You sit down, begin writing and follow what is on your mind. Freewriting and journalling—often spelled “journaling” outside Australia—overlap, but they are not quite the same practice.
Journalling generally records, reflects on or helps you understand your life and experiences. Freewriting emphasises continuous writing without stopping to edit, judge or control where the words go.
What is freewriting?
Freewriting is a technique built around one instruction: keep writing. You might set a timer for ten minutes and write continuously until it ends.
You do not stop to correct spelling, rewrite sentences or impose a structure. You do not necessarily need a topic, and the writing is allowed to wander.
Freewriting encourages continuous movement, less self-editing, unexpected thoughts, idea generation and exploration. The immediate aim is not necessarily to create something worth keeping. It is to keep words and thoughts moving.
What is journalling?
Journalling is usually more reflective. You might write about what happened, how you feel, something you are worried about, a problem, a source of gratitude, a goal or an experience you want to remember.
There are no universal rules. A journal can be highly structured, completely unstructured or somewhere between. The important distinction is that you are usually writing about something: an experience, question, subject or reflection.
A simple example
Imagine that you had a terrible day at work. A journal entry might begin:
Work was awful today. I had an argument with someone, and I’ve been thinking about it all afternoon.
You could then reflect deliberately on what happened, how you responded and what you feel. That is journalling.
A freewriting session might begin with the same sentence, but then follow an unexpected association:
Work was awful today. I had an argument with someone, and I’ve been thinking about it all afternoon. I don’t know why it bothered me so much. Maybe it wasn’t the argument. Something in the way he said it reminded me of…
Freewriting gives you permission to follow that “somewhere else.” You do not have to stay on topic.
Freewriting has rules; journalling has a purpose
Freewriting can have stricter rules than journalling, although they are unusual ones: keep going, do not edit, delay judgement and do not worry about staying on topic.
Journalling does not require any of that. You can pause, think, construct sentences carefully, answer prompts, make lists or revise something. The method is flexible because the purpose is usually reflection rather than continuous writing.
Can you freewrite in a journal?
Absolutely. Freewriting is a technique; journalling is more of a practice. You can use freewriting as your journalling method.
Set a timer and write about whatever occupies your mind, with no editing, structure or requirement to reach a conclusion. You are journalling through freewriting.
Which is better for self-discovery?
Both can be useful. Journalling lets you reflect deliberately: you can ask why something bothered you and think carefully about the answer. Freewriting takes a looser route by following whatever associations appear.
One is more deliberate; the other is more exploratory. Sometimes deliberate reflection is useful. At other times, letting thoughts wander can reveal an unexpected question or connection.
Which is better for writers?
Freewriting helps separate creation from editing. When developing an article, story, script or book, you can freewrite around a subject before attempting the finished piece. You are discovering what you might have to say.
Journalling can also generate ideas, especially from personal experiences, observations and lessons. The practices do not need to compete; they can feed each other.
Try both
Try journalling
Choose something that happened today. Write about what happened, how you felt, why you reacted that way, what you learned and what you might do differently.
Try freewriting
Set a timer for ten minutes. Start with whatever is present, keep writing, do not edit and do not worry about where the words go. Stop when the timer ends, then compare the two experiences.
The difference does not need to be perfect
There is no hard border. You can journal freely, freewrite about your life or start with a journal prompt and end up freewriting.
If you are deliberately reflecting on experience, you are probably journalling. If you are deliberately removing the brakes and writing continuously wherever your thoughts go, you are probably freewriting.
Sometimes you are doing a little of both.