WRITING TERRITORIES“FINDING” STORIES IN YOUR OWN LIFE

Brainstorming Exercise

For each item, brainstorm at least THREE memories!

EARLY MEMORIES

The Blue Car My Big Brother Riding Bikes The Fort behind our house Collecting Barbies/ dolls My brother “boobie-trapping” the backyard

like in the movie Platoon

RECENT MEMORIES

Summer- traveled through the Rhine Valley into Switzerland- then to Amalfi Coast- then to London

Sipping Riesling/ eating Schwabisch spaetzle/ eating TONS of pizza and drinking Limoncello/ walking the streets of Sorrento at night/ my husband getting stung by a jellyfish on the Isle of Capri/ touring the British Library, Westminster, Kensington Palace/ shopping at TKMAXX

Traveling to Nashville for NSAI conference/ playing at the Capital Grille

OBSESSIONS

All things British The Beatles Coldplay Modern English Tea time/ especially English Breakfast MINI Coopers Kate Middleton Jane Austen

Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate!!!

IDIOSYNCRASIES

Odd number issues Nails on chalkboard

DREAMS

Publishing a song Having a song recorded by a major artist Selling a screenplay Writing a children’s book or YA book Having children Owning a horse ranch Moving back to TEXAS!!

CONFUSIONS

Terrorism– what for? War– what for? Death and disease of children– what for? High cost of college education– what for? Capitalism vs. socialism– what’s better?

RISKS

Topping out the MINI and getting a ticket Surfing in Maui Riding The Superman ride at Six Flags Over

Texas Playing a show for the first time/ playing

songs even now

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Going to UNT and graduating with only 1 “B”

Piano awards Opening for Jessica Simpson in my No Doubt

Cover Band during college! Going to grad school at Northwestern and

writing a thesis on the American Beat writers

TOPICS TO FINISH FOR HOMEWORK

Fears & Worries Family memories Memories with friends Fads you remember Memories with pets Memories with

teachers Your flaws Understandings about

life

Travel memories Sports memories Memories playing

games Beloved things Memories involving

food or specific restaurants

Memories involving movies and/or music

Sorrows

FLAWS

Perfectionism Idealism Having no tact– even worse since moving to

NYC! Gossiping--- I am FEMALE after all!

UNDERSTANDINGS- WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT LIFE

Life is hard and life is short– so live it to its fullest!

Embrace small moments of happiness Don’t sacrifice yourself for money b/c money

does NOT buy happiness!

SORROWS

Deaths of family members: mom, grandparents

My dog Lucky’s collapsing trachea issue Natural Disasters