What to Include in a Commonplace Book: 30 Thought-Provoking Prompts

What to capture, question, and reflect on when you don’t know where to start.

A commonplace book is a space to collect the words, ideas, and insights that matter to you — quotes that resonate, thoughts you want to remember, lessons that struck a chord.

But sometimes, the hardest part is simply knowing what to write down.

Whether you’re staring at a blank page or want to take your entries beyond the usual quotes, here are 30 prompts to help you fill your commonplace book with meaning, creativity, and curiosity.

✍️ Classic Quote Prompts

1. What quote did I read today that made me stop and think?
2. Is there a line from a book, podcast, or video I don’t want to forget?
3. What’s a sentence I’ve underlined more than once in different books?
4. What quote has stuck with me for years — and why?
5. What’s one quote I disagree with — and how would I rewrite it?

🧠 Idea + Insight Prompts

6. What idea did I encounter today that changed how I think — even a little?
7. What do I keep thinking about this week? Why won’t it leave me alone?
8. What’s a truth I keep relearning in different ways?
9. What’s something I never noticed until recently?
10. What “aha moment” did I have during a conversation, walk, or shower?

📚 Learning + Knowledge Prompts

11. What’s one thing I learned today worth remembering 10 years from now?
12. What’s something I finally understood — and how would I explain it to someone else?
13. What concept or technique do I want to return to and master?
14. What’s a mistake or misconception I corrected recently?
15. What principle, rule, or method keeps showing up across different topics?

💡 Creativity & Curiosity Prompts

16. What’s an idea I want to explore further?
17. What’s a sentence, image, or sound I found beautiful today?
18. What question do I wish I had an answer to?
19. What’s something strange or delightful I noticed?
20. What pattern or connection just clicked in my mind?

❤️ Personal Reflection Prompts

21. What advice would I give my past self today?
22. What belief or assumption have I outgrown lately?
23. What quote feels especially true to me right now — and why?
24. What’s one sentence that sums up how I feel this season of life?
25. What insight from someone else mirrors something I’ve been feeling?

🔁 Habit-Building Prompts

These are great for recurring entries or monthly reflections.

26. What’s the best thing I read, watched, or heard this week?
27. What’s one sentence from my journal that I want to remember?
28. What’s a repeated theme in my notes or readings this month?
29. What quote or idea am I living out — or resisting — right now?
30. What’s worth re-reading, re-thinking, or re-framing this week?

📓 How to Use These Prompts in Your Commonplace Book

• Write directly under the prompt or adapt it as a header on a new page
• Highlight patterns — which themes show up most often?
• Use them as reflection breaks in your reading or journaling
• Pick one per day or week to build a rhythm
• Don’t force perfect answers — capture your first, honest thought

Final Thought: The Best Prompt Is the One You Need Right Now

Your commonplace book doesn’t need to be profound every day — it just needs to be honest. The point is to notice what matters and give it a place to live.

Let these prompts guide you into deeper thought, clearer memory, and more inspired creativity. Over time, your notebook will become more than just pages — it’ll be a map of your mind.

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