31 Days of Creative Journal Prompts & Ideas: Loptober '26
Updated: Sep 26
If you've always wanted to start journaling, but don't know where to start... come sit with me for a spell!
There are tons of challenges floating around during the month of October, but I wanted to create one specifically for people who have been interested in trying journaling, but have no idea where to start. I've compiled a list of 31 prompts ranging from creative activities to more open-ended questions. There are so many different styles of journaling, so my hope for this challenge is that you can figure out what works for you!
The number one question I get is: "how do you stick with journaling?" But I'll be honest with y'all... it wasn't until I hit my 30s that I finally found something that stuck. Before that, I had a huge stack of half-empty notebooks littered throughout my office. I loved the idea of bullet journaling, but between my auDHD and my busy schedule, I just couldn't stick with it.
But I finally cracked the code...
Journaling should be FUN! For the longest time, I was treating it as more of a chore than something to look forward to. I mean, who wants to unwind after a long day of work with MORE work? I took bits and pieces from various journaling styles and mashed them together into something that allowed me to have a creative outlet and reprieve from my chaotic thoughts. Unfortunately, what works for me might not work for you... but that's why this challenge exists!
NOTE: This post will be updated throughout the month as I complete my own prompts! So forgive the post for being a little naked right now...
Read through the prompts. Pick out a few that speak to you. Give 'em a try. Journaling can be whatever you want it to be: lists, diary entries, bits and pieces collected throughout the day, etc. There is no wrong way to journal. My hope for you, is that after this month ends, you can look back through your journal and mix and match all of your favorite activities into a style that works for you.
Here's a printable to include in your journal for quick reference! This printable includes the simplified themes, but you can always refer back to this post for more in-depth writing prompts. Click here to download, print, and then just fold in half to tuck inside your journal!
How do I participate?
There are 31 prompts total! You can simply use the theme of the day as inspiration for your journal spread, or you can use the corresponding journal prompt. You can click here to download a printable to tuck away into your journal, or you can return to this page any time. (I'll be updating this page as I complete more of the prompts myself!)
You can take a photo of your spread and post to Instagram, Twitter, or TikTok with #loptober2026. I'll be sharing them to my story and compiling them in my IG highlights! At the end of the month, I'll be opening a form. If you complete at least 15 prompts, you can submit to the form to receive a free sticker!
After the month ends, I'll be posting an article on different journaling styles! You can look back through the prompts you enjoyed the most, and find the style that suits you best.
Here's some tips for getting started!
You don't need a fancy journal and supplies to get started! Just find an old notebook, a pen, and whatever else you have lying around. If your notebook already has writing in it, that's fine! Just slap a sticker over it, tear it out, etc. Sometimes creativity comes from using what we have.
Stop comparing your handwriting to others! Are you a typewriter? Your handwriting is uniquely yours, and it will only improve the more you practice your writing. You're leaving a recorded history behind. You may not embrace your imperfections now, but it will be a treasure in the years to come.
Writing journal entries may feel awkward at first. It gets easier as you practice, and your unique voice is something that will be developed with time. It helps me to imagine that I'm talking to an old friend rather than just writing words in a page. If I imagine myself responding to someone else rather, the words flow easier. You can always call up a friend and discuss the prompts to get some practice.
Feel free to join the Trouble Bun community server to ask for help, ideas, and feedback on your spreads and prompts. We'd love to see your spreads and get to know you!
2026 Prompts
Day 1: Frikkin' Bats
Start off the month with a title page and a snapshot of where you're at! Make a list using the following prompts. Feel free to add any other information you consider relevant.
What media are you currently watching, reading, or playing?
What are you looking forward to this month?
What are you worrying about? Are there any events upcoming?
What are your current favorite snacks? Any food fixations?
Day 2: Hit List
Make a bucket list for all of the autumn activities you're excited for. It doesn't have to be extravagant outings; it can be as simple as baking Pillsbury sugar cookies or visiting a coffee shop with a good friend. Revisit the list when you're bored and see how many you can tick off before autumn comes to an end.
