10 Unique Places To Find Writing Ideas

Open journal, blank page, no idea what to write? Don’t worry. It happens to everyone. Whether you’re new to journaling or have been journaling consistently for some time, there are days when the ideas aren’t there. Those days when your brain is busy “adulting”! The good news? There are plenty of places where you can find inspirational writing ideas for your next journal entry and beyond. In this blog post, we explore ten such places that may inspire you to grab a pen, some paper and write. Read on…

Where To Find Great Writing Ideas

1. Take a nature walk

When was the last time you went for a walk in the park or forest? Breathing in some fresh air and being surrounded by greenery can help clear your mind and give you some peace and quiet to think of ideas. If you don’t have time for a long walk, just sitting in your backyard for a few minutes can help jumpstart your creativity.

2. People-watch at a busy place

Sitting in a coffee shop or at the mall and observing the people around you can be a great way to get some ideas for writing. How do they interact with others? What are they wearing? What kind of emotions do they seem to be experiencing? Make up a fun story about the person you see. All these factors can open up new writing ideas.

3. Read through old journal entries

This one is especially helpful if you’ve been journaling for a while and have a backlog of old journals or notebooks full of your thoughts and musings. Reading through them can help jog your memory about things that were important to you in the past, which in turn could give you some ideas about what to write about now.

4. Check out local events happening in your area

There’s always something going on, no matter where you live. Checking out upcoming events can not only give you an idea for something to write about, but it can also be a great way to meet new people and gather interesting ideas firsthand. Who knows, maybe you’ll even end up writing about your experience at the event itself!

5. Go through old family photo albums

Looking at photos of your ancestors or other family members from years gone by can give you some ideas for stories or even poems about life back then. What was their everyday life like? What kind of struggles did they go through? How did they end up where they are now? Asking yourself questions like these can help spark some serious creativity.

6. Brainstorm with someone else

Sometimes it helps to have another person bounce ideas off when you’re feeling stuck. Brainstorming with someone else can also help push you outside of your comfort zone and come up with concepts that you might not have thought of on your own.

7. Look through magazines or newspapers

There’s always something interesting happening in the world, so why not write about it? Whether it’s politics, current events, pop culture, or anything else that catches your eye, there are bound to be plenty of ideas for you to work with.

8. Check out online prompts

If you need a little extra push, there are tons of online writing prompts out there that can help get your creative juices flowing. For example, our new random prompt generator tool provides a creative nudge whenever you’re looking for a new writing (or doodling) idea. Random prompts can be a great way to get those mental wheels turning again.

9. Listen to music

For many people, music is a great source of inspiration when they need something new to write about. Listening to different songs and taking note of the lyrics or overall feeling of the tracks can help give you some direction when starting a new piece.  And if lyrics aren’t your thing, try watching music videos instead —they often tell their own stories that could give you an idea.

10. Visit a museum

Spending an afternoon walking around a museum can also be quite helpful when trying to locate new material for writing. Museums are full of history, art, and culture — all three of which make excellent topics to write about. And if museums aren’t really your thing, there are plenty of other places where you can find similar ideas, such as art galleries, historical landmarks, or even walking around downtown.

Bottom Line

We hope this list has given you some ideas about where to look for inspiration the next time you sit down to write. If not, that’s okay — sometimes the best thing you can do is take a break from thinking too hard about anything and let the ideas come naturally. After all, the best ideas often come along when we least expect them!

Take Us On Your Journey

We’ve launched our new random prompt generator tool called Don’t Forget To Write (.net). When you need a journal prompt, doodle prompt, or story prompt idea, we’ve got you covered. Grab your favorite journal (paperback or digital) or best-loved notebook and a pen or pencil. Then find a comfy spot to write, and find your next journaling inspiration idea here: Don’t Forget To Write.Net.