A Journaling Workout
Write a letter to someone, dead or alive.
Write about a transforming moment in your life.
Write about a trip you took that left a huge impact on you.
Write about a loved one, colleague, or mentor who has been influential in your literary life.
Write about what worries you.
Write about an accomplishment.
List some memorable moments in your life. Choose one to write about.
Write about a special occasion when everything didn’t go as planned.
Write about your happiest and saddest moments.
Recount a personal experience that led to personal growth.
Write about something you’ve collected.
Write a sentence beginning with “I remember.”
Describe a smell that brings back fond or unpleasant memories.
Describe a moment of utter depression when you felt so low you didn’t know what to do.
Describe a significant quarrel between you and a family member.
Describe losing someone you really loved.
Write about a strange family member.
Write about what you remember about sixth grade.
Write about a memory with a bicycle.
Write ten ways you felt different as a child.
Write about what you are grateful for.
Write about the song that had the most impact on you.
Write about your favorite book.
Write about one of your grandparents.
Write about something you want but cannot have.
Free-write or write for fifteen to twenty minutes without lifting your pen off the page; ignore your inner critic; write about anything that pops into your head.