Your favorite journal

December 10, 2018 2:19 PM

I'd like to get some flavor of journal. I want something with writing prompts of some description; blank pages are not going to do it for me right now. I don't want something too flowery, but the "Wreck this Journal" type journals seem a little much in the other direction. Do you have a favorite journal, and what do you like about it?

As a first approximation, I'm interested in the act of writing words on paper, and thinking about them a little bit; and having an evening ritual to help break out of the screen time rut. I'm not opposed to some amount of introspection, but I'm allergic to obvious self-importance. Humor is appreciated.

I won't automatically bar things if they have flowers on the cover, but anything too performatively feminine is going to make my toes curl into themselves until they fall off. If it turns out that the "Wreck this journal" type books are unexpectedly fabulous, I'm interested in hearing that too.

At the end of the day, I'm still figuring out exactly what I want out of this, so if you've found a journal you really love, I'm interested in hearing why. I'm open to all flavors of suggestion and will cheerfully ignore suggestions that look like they aren't for me.

posted by telepanda to Grab Bag (9 answers total)

How close to the traditional idea of "journalling" do you want to hew?

I like 642 Things to Write About, which contains, as it claims, 642 writing prompts with some space to complete them -- though you may want more space than they provide.
posted by platitudipus at 2:39 PM on December 10, 2018 [2 favorites]

I like the quotes in the variousKnock-Knock Inner Truth Journals. They're not too flowery, and they provide some prompting without being so specific that you are going to get frustrated if you aren't feeling those feelings. They also have some humor without being too silly. My favorite is I'm Doing My Best.
posted by assenav at 2:41 PM on December 10, 2018

The One Line a Day journal may fit your needs. It comes in non-flowery options, although I personally love the celestial one (it's sparkly!) but I get that might not be your aesthetic. There's also a Q & A journal that looks good too, but I haven't seen that one myself so can't really speak for it although it's supposed to be similar - at least in concept, but with an added prompt for writing per day.
posted by ninazer0 at 3:07 PM on December 10, 2018

My SIL asked for this A Note to Self journal by Alex Elle, and i might finally get myself a journal by Moorea Seal. When I search Amazon for Moorea Seal I'm also getting some promising things like Zen as F*ck and Practice You - which have done attitude or are not empty but not flowery.
posted by jrobin276 at 5:48 PM on December 10, 2018

I am on my THIRD 10-year-journal. Each page has 10 segments of 4 lines each day, for instance December 10, 2015 through 2018. Also lots and lots of blank pages to continue any particular day.

I love this journal, because:
1) If I'm not very interested in writing, I just jot down what has stood out for me that day, which forces at least a tiny bit of introspection.

2) If I need/want to write more, there's plenty of room. This happens more and more frequently, to my surprise.

3) Since I started with short notes, my writing practice has expanded, and I've actually written opinion pieces and reviews and personal history.

4) It is so amazingly entertaining to look back several years, or several decades. And startling - that happened five years ago??
posted by kestralwing at 8:26 PM on December 10, 2018 [1 favorite]

I've been using the Five year Journal. Does a sort of monthly prompts/goals/recaps, but leaves you to yourself to do what you want to do on every day's lines. I'm on my third one and yes, like kestralwing, it's amazing just knowing where you were five years ago. I also keep another regular blank page journal, but that only sees occasional (once a week or so) use.
posted by Arthur Dent at 8:45 PM on December 10, 2018

Best answer: I had never been able to consistently stick to journaling (usually more like sporadic lengthy entries when I´m feeling inspired)...until The 5 Minute Journal. I.Love.This.Thing. I´ve been doing it for over a year now. I have the hardcover version and also make use of the free app when I´m on the go. The idea is that it helps you to develop a practice (5 minutes in the morning and 5 in the evening), with very simple prompts. Sometimes I write more if I´m feeling inspired. In general, it´s helped me to approach my day in a more mindful way, to notice and feel more gratitude, and to (yes) feel happier and more grounded in my life. The site is excellent if you want a peek at the prompts and visuals.
posted by red_rabbit at 10:12 PM on December 10, 2018

I am doing Kim Krans' The Wild Unknown journal right now and I love it! it's just words and space for you to write on the prompts or make art or anything.
posted by fairlynearlyready at 11:09 PM on December 10, 2018

Response by poster: Thank you for all the suggestions; they were very helpful and gave me plenty of food for thought. I decided to go with the 5 minute Journal, and I'm very happy with it thus far. I think it's going to scratch exactly the itch I needed it to.
posted by telepanda at 2:44 PM on January 2, 2019 [1 favorite]