Use a pivotal event as a way into writing a personal essay, or a slice of your life . . . a memoir, or creative non-fiction.
A pivotal event is something happened and you weren’t the same after.
Obvious pivotal events are graduating from school, first job, getting married, having a baby, retiring.
There are more subtle events that, at the time, you didn’t know would be a pivotal event. Those are the events that could result in a riveting essay, or give you closure.
Prompt 1
Make a list of things, events, people that you carry in your mind. These are events that you can’t forget. People who haunt you. Memories that you can’t seem to let go.
These are things you think about over and over, events that are on repeat in your brain. Things that happened that you can’t stop thinking about, maybe things you lose sleep over.
Just a list.
Visualization
As you go through this visualization, if you experience anxiety or stress, tap on your sternum with the tips of your fingers. This is a calming and centering activity.
Stretch. Breathe in. Let go.
As you go through this visualization, when you get a feeling jot it down.
Note what the feeling is.
Note where you feel it in your body.
And note what caused this feeling.
If you can, put your hand on where the feeling is and breathe into that space. If you can’t put your hand there, put your thoughts there.
Go back in in time to when you were 3 or 4 years old.
See the people surrounding you. Perhaps your parents . . . siblings . . . grandparents.
Is there something about these people that stand out? Jot down thoughts or ideas that come to you while going through this visualization.
Make a note where there is energy, perhaps an exciting or an uncomfortable feeling.
Picture yourself at age 5 or 8. See your aunts . . . uncles . . . cousins. People you spent time with.
Go to age 9 . . . 10 . . . 11. Who did you play with? Go to school with?
Teenage years. What did you do? Who did you hang out with?
Let a montage of pictures roll by of dating and college years.
Remember to tap on your chest if you are feeling uneasy or uncomfortable.
Early married or living together years. See your children, or nieces/nephews as babies, little children.
Take a deep breath and release.
Prompt 2
Choose one thing from your list. Write what happened. Include as many details as you can.
Excerpt from Brad Yates, Guest Blogger on The Write Spot Blog:
The Mind Can’t Tell The Difference
#amwriting #justwrite #iamawriter
