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Memory Writing Prompts: Dive into Reflective Narratives

My name is Debbie, and I am passionate about developing a love for the written word and planting a seed that will grow into a powerful voice that can inspire many.

What are Memory Writing Prompts?

How memory writing prompts can deepen reflective narratives, the benefits of engaging with memory writing prompts, how to use memory writing prompts to spark reflective writing, memory writing prompts for reflective writing, examples of memory writing prompts to get started, tips for crafting compelling reflective narratives using memory writing prompts, enhancing self-reflection through regular memory writing practice, frequently asked questions, in conclusion.

Memory writing prompts are thought-provoking cues designed to help you access and explore the depths of your memories. As human beings, our minds store a vast amount of experiences and emotions that shape who we are. These prompts serve as triggers, sparking our recollection and allowing us to delve into our past.

Whether you’re looking to preserve cherished moments, ignite your creativity, or simply explore your own personal narrative, memory writing prompts can be a valuable tool. They can help you unlock forgotten memories, unearth details long lost, and provide a space for self-reflection.

• Memory writing prompts encourage introspection and self-discovery.
• They offer an opportunity to explore personal anecdotes, moments of growth, or life-changing events.
• Using these prompts can enhance storytelling abilities and writing skills, allowing you to express yourself more vividly on paper.

So, whenever you feel stuck or want to embark on a journey through your own memories, try out these prompts. They can take various forms, ranging from questions about significant individuals in your life to nostalgic descriptions of special places. Let your memories flow and allow your writing to capture the essence of your experiences.

Memory writing prompts offer a powerful tool to enhance the depth and richness of your reflective narratives. By tapping into personal memories and experiences, these prompts encourage you to delve into the nuances of life, adding layers of authenticity and emotional connection to your writing. Whether you are a seasoned writer or just starting to explore the art of storytelling, memory prompts can ignite your creativity and bring your narratives to life.

One of the key benefits of using memory prompts is their ability to activate vivid details and sensory imagery. By prompting you to recall specific moments or emotions from your past, these prompts help you re-engage with your memories on a deeper level. As you write about these experiences, you naturally begin to incorporate sensory language, painting a more vivid picture for your readers. This not only creates a more engaging narrative but also allows your audience to better connect with your story on an emotional level.

Furthermore, memory prompts provide a framework for introspection and self-reflection. Through intentional writing exercises, you can explore the meaning and significance of past events, gaining new insights and understanding. When you revisit your memories and connect them to your current thoughts and emotions, you invite a deeper level of self-awareness and personal growth. Additionally, the act of writing about your memories can offer catharsis and healing, allowing you to process and make sense of challenging or transformative experiences.

Incorporating memory writing prompts into your writing practice can be a transformative experience. By accessing your personal memories and infusing them into your narratives, you can enrich your storytelling, uncover new perspectives, and foster self-growth. So, grab your pen, choose a memory prompt, and prepare to embark on a captivating journey of self-discovery through reflective narratives.

Memory writing prompts offer an incredible opportunity to unlock a treasure trove of forgotten memories and enrich our lives in numerous ways. Whether you’re seeking therapeutic benefits or a creative outlet, engaging with these prompts can bring about positive changes in your overall well-being. Here are some of the key advantages of incorporating memory writing prompts into your daily routine:

• Self-reflection and personal growth: Writing about our memories is a powerful tool for self-reflection. It allows us to revisit past experiences, analyze them from a new perspective, and gain insights into our own personal growth. Reflecting on our memories helps us better understand our emotions, behaviors, and thought processes.
• Preservation of personal history: Our memories make up the fabric of who we are. By engaging with memory writing prompts, we can capture our life stories, preserving them for future generations. These written accounts provide a valuable legacy that helps our loved ones understand the depth and richness of our lives.
• Improved mental well-being: Writing about memories has therapeutic benefits, aiding in the processing of emotions and stress reduction. Engaging with writing prompts can be cathartic, allowing us to release pent-up feelings and gain a sense of closure. Additionally, writing stimulates our cognitive functions, improving memory recall and overall mental acuity.

Incorporating memory writing prompts into your daily routine can be an enlightening and fulfilling experience. By delving into your past, you can uncover hidden facets of your identity, gain new perspectives, and find solace in revisiting long-forgotten experiences. So grab a pen, find a quiet space, and let the power of memory writing prompts guide you on a transformative journey of self-discovery and reflection!

