Article: If you choose to begin your entries as a daily log, you'll begin by recounting what you did at the beginning of the day. You'll likely find that this is an easy and effective way to start writing. In the end, it might lead to more involved journal entries. Start off by journaling about monotonous daily activities. For example, write "Today I woke up at 6am and had Frosted Mini-Wheats for breakfast." Use the entry to recount the activities of your day. Cover major discussions you had with family or friends, what you saw on the way to work or school, and even the weather. You can also start your entry as a thought. By starting with a thought, you'll set the tone of your entry. In the end, you'll open yourself up to the possibility of expressing your thoughts and feelings. Start by writing "I'm happy today." Continue by explaining why you feel that way. Think about starting with a thought and then just continuing your entry as a sort of "stream of consciousness." Put everything that enters your mind onto the paper. One of the easiest ways to frame your entry is as a letter. By framing it as a letter, you'll be able to start it and write in a familiar and easy way. In the end, you'll produce natural prose with a solid narrative. Start as if you are writing to yourself in the future. Write as if you are writing to a friend. For instance, write: "Dear friend, its been a while since I last wrote to you. So much has happened since then." Get creative and craft your letter/entry as if you are writing to a famous person or someone you wish you knew. Another way to start an entry is by bullet listing different things that are important to you at that moment. That way, you won't have to pressure yourself to write in-depth about any one thing. Start at the top of the page and write a word or phrase that is important to you. If you want to add more, do so. Leave yourself a couple lines and write down another word or phrase. Continue down the page until you've exhausted ideas about things you could write about. Feel free to fill in the bullets whenever you want.

What is a summary?
Start as a daily log. Begin with a thought. Write your journal as a letter. Embrace the bullet approach.