Random journal prompts to answer out loud

How the generator works

It gathers every prompt in the themes you ticked and picks one at random. The prompt on screen is never picked twice in a row.

• Pool = every prompt in the ticked themes
• Pick = a random position in the pool, from your browser's random number
• The prompt on screen is left out of the next pick
• With all 8 themes ticked, each pick is one of 80 prompts

The themes

Every theme has 10 prompts. Untick the ones that don't suit today.

Prompts about today and small things

A sample from the Today and Small things themes. These suit a short entry at the end of the day.

• Tell the story of today as if you were explaining it to someone who arrives tomorrow.
• Say what you ate today and who you shared it with, if anyone.
• Explain what you would redo if you got a second take on one hour of today.
• Talk through what is still on your mind from today and whether it can wait until tomorrow.
• Describe something you saw today that most people would walk past.
• Talk about a smell you noticed recently and what it reminded you of.
• Describe the light in the room right now and how it has changed since morning.
• Describe something you are looking forward to that is less than a week away.

Prompts about people and places

A sample from the People and Places themes. Describing a person or a room in detail is easier out loud than on paper.

• Tell the story of how you met someone you now see often.
• Describe how a friend laughs, as precisely as you can.
• Describe a stranger you noticed recently and what you guessed about them.
• Say what you would want a close friend to know about how you are doing right now.
• Walk through your childhood home room by room, describing what you remember.
• Talk about a shop, cafe or corner in your neighborhood and the people who pass through it.
• Describe a place that has changed since you first knew it.
• Describe the sounds you can hear right now, near and far.

Prompts about memories and choices

A sample from the Memories and Choices themes. Give these a few minutes and let the story wander.

• Tell the story of a meal you still remember years later.
• Describe a toy, book or object you loved as a child.
• Describe a holiday or celebration from childhood as if you were standing in the room.
• Talk through a time you were brave before you felt ready.
• Talk through a decision you are weighing, saying each option out loud as if you had already picked it.
• Talk about something you keep saying yes to and whether you still mean it.
• Say what you are putting off, and what the first five minutes of it would look like.
• Talk about one thing you would stop doing if nobody would notice.

Prompts about work and what's ahead

A sample from the Work and projects and What's ahead themes. These work well on a Sunday evening or a commute.

• Talk through what you worked on today and what is now one step closer.
• Talk about something you are learning and the part that still feels clumsy.
• Talk about a person whose work you admire and what you would borrow from them.
• Talk through a mistake at work that taught you something useful.
• Describe what you hope tomorrow morning looks like, in order.
• Tell your future self what is going on right now, as a short update.
• Talk about a tradition you would like to start.
• Describe a conversation you want to have soon and how you hope it goes.

Tips and edge cases

A prompt is a way in, not an assignment. If it doesn't fit, skip it.

• Press Another prompt as often as you like. Skipping is part of using a generator.
• Untick every theme and the generator asks you to tick one before it picks.
• Picks are random, so a prompt you saw a few picks ago can come back.
• If you get stuck, start with "I don't know, but" and keep talking for a minute.
• With scripts turned off, the first prompt and the samples on this page still work as a list.