How to Write Your Life StorySome ideas from Ralph Fletcher

Brainstorm a List

0Include any possible events, people, and things that might appear in your memoir.

0My second home: Kim’s house0Black Butte Ranch0Horses0Cereal

0Animals: Bandit’s 9 lives, Finding Hobbes, Misadventure with Magic, Pepper in the Fire

Write About Your Name0This simple technique can help you unearth

lots of great material for your life story. Ask yourself:

0Who were you named after? Is there a story connected to that?

0What nicknames have you had? 0Were you ever teased about your name? 0Do people often misspell or mispronounce it? 0How do you feel about your name?

Sketch a Map of your Neighborhood

0Close your eyes and try hard to imagine all the details of your neighborhood.

0The more your sketch, the more details you add, the more you’ll remember.

0Pick a place you know super well—a neighborhood you lived for several years, a relative’s house or apartment you often visited, a vacation home, or a summer camp you return to every year.

0Don’t try to make it look professional, just detailed.

Ralph Fletcher’s Map

Sketch a Map of your Neighborhood

0As you make your map, label to mark: 0 Where something happened (you lost a tooth, found a

pocket knife, , or buried a beloved pet)0 A “power spot” (where all the neighborhood kids

gathered)0 A “danger spot” (a place you had to avoid)0 A favorite place 0 A secret place

Make a “Heart Map”

0Similar to a map of your neighborhood, but with a twist—it’s an emotional map of what matters to you. 0 Things near and dear to your heart (family, friends,

hobbies, interests)0 Some things included on a “heart map” can be serious,

while others can be more playful.

Example “Heart Map”

Still need some topic ideas?

Gather Artifacts 0At home tonight, get a box to gather things that have

been important to you. 0 Examples: a beloved stuffed animal or doll, your first

baseball glove, a scrap from your baby blanket, an old photograph of you, Girl or Boy Scout badges, old journals or trading cards

0Hold the object, close your eyes, and see what rises into your memory. 0 Where did you get it? Who gave it to you? Did it ever get

lost? How did (does) it make you feel?

Collect Family Stories0In your family, are there certain stories that get

told again and again at holidays, weddings, reunions?

0Jot down a list of those stories, especially if one of them happens to involve you. If you can’t remember it in all it’s detail, ask a relative later tonight. Ask lots of questions!