Start a journal: ideas for the first page of a new journal or notebook (2024)

I usually write a list of things I am aiming to achieve. I like these ideas. I definitely want to start writing a journal again.

For me, I found that leaving the 1st 3-5 pages blank for any and all interesting ideas/quotes/prompts/etc… is helpful so I never run out of journal entry ideas.

On the first page of my journal, I write a little introductory paragraph, that mostly talks about what my journal is for, and I know this may seem immature, but I always write a warning about reading my journal. If you would do that, make sure to make it directed to the reader, that way, incase someone was actually snooping, they might feel guilty, and put it back. Finally, I write some basic information about me, like my name, DOB, and address. On the back of that page, I start of by my favourite quote, and I list down my goals for that year, and I keep a few empty spaces, just incase I wanted to add any goals, throughout the year.

Hi! I have a blank notebook and I haven’t write anything in there. I love to write but I dont have any idea what should I write.

It is very close to the new year so I am going to make a resolution to keep a journal as a documentation of events that I feel are important.As of the new year I’m going to a new school (I am a 7th grader), so I felt this was a good time to start a serious and honest journal. I loved so many of your ideas and I have decided to make a quick summary of my life so far and add in a list of goals for my 13th year. I also thought it would be cool to quote lyrics to a song that relates to each journal entry (Awesome Right!). another thing normally do in my diaries is not mention who I am or use a code name just in case I lose it somewhere because I really don’t want some creep who knows all my deepest darkest secrets trying to friend me on Facebook! Ha Ha loved the article, you are a genius!!

I do a simple collage on the first page, with pictures from magazines, to visualise my intention for the notebook. I also use inspirational quotes, and key words 🙂

Hi Kate, I just found your list on Pinterest. I have several types of journals that I write in as and when I have something of interest or bugging me. Your ideas for a first page are both different and usable to me. I think I will be using more than one idea on the first few pages of my very new (It hasn’t arrived yet) first-time bullet journal. Thank you for your inspiration!!

Hi, this is a lovely post.
I always worry I will make notebooks look messy, so always end up with a pile of empty ones on my desk!
If I do ever have the courage to start one I often just put my name in nice handwriting and the date I started writing in the notebook. I sometimes leave a space to write the day I filled up all the pages too.

This is a great list! For me, I always reserve the front page for something special, but it ends up staying like that for years =/ Thanks for sharing. =]

[…] 23 Ideas For The First Page Of Your Journal […]

I haven’t started yet, but have been contemplating it. My concern is depending on what I write, what if someone else reads it. Sometimes it’s better to not have “evidence” of your thoughts. And in what tense do you write in it. I suppose any tense you want. But am I to assume someone will eventually read it…. like after I’m dead, or if a boyfriend or friend stumble upon it and end up reading some of it. And then that goes back to the beginning, what if I write terrible things about them or something and they read it.
And what do I do after I’ve written in it for awhile? Go back to the beginning and read what I wrote? It seems kind of silly to me to write all my thoughts and not have anyone read it. But at the same time, I don’t want anyone reading them. I’m confused.

For my journal, I just wrote ‘Sincerely’ very large in the center, and every time I write something inside I sign the first page. It looks really cool with all the different utensils, and I’ve noticed that my signatures change over time!

I always start my new journals with the same lyric from “Edge of Seventeen” by Stevie Nicks: “And the days go by, like a strand in the wind, in the web that is my own, I begin again…”

For my cover and first page of my Journal, I put pictures of me, friends, family, quotes, lyrics, bands, feelings I feel about myself or who I believe I am ( my bad habits and flaws and everything else) etc. everything and anything I loved or the people I have in my life at the time when I start my journal. That way by the time I finish it I could see what changed in my life over the time or if I changed at all.