Reflective writing allows us to explore our memories, thoughts, and experiences in a meaningful way. It enables us to gain insights, process emotions, and gain a deeper understanding of ourselves. Memory writing prompts can be a powerful tool to ignite this reflective process. Here are some tips on how to effectively use memory writing prompts to spark your reflective writing:

• Select meaningful prompts: Choose memory writing prompts that resonate with you personally. Whether it’s a specific event, a significant person, or a place that holds special memories, pick prompts that evoke emotions and offer opportunities for self-reflection.
• Create a safe and comfortable writing space: Find a quiet place where you can write without distractions. Make sure you have a comfortable chair, good lighting, and all the tools you need to jot down your thoughts. Creating a cozy and relaxed writing environment can help you delve deeper into your reflections.
• Set aside dedicated time: Reflective writing requires time and focus. Dedicate a specific time slot each day or week to engage in this practice. Whether it’s early morning when your mind is fresh or before bed when you can unwind, find a time that works best for you, and stick to it.

By using memory writing prompts, we embark on a journey of self-discovery, enabling us to gain insights, find closure, and even heal emotional wounds. Reflective writing serves as a medium to express ourselves, understand our experiences better, and ultimately grow as individuals. So, grab your pen and paper, or open up a blank document, and let your memories guide you towards a deeper level of self-reflection and understanding.

Memory writing is a powerful tool that helps us revisit our past experiences and create a meaningful narrative. If you’re looking to get started with memory writing, here are some unique and creative prompts to spark your imagination:

• A Childhood Adventure: Recall an exciting adventure from your childhood. Describe the sights, sounds, and emotions you experienced during this memorable moment.
• A Special Relationship: Write about a person who has had a significant impact on your life. Share anecdotes, experiences, and lessons learned from this unique relationship.
• A Place of Solitude: Take yourself back to a place where you found peace and tranquility. Describe the setting, the sensations it evoked, and the emotions you felt in that moment.

Furthermore, you can explore writing prompts like:

• A Life-Changing Decision: Reflect on a decision that altered the course of your life. Explain the factors that influenced your choice and how it has shaped you into the person you are today.
• A Hilarious Mishap: Recount a funny incident from your life that still brings a smile to your face. Share the details, the unexpected twists, and the comedic value of this unforgettable event.
• A Lesson from Nature: Connect with the natural world and recount a moment where you learned a valuable lesson from the elements around you. Describe the setting, the lesson learned, and how it impacted your perspective.

These prompts are meant to ignite your memory and unlock a treasure trove of stories within. Remember, every memory holds significance, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem at first glance. Happy writing!

Reflective narratives can be powerful tools for self-reflection and personal growth. By using memory writing prompts, you can tap into your past experiences and delve deep into cherished memories or significant events. Here are some tips to help you craft compelling narratives that will captivate your readers and evoke genuine emotions:

1. Identify a memorable prompt: The first step is to choose a memory writing prompt that resonates with you. It could be a specific question about a significant milestone, a challenging moment, or a joyful memory. Select a prompt that sparks your interest and ignites your passion to explore further.

2. Bring your memory to life: Once you’ve selected a memory prompt, it’s time to immerse your readers in the experience. Use descriptive language to paint a vivid picture and engage their senses. You want your readers to feel like they are present in the moment with you. Be specific and precise in your descriptions, focusing on sights, sounds, smells, and even the way you felt physically and emotionally.

3. Reflect on the significance: A compelling reflective narrative goes beyond simply recounting an event; it dives into the deeper meaning behind it. Take the time to reflect on how this memory has impacted your life, changed your perspective, or influenced your decisions. Share your insights and lessons learned, allowing your readers to connect with your personal growth journey.

4. Be honest and vulnerable: Authenticity is key when crafting reflective narratives. Don’t shy away from sharing your true emotions and vulnerabilities. Being open and honest will create a genuine connection with your readers, making your narrative more relatable and impactful.

5. Structure your narrative: Organize your narrative in a logical and coherent manner. Consider using an introduction to set the stage and to capture your readers’ attention. Use paragraphs to separate different aspects of your memory, and utilize transitions to guide your readers smoothly from one idea to the next. Finally, wrap up your narrative with a meaningful conclusion that leaves a lasting impression on your audience.

By following these tips and infusing your reflective narrative with your unique voice, you can create a compelling piece that not only sheds light on your past but also resonates with others, sparking their own introspection and personal growth. Embrace the power of memory writing prompts and let your narratives take your readers on a transformative journey.

Self-reflection is a powerful practice that allows us to understand ourselves better, learn from past experiences, and make positive changes in our lives. One effective way to enhance self-reflection is through regular memory writing practice. By engaging in this simple yet profound exercise, we can delve deeper into our thoughts, emotions, and memories, gaining valuable insights along the way.

A regular memory writing practice involves setting aside dedicated time each day or week to write about significant events, experiences, or moments that have impacted us. This could range from personal milestones and achievements to challenging situations and lessons learned. The act of writing not only serves as an outlet for self-expression, but it also helps us organize our thoughts and reflect on our past with clarity.

