Blank Journal Template for Scrivener 3

Attached is a template for Scrivener version 3 that I created to to make setting up new writing journals easier. It includes features for fiction writers.

After seven years of using Scrivener to record my random musings in a project I call my Daily Writing Journal I’m finally getting around to closing this project out and creating separate journals for each year. To simplify this I’ve created a template for my journals which I’m sharing here.

Here’s what’s in it:

I started by renaming the Draft folder to Journal and placed within it twelve month folders, named (appropriately) January through December. My practice is to create a new document every day, named January-1, January-2, etc. These help me keep track of how much writing I’m doing each day, as well as giving me some organization that I can use in project searches.

At the top of the Journal are two files:

Accomplishments

We typically don’t focus enough on the things we’ve accomplished during the year, things that you should be proud of, so that’s what this document is for.

List your accomplishments here. Use ⌥⇧⌘D to add the Current Date & Time.

Life-Changing Events

This document is to record the Life-Changing Events, both good and not-so-good, that happen to you all in one place.

List those events here. Use ⌥⇧⌘D to add the Current Date & Time.

I’ve also created a Project Bookmarks folder. (This is the Scrivener 3 specific feature of this template.) It contains:

Writing Prompts

What If? Scenario Generator.

You can use the link above to access a random scenario generator (at WritingExercises.co.uk) or just record ideas here that you think you’d like to use to inspire a story later.

There are also writing prompts available through a number of websites, such as Reedsy, which will email you prompts on a regular basis. Use them as inspiration when you want to practice writing stories.

Character Inspirations

Seventh Sanctum Quick Character Generator.

The character generator above will give you lots of one-line character descriptions. Record the best of them here, along with any ideas for characters that you come across in your daily life. Use these descriptions as inspiration for characters to add to your stories.

Goals

Record your goals for the year here, and then review them occasionally to help keep you on track to accomplishing them.

And finally there’s a Basic Character Sheet in the Templates folder, which can be used to help you create characters.

You can download the template here: https://www.kurtschweitzer.com/blank-journal-scrivtemplate/

Did you like this? Take a second to support me on Patreon!