on Writing Forward:

Every expert in the world thinks you should keep a journal. Physical trainers suggest keeping an exercise journal, and nutritionists recommend keeping track of your meals. Oprah insists on a gratitude journal, and business consultants promote journaling one’s career.

How much journal writing can one person do?

Journals are, first and foremost, the forté of writers. Journal writing provides a space where thoughts, ideas, stories, and poems can be recorded. We can turn to our journals when we’re inspired, and then we can turn to them again when we need inspiration.

Some journals are topical while others are a hodgepodge. You might use several different journals, each for different projects or topics, or you might use one journal for everything. There’s no right or wrong way, and there are no limits to the journal ideas you can use to inform and inspire your creative writing projects.