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Daily journal writing can be an excellent tool of self-expression and self-discovery for preteens and teens (actually for kids of all ages!). Journal writing helps them to process the myriad of thoughts, feelings, and emotions they experience and becomes an invaluable tool for understanding their many life experiences. It is also an excellent form of creative self-expression.

But, when faced with a journal full of blank lines or with the task of remembering to write each and every day, some youngsters are simply overwhelmed and unmotivated. To help encourage the healthy habit of daily journal writing by your child, check out the following journal writing tips written especially for kids.

Top Ten Journal Writing Tips

1. Silence your inner critic -- It's your journal and your words and if you took the time to write them down then they are valuable, NO MATTER WHAT!

2. Break the rules -- You can break all the rules (grammar and spelling need not matter) or follow them if you prefer. It's your choice! Either way, there is no such thing as right or wrong in journal writing.

3. Go with the flow to express yourself -- Take time to tune in to how you feel. Do you feel like writing a lot or simply feel like writing one word. When you go with the flow your journal writing comes easily and feels good.

4. Pick a special spot to journal -- Choose a place where you feel safe, happy, and secure and where you feel inspired to lose yourself in your journal writing.

5. Go wild with embellishments -- Use stickers, colored pens, magazine pictures, drawings or photos to jazz up your journal. Being creative with your journal will make your writing experience more colorful, exciting, and fun.

6. Keep it simple -- If your journal writing begins to feel like a task you must accomplish, scale back or take a break. Journal writing is much more enjoyable when it feels spontaneous.

7. Discover your writing style -- All the journal writing tips in the world can only guide you, and in the end you must choose your style based on what works best for you. Ask yourself if you like to use only words (no pictures or stickers) or if you prefer to combine writing and drawing. Maybe poetry dominates your journal or maybe your preference is to break all the rules and simply free write.

8. Create a theme journal -- You can create a dream journal, a wish journal or a journal of family, friends and best moments in life. Be creative in choosing themes and if you run out of ideas you can always research new journal writing ideas on the internet.

9. Rule your Kingdom -- Nothing else matters on the pages of your journal but you. Celebrate, vent, accentuate, complain... it's up to you. Just always, always, be kind to yourself as cruelty hurts and makes you sad.

10. Keep it fun and fulfilling -- If it's not fun and fulfilling, chances are you'll quit writing. So keep it fun by giving yourself permission to try new ways of journal writing and keep it fulfilling by focusing on a wide range of topics (not just sad or bad ones, but happy and exhilarating ones as well).

Daily journal writing is a wonderful tool of expression for preteens and teens but they must feel invested in their writing. The best way to get them -- and to keep them -- invested is to encourage the free expression of their uniqueness and creativity. Let the writer choose the journal writing style that best suits their personality and personal tastes.

Happy journal writing!