a family activity allows all members of the family to connect in new ways. Perhaps one family member is quiet while others are boisterous. Often, the quiet person doesn’t always get to share his/her opinion and ideas because the boisterous members are better at being heard. A journal that is shared with the entire family allows everyone to have an equal voice in the discussions.
Sharing family stories used to be done around the dinner table, around the camp fire or for simple family entertainment. With our fast-paced lives and technology, often these stories go untold. Recording family stories is way to record family history and create a shared family history and vision.
Family journaling also allows senior members of the family to share their life experiences and wisdom gained from those experiences while allowing younger members to share their hopes and dreams for the future.
Family journals allow readers to see the world through another family member’s eyes. Gaining a new perspective on an event or idea by reading what someone else thinks about it broadens the family vision and allows for empathy to be shared among family members.
Finally, family journaling allows everyone to feel connected. Being able to share one’s feelings and read about another family member’s feelings about the same thing helps the family to feel connected. (Huxley, 2003).
Family journaling can take many forms. One simple way to begin family journaling is to create a space for a common family journal where all family members are welcome to read and write in. Making time once a week when the family gets together to volunteer to read from their journals also works. What is important is to create a family dynamic that is sustainable around journaling, whatever form that takes for your family.
If you are new to journaling, it is a good idea to explore several types of journal writing. Practice with each type will provide you an opportunity to explore which type fits your style of reflection and, hopefully, you will be comfortable using many of the types to fit your desired outcome. (Hiemstra, 2002)
Journal Writing Guidelines
- Use a standard, spiral notebook for your journal.
- Use your journal only for writing. Do not use it for other subjects
- Write in your journal outside of the required writing assignments, as well as for prewriting and drafting for your writing assignments.
- Write about topics that interest you.
- Experiment with new writing forms and styles in your journal.
- You will be “graded” for completion. I will not read your journal unless you invite me to. I will flip through pages to be sure you have completed the assigned amount of writing.
- Take some of your good journal entries and develop them into polished pieces.
- Review your journal periodically and see how you are growing as a writer.
*Templates for each “journal” type are provided below.
Learning Journal
What I learned today:
My thoughts about what I learned today:
How I feel about what I learned today:
Other areas of my life I can apply this new knowledge to:
Diary
Date :___________________________
Autobiography, Life Stories, Memoirs
I remember when…
(Be sure to include sensory details: what you heard, saw, felt, smelled and tasted, as well as how you felt about the experience then and how you feel about the experience now.)
Interactive Reading Log
What I’m reading and why:
Excerpt or Quote: _________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Rephrasing of Information: ________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
My thoughts about this:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Excerpt or Quote: _________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Rephrasing of Information: ________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
My thoughts about this:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Summary of what I read:
Evaluation:
Student will be assessed based on oral description of assigned reading materials, completion of worksheets and evidence of self-motivated writing assignments.
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