Day 3: Scavenger Hunt
Make a scavenger hunt. You can pick a handful of things to find throughout the month. Fill your page up with goodies as the month progresses. Keep an eye out for fallen leaves as you take your afternoon walk, save candy wrappers, etc. You could also choose to keep your eye out for a certain color (like orange and black) and collect them as you go about your day-to-day! As an example, I've made a scavenger hunt template for y'all below. Feel free to use either version in your journal, or just use it as inspiration for your own.
Day 4: Memory Lane
When you think back to what Halloween was like as a kid, what stands out the most in your memory? Make a moodboard or collage to try and capture the feeling of Halloween during your childhood. If you don't have access to a printer, you can opt to write about your favorite nostalgic treats and traditions.
Day 5: Golden Hour
"Golden hour" refers to the time just before the sun sets, or after it rises. It's a very brief period of time, but the sunlight is softer and casts a golden hue over the world. Write down a list of five (or more) beautiful things in your day-to-day life that you might take for granted. You can also choose to write about a mundane memory that still makes you feel warm and fuzzy.
Day 6: Campfire Story
Think back to a moment you experienced that you still can’t explain. Write about it as if you're telling a scary story around a campfire. Embellish the details! Be dramatic! Come up with ridiculous explanations.
Day 7: Thriller
Make a film “Bingo” with your favorite horror movie tropes. See how long it takes you to get a full card as you watch your favorite Halloween classics throughout the month. I've attached one below if you'd like to use it, as well as a blank template for you to fill out on your own. You can also customize it to suit your other interests or hobbies. For example, you could use common book tropes, or set it up for walking through the Halloween decor aisle.
Day 8: Witch's Brew
Write down your favorite coffee or tea order, as well as your friends' favorite orders.
If you regularly frequent coffee shops, start saving your receipts to paste in your journal! Do you tend to order the same thing every day, or do you frequently switch it up? What do you think your order says about you as a person? If you're a tea drinker, save the tags or packaging from your daily cuppa and paste them on a blank page.
Day 9: Let's Go, Ghouls!
Make some punch cards for your journal! You can use them to stay driven or keep track of tasks. Every time you do an activity, either punch a hole or put a sticker or stamp down. Once you fill it up, treat yourself to a small reward. I chose Fall Cleaning, End-of-Year Business Tracking, Reading, and Home Cooking for my punch cards! You can use my Canva template to make your own punch cards online!
Day 10: Caution!
If you came with a full warning label, what would it say? Do you tend to get hangry? Do certain noises just drive you batty? Think about
Day 11: Radio Static
Make a playlist of your current top 10 songs! Include any lyrics that are stuck in your head. My favorite app for playlist recaps is Receiptify! All you have to do is authorize the app and you can generate lists based on your actual listening habits. It works with Spotify or Last.fm. You can just copy it down or download the "receipt" and paste it into your journal!
(Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with this app in any way, I just like it!)
Day 12: Crystal Ball
Describe your ideal life, if money and time weren't an issue. Where would you live? What would your job be (if any?) Would you travel from place to place if you could, or do you aspire to be the ultimate homebody? Are there any steps you can take to get closer to these dreams?
Day 13: In Case of Emergency
Make yourself a "Bad Day Survival Guide." You can include things like:
Easy self-care activities.
A list of people you can talk to when you're having a bad day.
Your favorite snacks, drinks, and comfort foods.
Songs that make you feel better.
Day 14: Crime Scene
Gather up all your sticky notes and loose scraps from around your desk and make an "evidence/conspiracy" board. If you're not the type to jot down notes or leave papers lying around, think back to a time you were "wronged" and frame it as if it were a crime scene. Example: maybe your partner ate the last piece of your favorite candy. Compile "evidence" connecting your "suspect" to the "crime," like candy wrappers in the trash, or chocolate smeared on lips.
Day 15: Bloodsuckers
Is there anything in your life that is currently "draining" you? This could be anything from unfinished tasks cluttering our thoughts, a shitty boss, etc. Make a list of all the things that are currently bothering you and review it. Is there anything you can get rid of? What can you do to restore some of your energy?
