This Journal F*cking Works: The Science, Ritual, and Art of Journaling

by Tara Schuster

Build a better relationship with yourself using this invaluable, full-color guide to the power of journaling as a tool for better communication with the voice inside you, from the renowned author of Buy Yourself the F*cking Lilies and Glow in the F*cking Dark.

This Journal F*cking Works is the ultimate guide for anyone who wants to journal but doesn't know where to start. Author Tara Schuster offers a candid, funny, and deeply relatable guide to the whys, hows, and what nows of journaling.

As someone who strongly resisted the idea of writing down her thoughts (ew, how cheesy), Tara knows firsthand that getting started is hard, but keeping it going can be just as tough. Her anti-corny-but-still-not-boring advice will help you learn how to overcome those doubts (yes, you do have time, even though you CANNOT give up watching The Real Housewives) and create a ritual around journaling (the magic that keeps your practice going). Along with the science and ritual, This Journal Actually Works teaches the art of different writing methods so you can figure out what really works for you, whether that's Morning Pages, Gratitude, Expressive Writing, or something else.

Journaling is about being a better communicator with yourself. It helps you better know what you want and need, hear that inner voice telling you what’s right for you, and ultimately strengthen the defining relationship of your life—the one with yourself. Journaling has the power to radically change your life for the better. And this journal f*cking works.

Genres: Nonfiction

160 pages, Hardcover

Published November 4, 2025

About the author

Oh, hi! Thanks for stopping by. I'm excited to be here and thrilled to meet ya!

I wrote my book with the singular goal of making other people feel less lonely. As a kid, the books of David Sedaris made me feel like I was not alone in having a "different" family and my prayer-hope-please-oh-please-wish is that my book gives you some comfort. Or at least a few laughs. I'll take either tbh.

Tara Schuster is vice president of talent and development at Comedy Central. She was the executive in charge of the Emmy® and Peabody Award-winning Key & Peele, the Emmy® Award winning @Midnight, and numerous other shows including Another Period, Detroiters, and Hood Adjacent. Her plays have been performed in the New York International Fringe Festival and her writing has appeared in The New Yorker online. She lives in Los Angeles.