50 Journal Prompts for Aspiring Writers Who Don’t Know Where to Start
scroll down to get a free copy of 50 Journal Prompts for Aspiring Writers Who Don’t Know Where to Start or if you’re ready to go a little deeper my Write the Book guided writing companion is at the bottom of the page
I’ve always loved writing…
As a kid, I filled pages and pages with poetry. I still remember when I was about eight years old and my mom and stepdad set up one of those old gray desktop computers in my bedroom. I don’t even think it was connected to the internet, but it had Microsoft Word, and that was enough for me.
I immediately started writing a scary story. That book only made it to about one paragraph, but I remember being so proud of it.
Soon after, at my High School Musical-themed birthday sleepover, I sat in my computer chair with my two best friends and read them my one-paragraph story. That night, we danced to “Bop to the Top” on repeat, but looking back, what I remember most is sharing my story.
Even then, I dreamed of being a writer.
I’ve started so many blogs over the years. I vividly remember sitting on the couch at my best friend’s sleepover in first grade. Most of the girls were on the floor playing or had already fallen asleep. But me? I was sitting on the couch with my BFF and her parents’ laptop, creating a free website called Sporty Girl 😂
I’ve filled notebooks with ideas, poems, thoughts, and half-finished stories.
But for most of my life, writing was something I loved, not something I actually pursued.
I kept telling myself someday.
Someday when I felt more confident.
Someday when I knew what I was doing.
Someday when I had something important to say.
Someday when I had an audience.
Someday when I felt ready.
Then last year, after more than twenty years of writing, dreaming, and wondering what would happen if I finally took it seriously, I self-published my first book.
I’m not a bestselling author. (Yet. 🤪)
I’m not someone who has it all figured out.
I’m simply someone who spent years wanting to write before finally giving myself permission to begin.
And one thing I’ve learned along the way is that most of the time, the biggest thing standing between us and the page isn’t a lack of ability.
It’s a lack of belief.
We don’t know where to start.
We don’t know what we want to say.
We wonder if our stories matter.
We assume everyone else is more qualified.
That’s why I love journal prompts.
The right question has a way of pulling something out of you that was already there all along.
I remember having conversations with my husband about our communication. Oftentimes, I struggled to explain what I was feeling, and I would tell him, “If you could just ask me questions, I think I could figure out what I’m trying to say.”
That’s what journal prompts do for me.
They ask the questions that help me uncover what’s already inside.
If you’ve been thinking about writing a book but aren’t sure where to begin, start here.
Sometimes the hardest part of writing isn’t the writing itself.
It’s sorting through all the thoughts, fears, ideas, dreams, and possibilities swirling around in your head.
want to save these prompts for later?
I’ve gathered all 50 of these prompts into a free guide you can download and keep handy. Whether you prefer to print it out, save it to your phone, or take screenshots to revisit later, you’ll have them ready whenever you need a little inspiration or direction.
And if you’re ready to go deeper, my Write the Book writing companion is available as well. It’s designed to help aspiring writers move beyond dreaming about writing a book and finally begin putting words on the page with guided reflections, prompts, and encouragement along the way.
Prompts to Discover Your Message
- What topic could I talk about for hours without getting bored?
- What lesson has changed my life the most?
- What do people often come to me for advice about?
- What struggle have I overcome that might help someone else?
- What breaks my heart?
- What inspires me?
- What am I constantly learning about?
- What message do I wish someone had told me ten years ago?
- What conversations energize me?
- If I could teach one thing to the world, what would it be?
Prompts to Overcome Fear
- What am I afraid will happen if I write my book?
- What am I afraid will happen if I don’t?
- Who am I trying to impress?
- What would writing look like if nobody judged me?
- What expectations am I carrying that don’t belong to me?
- What would I write if I knew I couldn’t fail?
- What am I waiting for before I begin?
- Where did I learn that I need permission to create?
- What would courage look like today?
- What is one tiny step I can take this week?
Prompts to Find Your Reader
- Who do I most want to help?
- What are they struggling with?
- What questions are they asking?
- What do they need to hear?
- What encouragement would I give them today?
- What mistakes have I made that could help them avoid the same pain?
- What story would make them feel less alone?
- What truth changed everything for me?
- What hope do I want to leave them with?
- How do I want readers to feel after finishing my book?
Prompts for Storytelling
- What memory do I return to often?
- What moment changed the direction of my life?
- What experience taught me the most about God?
- What season stretched me?What season surprised me?
- What conversation can I still remember word for word?
- What ordinary moment became meaningful later?
- What story am I afraid to tell?What story do I never get tired of sharing?
- What lesson is hidden inside my story?
Prompts to Start Writing
- What chapter feels easiest to write?
- What would happen if I started there?
- What am I overcomplicating?
- What does “good enough” look like for today’s writing session?
- What is one paragraph I could write right now?
- What would writing look like if it felt simple?
- What would writing look like if it felt joyful?
- What is one idea I can’t stop thinking about?
- What would future me thank me for writing?
- What if writing this book is less about becoming someone new and more about becoming who God created you to be all along?
One Last Thought
One thing I’ve learned is that writing a book isn’t just about putting words on a page.
It’s about discovering what you’ve been carrying all along.
I think God often plants dreams in our hearts long before we’re ready to walk them out. Looking back, I can see that the desire to write never left me. It showed up in poems, unfinished stories, abandoned blogs, journal entries, and daydreams.
The seed was there the whole time.
It was simply waiting for its season.
Maybe that’s where you are right now.
Maybe you’ve carried the dream of writing for years.
Maybe you’ve talked yourself out of it a hundred times.
Maybe you’re still waiting until you feel qualified.
If so, consider this your reminder that you don’t have to have it all figured out to begin.
You just have to start.
One sentence.
One paragraph.
One page.
And trust God with the rest.
If you’re ready to go deeper, my Write the Book Workbook will help you move from dreaming about writing a book to actually writing one. Inside, you’ll find guided exercises, affirmations, biblical encouragement, and practical tools to help you finally get your words out of your head and onto the page.