So how can regular memory writing practice enhance self-reflection? Here are a few key ways:

• Increased self-awareness: Through the process of writing about our memories, we become more aware of our emotions, reactions, and thought patterns. This heightened self-awareness allows us to identify behavioral patterns, triggers, and areas where personal growth is needed.
• Deepened understanding: By revisiting past experiences and examining them from various angles, we gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and the events that have shaped us. Writing helps us process complex emotions, analyze our actions, and discover underlying motivations, enabling personal development and growth.
• Enhanced problem-solving: Memory writing practice enables us to evaluate past challenges and the strategies used to overcome them. By reflecting on our decision-making and problem-solving processes, we can identify effective approaches and avoid repeating mistakes in the future.

Q: What are memory writing prompts? A: Memory writing prompts are thought-provoking questions or prompts that encourage you to reflect on past experiences and memories. They serve as inspiration for writing reflective narratives that allow you to explore and capture the depth of your memories.

Q: How do memory writing prompts work? A: Memory writing prompts work by triggering memories and emotions related to a specific moment or event. By asking questions that recall details or evoke certain feelings, these prompts help you tap into your memory bank and produce more honest and vivid narratives.

Q: Why should I use memory writing prompts? A: Memory writing prompts can be highly beneficial for numerous reasons. Firstly, they provide an opportunity for self-reflection and personal growth. Engaging with memories in writing allows you to better understand your experiences, learn from them, and gain new insights. Additionally, memory writing prompts can inspire creativity, improve writing skills , and serve as a therapeutic practice for your mental well-being.

Q: Who can benefit from using memory writing prompts? A: Anyone can benefit from using memory writing prompts. Whether you’re an aspiring writer looking to enhance your storytelling abilities, an individual seeking self-reflection and personal growth, or simply someone wanting to explore your memories in a meaningful way, memory writing prompts offer an accessible and effective tool.

Q: How can I use memory writing prompts effectively? A: To use memory writing prompts effectively, find a quiet and comfortable space where you feel inspired. Select a prompt that resonates with you or choose one randomly. Allow yourself to dive into your memories, recalling specific details and sensations associated with the prompt. Write freely and without judgment, letting the words flow as you explore the depth of your memory. Finally, read and reflect on what you’ve written, capturing any new insights or emotions that arise.

Q: Are there any tips for finding the right memory writing prompts? A: Absolutely! When looking for memory writing prompts, consider choosing prompts that are personal to you. Prompts related to significant life events, transformative moments, or emotionally charged experiences tend to evoke deeper reflections. Additionally, you can find memory writing prompts in books, online resources, or even create your own based on specific themes or time periods in your life.

Q: Can memory writing prompts be used for therapeutic purposes? A: Yes, memory writing prompts can indeed be used as a therapeutic practice. Engaging with memories and writing about them can help process emotions, heal past wounds , and reduce stress or anxiety. The act of reflection and storytelling can provide a sense of relief and offer an avenue for personal growth and self-discovery.

Q: Are memory writing prompts only for professional writers? A: Not at all! Memory writing prompts are not limited to professional writers. These prompts are for anyone looking to explore their memories, express themselves through writing, or engage in self-reflection. In fact, memory writing prompts can be particularly helpful for novice writers as they offer a structured starting point and guidance for crafting a compelling narrative.

Q: Can memory writing prompts be beneficial for preserving family histories? A: Definitely! Memory writing prompts serve as excellent tools for preserving family histories. By encouraging individuals to recall and document their past experiences, these prompts can help capture important family stories, traditions, and memories that might otherwise be lost over time. They enable future generations to connect with their roots and understand their family’s history on a deeper level.

Q: Where can I find memory writing prompts? A: You can find memory writing prompts in various places. Many books, both fiction and nonfiction, include prompts for self-reflection. Numerous websites and blogs also provide an array of memory writing prompts suited to different topics and styles. You can even create your own prompts inspired by specific memories or experiences, making the process more personalized and meaningful to you.

In conclusion, memory writing prompts offer a powerful tool for exploring our past and sharing our experiences through reflective narratives.

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🖋 50 Impactful Memoir Writing Prompts to Get You Writing TODAY

If you’re thinking about writing your memoir but facing a blank page, I have a few great memoir writing prompts that will get you writing TODAY . Let’s do this! ⚡️

Writer’s Block? Nah!

Creative writing prompts are useful tools for unlocking memories so you can get your life stories onto the page. I have a deep respect for the creative process, and I’m a fan of creative writing prompts because they work. They’re a diving board into your memories, helping to unlock past experiences you may have forgotten. If you struggle with writer’s block, memoir prompts are more like the well-meaning swim coach that gives you a purposeful nudge, right into the water. Once you’re in, you’re in! 🏊🏻‍♀️

Writing is an intuitive process, and this is especially true for memoir . It can be helpful to think about specific memories or moments in your life that were particularly meaningful to you. Other times, it can be helpful to focus on a specific theme or area of your life that you would like to explore in your writing. Don’t be surprised if you end up pivoting in a different direction, too. If you stay open, the story you are meant to write will reveal itself to you (this might sound silly, but it’s been true for me and all the books I’ve written ).

