First steps to writing about your life

Have you ever thought about writing your life story or just a story or two about your life for your children or grandchildren? What stopped you? For many people, the idea is just overwhelming. Where do you begin?

Today I am beginning a series of writing prompts that will help you generate ideas and authentic memories about your past. Each prompt will lead you to one simple writing task. When you have accumulated many, you can choose among them, arrange them to please yourself, perhaps add some connecting material, and voila!

Even if you have no desire to be published, even for your own family, reviewing your life experiences, associations, and attitudes can be very healthy.

Read today’s prompt below the photo and carefully consider writing about it. If you’d like me to post your response to the website, I’d love to read it. (Right now, I'm still trying to figure out how to get the comments app to work, so just email me your response to lgontarz@mchsi.com.) By Monday, I will post my own response. I'd like to post some of yours, too.

Your writing can be in the form of prose (regular paragraphs), poetry (rhymed or unrhymed), or simply free association.

Here’s the prompt: “I remember Daddy” … or whatever you called him. (If there’s no dad in your life, select another male you knew or know well.)

Think about your father. What everyday activities and moments that you observed seem to stick in your memory? Which of these seem to define who he is/was? Which intrigued or puzzled you then or now? Think about how you reacted or felt about those activities, whether positive or negative.

Enjoy writing!