Journal Ideas for the Bored Writer

Hey, we’re all stuck at home more often than not. What is one to do when outside is full of madness?

Write, you may say. This post is titled “Journal Ideas for the Bored Writer.” But why, you may ask, wouldn’t you just work on your writing projects that you’ve already started?

Because I don’t want to, shut up.

Here’s some things I’ve been playing around with while avoiding my main projects in my journals (of course, there’s more than one).

1. Screaming into Paper

One thing I’ve been doing?

Scratching all my frustrations into the paper of my journals.

Frustrated at the state of the crisis? That goes into the journal.

Angry at that one woman at the grocery store for loudly talking about her conspiracy COVID theories whilst not wearing a mask? That goes into the journal.

Mad at your roommate for a reason you know is unjustified because you have been stuck together in a small space for so long? That goes into the journal.

Honestly, putting all your anger into words can really help dissipate it.

2. Putting All My Anxieties out There

This is actually a thing I started at the suggestion of my therapist.

This is a journal where I literally just write down what I am anxious about. At some points, I write in it every day, and at other points, I go for weeks without doing it (though, sometimes I forget).

I really recommend doing this. Sometimes admitting your anxieties lessens them a whole lot. It relinquishes some of their power over you. You may still feel anxious, but in this way, you’ll be able to better recognize and deal with it.

3. Doodling

Let’s at least get some of our nervous energy out. Doodling might be a good way to deal with it for some of us – and you don’t have to be good at it to do it.

I love me some squiggle drawings.

4. Do Some Worldbuilding

This suggestion is for the writers who build worlds and forget pieces of them when they need them.

You can start a separate journal to fill with all your story, character, and world ideas. Maybe just list all your characters out so you don’t forget anyone (I have too many characters in one of my stories, y’all), or draw a map of your fantasy world.

The paper is yours.

5. Write About Something Happy

Okay, so this last one is important. While it’s good to get out anger and anxieties, it sometimes ends up feeling like that’s all you’ve got. I think it’s good to make sure you have a place where you write down all the good things that have happened to you.

They don’t have to be big, either – it could be as simple as “I had pizza today.” Just remind yourself that there’s still good in the world.

We can’t drown in sadness all the time, even though sometimes it feels like that’s all there is. If you write down all the good things, you can always look back at them when you’re feeling down.

And I think we all need some reminders of good things right now.

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Meagan Jones is a writer and artist from Southern Maine. She graduated in 2019 from the University of Maine at Farmington with a Creative Writing BFA and a Spanish minor. Check out her personal website at https://meaganljones.wordpress.com/  Follow her on Twitter @supernarra