There’s no better place to find writing inspiration than to go out and have an adventure of your own. Even a supposedly uneventful day can offer up a treasure trove of imaginative sparks, any one of which could catch and start a blaze.

But what do you do when you’re stuck inside for days… weeks… months on end? What do you do when nothing inspires you, when nothing feels significant and everything seems to stay the same?

About the time you start thinking thoughts like, “I don’t know what to write in my journal,” is exactly the time when you should pick up a pen and start writing.

Why Write When You Don’t Know What to Write?

Even if writing is only your hobby and not your passion, simply being in the position of wanting to write something but feeling unable to is a sign of encroaching ennui. And while some free time—even boring free time—is good for giving your brain some space, too much of it can be a problem. And of course, for some people, boredom may be a symptom—or even a trigger—of a more serious mental health issue, such as depression.

The best way to combat boredom (and depression, for that matter) is often to simply do something—preferably something that actively engages your attention. Writing, and journaling in particular, is a great option because it allows you to work through your feelings—even feelings you may not be aware yet that you are carrying—and write your way forward through them.

You can write about future goals, or things you are looking forward to, as a way to motivate yourself and remind yourself that you do, in fact, have something to be excited about. Or, you can write about things that scare you, worries that may be weighing you down or even nightmares you’ve been having, as a way to release some of the burden of these feelings and perhaps even work out better ways to deal with them.

And of course, if writing is more than a hobby to you, then it’s always good practice to jot something down, even if you’re just writing it for yourself and don’t plan to share it.

But I Still Don’t Know What to Write in My Journal!

It’s okay to write without knowing where you’re going. Unlike a physical walk down the street, there’s no danger if you get lost along the way, and it doesn’t matter if you ever find your way back to where you started—or where you initially thought you were going. Sometimes, that’s the best kind of writing.

But if you’re not into freewriting, or are still feeling a bit trapped by a bit of blank page paralysis, here are some other ideas to help you get started:

• Write about how you don’t know what to write. Explore the reasons why you feel that way. You might be surprised at how much you’ll come up with.

• Write about your feelings. Even if you don’t feel like you feel anything, write about that. Try exploring the causes, or imagine what you would like to feel instead—and what you can do that might bring those feelings to life.

• Pick one thing, any one thing, that happened today, and describe that event in as much detail as possible. It might seem like something out of a novel to say that even small things can be incredibly significant, but it’s true in real life, too. A book you loaned to a friend might change the course of their life. An apple rolling down the street might inspire you to invent a new kind of wheel. You just never know.

• Rewrite your own narrative. What do you wish you could write about? Writing about the life you wish you had can be a nice daydream, but it also might inspire you to make some real changes to get a little closer to that ideal.

• Write about the past. Reminisce about a favorite memory, or reevaluate a negative event that you might now be able to see as a valuable learning experience. Or, go even further back and write about how different things would be if you lived in another era.

• Write about the future. Writing down your goals can make them more concrete in your mind, making you more likely to pursue and, perhaps, achieve them. Writing about things you’re looking forward to can improve your mood—and writing about things you’re not looking forward to gives you an opportunity to come up with a plan to cope with them if they cannot be avoided.

• Write about where you’re at, right here, right now. Take this as literally as you like. Write whatever comes into your head—or, describe the room you’re in. If nothing else, this is a great exercise in mindfulness.

• Create your own writing prompts. Imagine that you are helping out a friend, and come up with a list of writing suggestions for them. Then, choose one to write about yourself!

Even if you only end up writing a few lines, that’s still a victory worth celebrating.

Writing to Inspire Yourself

This list is by no means exhaustive. There are so many things to write about, even when it doesn’t feel like there are. And that’s the real purpose of meeting the thought “I don’t know what to write about in my journal” head-on by writing in spite of it—to remind yourself that the world is wide and full of things to wonder at, and about.

If you feel trapped, write to open doors for yourself. If you feel lonely, write to reconnect with yourself (or, better yet, write a letter, text, or email to reconnect with a friend). And if you feel uninspired, write to inspire yourself.

Believe it or not, you have that power. So you might as well put it to good use. 🙂

Still don’t know what to write in your journal? Sometimes reading is the best inspiration. If you’d like, feel free to check out my interactive fiction novel, The Harbinger’s Head, if you’re looking for something on the dark side, or check out The Dragon’s Last Flight demo if you’re in the mood for something a little sweeter.