The 10 Best Journals to Increase Creativity

According to Dictionary.com, creativity is defined as “the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc.” Out-of-the-box thinkers, game changers and the unorthodox rely on creativity to set themselves apart from everyone else, especially when problem solving.

Creative thinking frees us from self-judgement; we return to a childlike state where ideas flow regardless of how abnormal they may initially seem. All of the world’s greatest inventions - laptops, aircrafts, cellphones, online shopping- would not have been possible without creative thinking: “These examples showcase that even as the natural progression of the human mind is to constantly seek possibilities, it often resists the possibility of change. Above all, we need to keep alive the idea of possibilities, considering experts have attempted to shoot it down long ago” (CXO Life). 

Ultimately, anyone can learn to be a creative thinker! Through the help of these 10 journals, the “average joe” can increase creativity to improve their lives and the lives of those around them!

The 10 Best Creative Thinking Journals:

Be Yourself (Everyone Else is Already Taken) by Studio Oh!

Be Yourself (Everyone Else is Already Taken) is a guided journal full of prompts, checklists and diagrams to help users with introspective self-discovery. This journal is filled with colorful, uniquely designed pages to inspire its users to reflect on their past, present and dreams. Be Yourself (Everyone Else is Already Taken) is available on Amazon for $19.98.

Wreck This Journal by Keri Smith

Throw your perfectionism out the window with Keri Smith’s Wreck This Journal. This best-seller asks its users to make a mess—no really—of the journal by spilling coffee, ripping, and coloring all over its pages. Journalers can “escape the fear of the blank page” in both paperback ($14.03) and diary ($29.97) form on Amazon.

Steal Like an Artist Journal by Austin Kleon

Steal Like an Artist Journal is based on Austin Kleon’s book of the same name. Kleon considers this journal as “a daily course in creativity: a portable workshop and coursebook, jammed full of inspiration, prompts, quotes and exercises designed to turn you into a creative kleptomaniac.” You can purchase the Steal Like an Artist Journal on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Powell’s and BookPeople for $12.95.

Creative Sprint: Six 30-Day Challenges to Jumpstart Your Creativity by Noah & Mica Scalin 

Creative Sprint by Noah and Mica Scalin differs from the other creative journals by offering a timetable in which users should complete their six challenges. These 30-day challenges get users drawing, journaling, taking photos and making collages in order to home in on their creativity. Users can choose to complete one sprint after another or work on their sprints periodically when they need a boost of creativity. Creative Sprint: Six 30-Day Challenges to Jumpstart Your Creativity on Barnes & Noble for $17.99.

The Artist’s Way Workbook by Julia Cameron

The Artist’s Way is one of the bestselling books of all time. Julia Cameron guides readers through restrictions on their creative flow and offers techniques that aid self-growth and self-discovery. The Artist’s Way is available on Amazon for $14.79.

You are an Artist: Assignments to Spark Creation by Sarah Urist Green

You Are An Artist by Sarah Urist Green contains more than 50 assignments, ideas and prompts to “expand your world and help you make outstanding new things to put into it.” These activities are a compilation of work from the world’s most innovative creators, like Sonya Clark, Michelle Grabner, Pablo Helguera, and many more. You Are An Artist can be purchased on Amazon for $12.49.

1 Page at a Time: A Daily Creative Companion by Adam Kurtz

1 Page at a Time houses 365 prompts that encourage readers to draw, write, list, reflect and share their ideas. This journal is full of humor and encouragement to act as creative inspiration for everyday life. 1 Page at a Time: A Daily Creative Companion by Adam Kurtz can be found on Bookshop for $13.80.

You’re Weird: A Creative Journal for Misfits, Oddballs and Anyone Else Who’s Uniquely Awesome by Kate Peterson

You’re Weird: A Creative Journal for Misfits, Oddballs and Anyone Else Who’s Uniquely Awesome by Kate Peterson is filled with lists, writing prompts, activities, strange little doodles to entertain your inner weirdo. This journal celebrates all of the aspects that make us unique while boosting creativity. You’re Weird is available on Amazon for $12.37. 

Leap Write In! Adventures in Creative Writing to Stretch and Surprise Your One-of-a-Kind Mind by Karen Benke

Leap Write In! contains both timed and untimed writing prompts, such as Mini Memoirs, On-the-Spot-Drops, Suddenly a Story, Surprise Yourself Surveys, Untie-Your-Mind Word Lists and Definition Decoders, to help grow self-awareness and emote. This journal is made to boost creative writing for “tweens, teens and other earthlings.” You can buy Leap Write In! Adventures in Creative Writing to Stretch and Surprise Your One-of-a-Kind Mind by Karen Benke on Amazon for $15.69.

The Original Creative Thinking Journal by Pilgrim Soul

Last, but not least, we have The Original Creative Thinking Journal by Pilgrim Soul. The Original Creative Thinking Journal is a guided journal filled with 50+ exercises that help users develop both an understanding of creative thinking and increase their ability to think creatively. This journal is unique as it is meant to be used in a flow state, the most notable being while high. There are other alternatives for the sober user, though. The Original Creative Thinking Journal is available on Pilgrim Soul’s website for $29.95.