Journaling is a powerful tool for self-reflection, personal growth and mental clarity, but if you’re new to journaling it can be difficult to know where to start. At first glance, there are a lot of different forms and styles, and even just knowing what to write can feel a little overwhelming.

Well, the good news is that, yes, there are lots of ways to journal but those ways effectively boil down to two main approaches: guided or unguided journaling.

Today I’ll be looking at the major differences between guided and unguided journaling, as well as their key features and the benefits and drawbacks of each style to help you decide which is right for you!

What is guided journaling?

Guided journaling is simply a structured style of journal writing, and by structured, I mean it often makes use of things like prompts, templates or pre-set questions to guide your writing. 

Commonly this will be in the format of pre-made journaling books, apps, workbooks or themed journal templates. 

Guided journaling has some great benefits such as

• Helping beginners who struggle with where to start. Plenty of people suffer from that fear of the blank page and knowing what to write. A guided journal mitigates that by prompting you to write on a set theme.
  
  
• Keeps journaling focused on specific topics. Whether it’s a gratitude journal, career journal, mindfulness journal or any other style, using a guided journal helps you stay on theme with your journal goal and can make you think about your chosen topics in ways that you might not necessarily have thought of alone.
  
  
• Provides structure, which can enhance consistency. For some people, the biggest barrier to entry with journaling is coming up with what to write every day, and guided journals remove this concern by having your daily topic set ahead of time. This means you can focus more on the act of writing, and worry less about what you are supposed to write about.
  

What is unguided journaling?

Unguided journaling then, as you may have guessed, is the opposite of guided journaling. This is freeform writing, without a set structure or prompts. It will often take the form of stream-of-consciousness, morning pages, diarised entries or reflective writing.

This can have many benefits such as:

• Encouraging deeper self-expression and creativity. You’re not reliant on someone else’s pre-set questions or prompts so your mind is forced to focus on the task and come up with things to write about, and arguably because the topic comes from within, it can be more self–expressive.
  
  
• Allows for more flexibility and spontaneity. For some people, the structure of a guided journal can be off-putting, especially if you find that certain prompts or templates aren’t relevant to you. With an unguided journal, you can write about any topic, or change topics mid-entry which allows for a bit more freedom.
  
  
• Helps process emotions and thoughts in real time. If you’re experiencing something that you could use your journal to work through, but your guided journal doesn’t give you a way into the subject through that day’s prompt, it can become frustrating. With unguided journaling, you are more free to write about anything that is on your mind, as it comes to you, which many people find useful.
  

Comparing guided and unguided journaling

So, now we know the definition of guided and unguided journaling, let’s take a look at an at-a-glance comparison of the two styles:

How to choose the right journaling style for you

There’s no right or wrong answer to whether you should start a guided or unguided journal. It’s largely going to depend on what you feel you need at the time. If you have a very specific goal in mind for your journal (career journaling or goal journaling and habit tracking for example), or you want to challenge yourself with probing questions, or the thought of free writing sounds terrible to you, then maybe consider a guided journal. If, on the other hand, you value total freedom in your journaling habit, or you are focused on creativity or deep self-discovery then try an unguided journal. Some basic rules of thumb that might also help you decide are: 

• If you’re new to journaling → Start with guided prompts. Guided journaling can be a great entry point if you’re new to the hobby. It takes away the pressure of having to come up with a subject to write about and it sets expectations about what a journal entry ‘should’ look like. While the structure can be off-putting for some, for others it’s exactly what they need to build a consistent journaling habit.
  
  
• If you prefer freedom and exploration → Try unguided writing. There are many people who find the structure of a guided journal somewhat restrictive, or who get frustrated if they feel the pre-set prompts aren’t relevant to their situation or don’t allow them to address their thoughts and feelings at a given time. There are also plenty of people who just enjoy the creativity of unguided journaling. If that’s you, and unguided journaling helps you stay consistent, then that’s perfect.
  
  
• If you want a mix → Combine both styles based on your needs. If you want the best of both worlds, then try combining elements of guided and unguided journaling. You can use online prompts for specific journaling goals and then free-write about your experiences and thoughts throughout the day. You could write in a guided journal in the morning and an unguided journal in the evening. You could dedicate one page to stream-of-consciousness writing and a second page to a templated layout for any structured elements you want to keep track of. Your journal is a tool and it needs to work for you, so never feel like you’re beholden to one style or format, and if you choose you can never go back and try something different. Experiment and test different styles and elements and combine them into a toolbox that works for your needs.
  
  

Blending both approaches

Guided and unguided journals both have their own specific benefits and drawbacks, and the style that speaks to you is largely going to depend on your preferences and your requirements for your journal. Ultimately, your journaling habit will likely become a hybrid of styles over time so don’t be afraid to try things and experiment with styles until you find what works for you.

If you are looking to introduce structured elements to your journaling habit, why not check out the extensive journaling prompts section on this website?