Journal prompts for bloggers

I love writing in my journal, and even though I don't write every day I find that it's a really good way of putting my thoughts in order. I like to write about what I've been doing, things that I've learned or researched, things that I want to do and just random thoughts about various aspects of my life.

I often find myself writing about things that have interested me or caught my attention that have later made it into a blog post. I thought I'd have a think about how keeping a journal has been helpful for me when it comes to writing my blog.

I've put together some journal prompts for bloggers, both for myself and to share. I think that they fall into two different categories - firstly journal prompts which are for your own private thoughts and secondly journal prompts that help you to explore ideas, spark creativity, and which may become useful when writing future posts.

Journal prompts for private reflection

Why did you start your blog? For me it was to share photographs and updates of the children with the wider family, but it quickly moved on from there.

Why did you continue blogging, what was your motivation? 

How has the look and feel of your blog changed over time?

What have you gained from blogging? Maybe online companionship or paid work.

What has blogging taught you? For example confidence in using social media, writing skills, how to edit HTML, photo taking and editing.

What challenges have you had while blogging?

What are your favourite topics to blog about and why do you enjoy writing about them?

What puts you into a blogging mood?

What gives you ideas for blog posts?

What are your blogging goals? Some ideas - to post more frequently, to update older posts, to improve photography, to improve sharing on social media.

Are you happy with your blog? What would you like to change?

Photo credit Jodie Cook via Unsplash

Journal prompts to inspire blogging

What have been your favourite blog posts to write and why? Are there any that could be updated or rewritten with a new perspective?

What subjects do you most enjoy writing about?

What have you never written about? What would you like to write about?

If you've been blogging for a long time, how has your life changed since you started? What new direction could you take the blog in based on new interests, surroundings or family situation?

What advice do you have for someone that is thinking of starting a blog? What blogging tips and tricks would you share?

What would you like to change about your blog?

How would you love your blog to look? Think about posting frequency, structure, images, design, colour scheme and so on.

If you are looking for inspiration when it comes to writing blog posts then you may find this post useful - an entire year of blog post ideas and inspiration.

Christmas journal prompts and ideas

A few years ago I shared how to make a simple Christmas journal and so today I thought I'd share some ideas for journaling prompts that you can use to fill it! There are all kinds of ideas for things to write about, from specific ideas for this year to more general Christmas memories and experiences.

Particular things that you want to remember about Christmas this year

The Christmas activities that you got up to - what part did your children play in the Nativity play? did you visit Father Christmas? was there a school Christmas fair?

A list of the gifts that you and your family received

Which new Christmas decorations did you purchase or make this year?

What Christmas crafts did you do this year?

If you have an Elf on the Shelf, what were his most memorable antics this year?

Did anything new happen this Christmas? any new guests for Christmas dinner, or any activities that you tried for the first time?

What books were you reading this Christmas, and were they festive themed?

Did you stay at home this Christmas or were you visiting family and friends?

What Christmas crafts were you been working on?

Who did you receive Christmas cards from this year and who did you send them to? maybe stick in some of your favourites.

Glue in a page or two from the Christmas television guide so you can see which programmes were popular and which ones come round year after year.

Create a collage with some of your favourite scraps of wrapping paper, gift tags or Christmas cards.

Stick in a page from a toy catalogue (or a print out from the website!) so that you can remember which were the top toys this year and how much they cost.

How do you celebrate Christmas in your family?

What are your Advent calendar traditions? do you have the same one or a new one each year? are they for everyone or just the children? how have Advent calendars changed since you were a child?

What new Christmas traditions have you started as an adult or with your family? for example Elf on the Shelf, Christmas Eve boxes, reindeer food, gingerbread houses.

Your memories of Christmas past

What sort of Christmas tree did you have growing up? was it real or artificial?

What do you remember eating for Christmas dinner growing up? how has it changed?

What Christmas crafts did you do at school or with your parents?

What Christmas films did you watch growing up?

Do you have any heirloom or vintage Christmas decorations from your childhood that you still display today?

What were your family Christmas traditions as a child? have you continued them now that you are an adult?

Ask other family members, for example your parents or grandparents, to contribute their own Christmas memories, both of you as a child and of their own childhoods.

General Christmas topics to write about

What would it not be Christmas without?

Ten (or more!) things that you love about Christmas.

Do you prefer a real or an artificial Christmas tree? why? 

Share some of your favourite seasonal recipes and the memories associated with them.

What are your favourite Christmas songs and carols and what do they remind you of? copy out the lyrics so that you have a record in your journal.

What are your favourite Christmas movies to watch with your family?

What are your favourite Christmas tree ornaments and decorations? are there any with particular special memories?

What are your favourite Christmas decorations around the home and garden?

How would you spend your ideal Christmas Day?

Who would be your fantasy Christmas dinner guests?

Which foods do you only eat at Christmas time?

Ask your children some questions about Christmas that you can repeat each year, for example what time will you get up on Christmas morning, what gifts are you hoping to receive, what gifts do you think that Mum and Dad are hoping for, who do you want to spend Christmas with, what foods are you looking forward to eating? Then you can see how their answers change over time!

If you are writing your Christmas journal in the form of a blog then you might find this post helpful - Blog post ideas for Christmas. 

If your journaling style leans more towards video then I also have lots ideas for Christmas Vlogmas videos and vlogging.

I hope that this post has given you plenty of inspiration when you come to record your memories this Christmas!

Photo credit Joanna Kosinka via Unsplash

Main image credit pure julia via Unsplash.