Ignore the Writing Rules

Writing in a journal can be many things; it can be a creative activity, a way for you to 
find clarity, a place to keep track of your dreams and aspirations, or just somewhere you 
brain dump all those thoughts running circles in your head. No matter how you choose 
to write in a journal, one thing to remember is that there are no rules. Ignore everything 
you learned in English class, and just write however you want. This is what will help you 
to improve your journaling skills, because it takes all the “work” out of it.


You Aren’t Writing a Novel

As you begin writing in your journal, remember that you aren’t writing a novel or 
anything that someone else is going to read. You don’t have to worry about plots, 
characters, or getting things in the right order. Just start writing about your thoughts, 
bounce around to other ideas as you want, and don’t limit yourself as far as what you 
write about, the language you use, and what the page looks like.

Many people set too many rules for writing in a journal, and quickly get frustrated 
because they feel like they are doing homework. This is not what journaling is! It is for 
you and you only, so you can get out of it whatever you put into it. Make it personal, 
make it fun, and make it much less rigid.


Ignore Spelling and Grammar Mistakes

Similar to the previous rule, you do not need to worry about your spelling and grammar. 
Not sure how to spell a word? Guess. Unsure of sentence structure? Don’t worry about 
it! Skip all the writing rules you learned in school, and just write however you want. 
These mistakes are not important as long as you know what you are trying to say in 
your journal. 

Your journal doesn’t have spellcheck, and you can feel free to just keep writing without 
second-guessing yourself when you stop setting so many rules for your own writing.


Write, Draw, Do What You Want

Another journaling rule to ignore is that your journal can only be writing. There isn’t any 
reason you can’t draw, doodle, use colored pencils, or get creative on your journal 
pages. Some days, you don’t feel as much like writing, so you can get out whatever pen 
or pencil is nearby and just doodle. This mindless activity often leads you to what to 
write about, so it really helps you either way.