Day 16: Sweet Tooth
Fun-sized candy is everywhere during October! Instead of chucking them in the bin, make a dump page for all of your accumulated candy wrappers. If you're feeling a bit extra, you can rate them or write little notes about each one.
Day 17: WANTED!
Make yourself a comical "Wanted" poster! What crime did you commit? Where were you last spotted? Is there a reward for your capture?
Day 18: Lost Media
What are some old shows or books that you used to enjoy that you haven't thought about for a long time? Are they as good as you remember? Revisit some of your old favorites and take a trip down memory lane.
Day 19: Gravedigger
Make a "graveyard" in your journal. You can use it to...
Dump all of your unused stickers.
Make a headstone for every book you "DNF'd!"
Write down any tasks that you forgot about!
Day 20: Pumpkin Guts
What would your ideal Trick-or-Treat haul include? Make a little paper pumpkin and fill it up with your favorite candies and snacks. You can make a list, draw, or print out photos to use!
Day 21: Game Over
Think about your life currently, and plan the next month or so out as if it were a video game. What is the Main Questline? What about Side Quests? What's in your inventory at the moment? Are you at full health or are you runnin' a lil low on stamina?
Day 22: Summoning Circle
If someone wanted to summon you, what are five things they would include in their summoning circle? Be creative with how you construct your little summoning circle... and remember: Loppy is not responsible for any manner of creature accidentally summoned!
Day 23: Ransom Note
Make a collage using only letters and photos from junk mail, catalogs, and other scraps from around your house. If you're feeling extra adventurous, go on a quick walk and see what random papers you can scrounge up from around your town (think business cards, forgotten shopping lists, etc.)
Day 24: Slasher
Everyone likes to think they'd survive in a horror movie, but let's be honest with ourselves for a second. Do you truly think you would survive in a horror movie or would you be the first to die? What would your role in a horror movie be? Would you be comic relief, or do you have final girl energy?
Day 25: Grimoire
Make a "To Be Read" list. Go through your bookshelves and write down books you haven't read yet, or log books that you want to read once they're released. If you're not much of a reader, you can adapt this prompt to your media of choice. For example, you can make a list of Netflix series you've been wanting to binge, or video games you want to play!
Day 26: Hunter's Moon
Reflect back on your life and reflect on all the phases you've gone through. Make a timeline of the "phases of you" that led you to where you are today. Did you have an awkward phase? An "emo phase?" What phase are you "currently" in?
Day 27: Crow Confetti
A trinket can be anything, really. Pick five of your favorite trinkets and write about where you found them and what they mean to you. Maybe you collect soda tabs or old shopping lists. Write about your collection, what it means to you, and why you started in the first place!
Day 28: Monster Mash
What Halloween costumes have you worn over the years? Which were the most iconic? Make a log of all the costumes you can remember, and maybe dig up some old photos with the help of friends and family.
Day 29: Autopsy
“Dissect” your personality. What do you think makes you the person you are? Write a list of five personality traits, five unique interests, and five negative attributes. What makes you tick?
Day 30: Brain Worms
Make a brain dump. Set a timer for 15-minutes and write down everything that’s on your mind, including things you need to do, worries, etc. Compile all tasks in a running to-do list. Address worries by dissecting why they're bothering you, and what you can do to fix them.
Day 31: Skeleton Key
Write a letter to your future self to read on next Halloween. How do you feel right now? What are you looking forward to in the following year? Do you have any goals you're hoping to achieve. Write to yourself like you're talking to an old friend. Then tuck the letter away in a safe space until next year.
Free Printable Pattern Set
As a thanks for reading this far, I've designed a special set of Halloween papers for everyone to use. These papers were created using vintage papers from the early 1900s. Feel free to use them for personal use, crafting, wallpapers, etc! Click here to download the ZIP folders for these papers.
I hope you enjoy this little challenge! And as always...
Sending lops of love,
Loppy Rae
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