Fabulous list for the first page of a new journal or notebook. I dedicate the book to my self-discovery process. Journal writing is an exceptional self-care tool! Thanks for sharing.
Nancy Andres

I am reading the comments . Everyone is leaving the first pages blank. It’s a good idea, but I don’t like doing it. I write in my journals every day, and for each day I start with a page, where I write the date and than leave it blank. So at the end of the day I can write there a quote or song lyrics that talks about how my day was, or what I was thinking about. It really makes me feel free:D Sorry for my English, it’s not perfect. But in my opinion nothing on this world is perfect. Thanks for reading, have a nice day:)

I have a small book that I started about 6 years ago and every now and then I open it and on whichever page it opens at, I write how I feel that day, or just a general outpouring of my feelings. Some pages are just drawing, some just writing, some have paint etc. The book just fills organically if you like. There is no start and no finish, just random parts of my life – if that makes sense! I have realised that is it really my ‘angry’ book as it always seems to be when I am down I turn to the book, let it all out and it makes me feel better! I have other journals that are more artistic and fun, but I do like having one book which is where I can just be negative if you see what I mean, as it makes all my other work better! My life can’t be all that bad as I still have many empty pages! I used the front page to explain what the book was about – just incase anyone reading it thought I was constantly angry!

I’m so happy I discovered this list… I was actually on your 15 Different Journals to Keep list! I tend to leave the first few pages of my journals blank. Horrendous hand writing, and a snoopy family are usually to blame, but I see a couple of these are perfect to counteract those problems! Thanks a million and a half! (:

Lovely post!

[…] Not sure what to do on the first blank page of your new journal? Try one of these […]

I love these ideas. I will use them, no question, but it has also inspired me to make an inspiration page of my own listing some of these and other ideas as well. Thank you!

Or just write out the year really neatly

Love your list! I agree that keeping entries simple is often better. I recently published a journal to make journaling easier.

I usually leave my first page blank and I don’t know why I do that but I’ve always done that. For my regular journaling, as part of my daily or on the days I journal I should say, I add a word of the day and the meaning. I just look up random words that sound interesting on the internet and jot it down. Sometimes I also share the biggest headlines that catch my attention of that day. I pick random days to list the price of gas on that particular day as well. I don’t think I have a rhyme or reason but I love to just journal how I’m feeling or what I’m thinking. It really helps when I’m mad about something and I can use my rainbow of colors to express my now.

Hello. Recently I’ve started including a passport photograph of myself. I typically spend 3 to 4 months in a journal and my hairstyles change, my look changes so I put a photo in.
Also included are my Bible verse for the year (the journal isn’t for religious purposes but the verse usually encourages me and I like to see it often).
I may have a quote that has caught my mind beofre starting it so will include that and then I fill in as I like or just leave it with the things I’ve mentioned.
Started daily (very loose use of the word) journaling again in 2013 and it’s been great!
Thank you for this write-up

I just started my very first journal. On my first page I just wrote a list of journaling ideas to reflect back on, but for my first entry I wrote a list of wishes for myself. I wrote them similar to the way I would write wishes to a newly married couple or a new born baby. I think I will use the first couple of pages for inspirational quotes. Thank You for the suggestions!

I leave the first page open for any quotes I could easily come about finding in which might be of my liking or relate to my journals content. For the next page, couple of pages, or just the vary back of the first one I might put in a simple sort of like, if you will, table of contents or descriptive like state for/of each section of my journal as so I can easily find where I wrote or stopped writing of a certain time or thing. That way I can go back and either add to it, used the/that particular idea for other writing, or even daily activities such as if it were a recipe. Journals in a lot of ways are used to help keep my though,t pacifically those in danger of being forgotten and lost, in/on track. I do a lot of writing, drawing, am into music, and overall am just very VERY creative and there for are always coming up with ideas. This is great as long as I remember and keep track of my journals and notebooks instead of constantly misplacing them.

I always put my full name the beginning entry date and the last entry date.
Then I fill it with current favorite family pictures, stickers, cut out coloring’s i’ve done.
sometimes the kids have gotten ahold of it and drawn a picture or scribbled so I draw a heart around it and the date their name and age. 🙂
Not sure why but I’ve always done it this way through all my journals starting in 1989.

I always draw my favorite scenes or animals on that first page so I always feel inspired when I open my book.

I write a warning for snoopers and just write the nam eof my diary (you can name it) on the first page!

I love the suggestions and ideas

Hi,
I am starting my very first journal. I was looking for some ideas of what to write in the first page of journal, that I found this weblog…
The content and also the comments, every thing is very useful and inspiring!
Thank You For All Of Them