by Ivey

How to start a Dungeons and Dragons journal

Dungeons and Dragons is a roleplaying game that has been enjoyed by millions of players around the world for over four decades. One of the best ways to get the most out of your experience as a D&D player is to keep a journal. A D&D journal is a record of your character’s adventures, thoughts, and reflections. It can be a valuable tool for developing your character, keeping track of important information, and adding depth and flavor to your roleplaying. If you are interested in starting a Dungeons and Dragons journal, here are some tips to help you get started.

Choose the right journal

The first step to starting a D&D journal is to choose the right journal. Look for a journal that is the right size for you, has plenty of pages, and is durable enough to withstand regular use. Consider whether you want a lined, dotted, or blank journal and whether you prefer a hardcover or a softcover. You can also choose a journal that matches the theme of your campaign or your character. If you want to have the option to add and remove pages a binder is a good option. A binder also gives you the opportunity to add sleeves for spell cards.

Decide on the purpose of your journal

Before you start writing in your journal, it is important to decide on the purpose of your journal. Do you want to keep a record of your character’s adventures and achievements? Do you want to write down notes on NPCs, important locations, and key events? Do you want to explore your character’s thoughts and feelings? Or do you simply want to record your experiences as a player? Knowing the purpose of your journal will help you focus your writing and make the most of your journaling experience.

Create a character profile

Creating a character profile is an important step in building a rich and interesting character. Your character profile should include basic information about your character, such as their name, age, and race, as well as more detailed information, such as their background, personality, and motivations. You can use your journal to record your character profile and update it as your character develops over time. To really get to know your character it’s helpful to answer a variety of questions from your character’s perspective. Our Chit Chat jar offers you some fun question cards.

Record important information

As you play the game, you will encounter a lot of important information, including NPCs, locations, and quests. It is important to record this information in your journal so that you can reference it later. You can use your journal to record the names and descriptions of NPCs, the locations of important places, and the details of quests and missions. This will help you keep track of important information and avoid forgetting important details. To make taking notes quicker you can add a key to your journal or use note-taking stickers.

Reflect on your experiences

In addition to recording important information, your journal can also be a space for reflection. Use your journal to reflect on your experiences as a player, and on your character’s experiences in the game. Write down your thoughts and feelings, and explore your character’s thoughts and motivations. This can add depth and richness to your roleplaying, and help you develop your character over time.

Use your journal to be creative

Finally, your D&D journal can be a great source of inspiration for your creativity. Make it your own by decorating it in a style you like. You can add scrapbooking details, stickers, or (commissioned) art. Print your backstory on some tea-dyed paper. Add envelopes with letters your character wrote. Add the map from your campaign. For more inspiration, you can follow our Pinterest. Add #quillandquest to the posts of your journal we would love to see them!