New sketchbooks can be intimidating to start, especially when you've spent a bit of coin on a brand new journal and you're scared to mess up the pages. My advice to you is that sketchbooks are meant to be messed up! I consider it a place to make mistakes, experiment and have fun.  Get yourself a nice sketchbook, but not too nice and shiny that you're too afraid to use it. See below for some of my favourites.  

Your sketchbook should be a creative outlet for you and document your progress - it's completely optional whether you want to share that with anyone else. 

Things to consider when buying your sketchbook: 

• Size 
• Paper Thickness 

Top tips on getting started: 

• Instead of using the sketchbook in order, open up to a random page and start there. With no sequential order in place, you have freedom to do whatever you want and will create a cohesive sketchbook 
• Try intuitive drawing! Intuitive drawing is when you just pick up a pen or paintbrush and just draw as you feel with no reference photo. Draw shapes, lines, dots - just draw what comes naturally and make adjustments as you go.  It sounds scary but it's extremely freeing to be able to turn your brain off and just draw - it's amazing what you might come up with 
• Use prompts! Inktober posts a list every month with random prompts to get you inspired 

"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep" - Scott Adams