Creative writing prompts can be a warm-up to the actual writing, or the writing itself. You can decide the shape of your memoir once you know what you’re writing about and have generated enough material that can serve as the foundation of your memoir. You can smooth your prose and make everything cohere into a memoir everyone will want to read. 🤗

But right now? Get writing.

Using Creative Writing Prompts

Creative writing prompts and writing exercises that help you write your memoir by providing structure and ideas to get you started. They offer simple but thoughtful questions to help you excavate the stories that are wanting to be discovered. ⛏

Prompts can be as simple as asking you to describe a significant event in your life, or they can be open-ended, like asking you to write about a specific theme or feeling. Sometimes you’ll end up writing about something completely different than the memoir prompt, and that’s okay. Trust wherever it takes you.

The more writing you do, the more memories will get unlocked. Not only that, but a little bit of writing each day adds up to a lot of writing if you just keep going . And as an added bonus, you’ll be developing your writing skills with each prompt you write. 🏋🏻‍♀️

Memoirs are a great way to share your life story with the world. These prompts will help you get the most out of your writing and get your creative juices flowing.

Why Memoir Writing Matters

Memoir writing as a creative process that serves the writer and ultimately the reader. 🤓

For the writer, writing our personal narratives is a way to remember and process our own life experiences, to help us understand the significant events of our lives that helped shaped who we are. Writing these stories down can be a source of comfort and healing, providing a space to reflect on our past and make sense of our present. They offer a creative outlet for exploring our thoughts, feelings, and memories, and are a great way to connect with our past selves.

For the reader , memoirs can be a source of inspiration for others, offering a glimpse into someone else’s life and providing hope, motivation, and insight. I’ve always viewed memoir as proof that we’re not alone, that others have been through similar experiences and can relate to us. Great stories help us appreciate what we have in the present moment, and offer compassion for ourselves and others.

What are Some Good Memoir Topics to Write About?

Unless you already know what you want to write about in a memoir, and it can be difficult to know where to start. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Some good topics include your childhood, your family and friends, your education and career, your hobbies and interests, and any significant life events. These topics can also be used as creative writing prompts to help you get started on writing your memoir, even if you plan to focus on something different.

Most memoirs have a specific theme, which can help you frame your writing and your manuscript. Learn more about themes (vs topics) here , and download a printable list of themes that you can use while writing and revising your work.

Memoir Prompt Writing Tips

Before you begin, here are a few things to keep in mind.

Be honest and raw

Be honest with yourself and your writing. Don’t worry about putting on a show or looking perfect. Don’t start changing family members’ names because you’re worried they’ll get mad. Remember that no one is going to see your work at this stage unless you show it to them.

Experienced memoir writers know it takes many drafts to get to a polished manuscript, but you have to start at the beginning, and beginnings are usually pretty messy. Give yourself permission to write without any inhibitions — no censoring of your words or thoughts. Just get it down, and then decide what to do with it once you’re finished. If you really hate it or feel horribly embarrassed, you can always toss it out. But you probably won’t. 😉 

Write by hand

When it comes to writing prompts, I’m a strong proponent of writing by hand. Before you panic, you’ll only be doing this for ten minutes (see below), and there’s a connection that’s made between the brain and the page when you write by hand. I do most of my writing on my computer — I’m a fast typist and a fast thinker, so I prefer to have my fingers on the keyboard … except when I’m responding to a prompt. Something important happens when we write by hand, and it gets missed when we’re on the computer or on our phones.

If you’re not convinced, try it for one week and see what happens.

Establish a daily writing practice

When you decide you’re going to write, a daily practice helps keep you on track. Have a writing process in place ensures that you get the writing done, and with each day that passes, you become a better writer.

Some memoir writers swear by Julia Cameron’s morning pages , which I love but don’t always have the time to do. My recommendation is to set the bar low — begin with writing ten minutes a day. Choose a prompt, set the timer, and keep your hand moving (thank you, Natalie Goldberg ). When the timer goes off, stop. You can spend another 10 minutes revising and reshaping the work, or you can put it aside to rest.

If you do this daily, you’ll have 365 individual vignettes by the end of the year (366 if it’s a leap year). Whether you choose to use them in your memoir is up to you, but these are excellent starting points and you’ll usually find some gems in there, which you can submit individually to literary magazines or string together into a collection of personal essays or narratives. If micro memoirs are your thing, I have some proposed writing schedules here that might help.

The most important thing is to write, and write daily. 📆

Tell a story and give us details

Every memoir tells a specific story the writers wants to share. Memoirs are not a recounting of every fact or statistic of your entire life like an autobiography or biography, but a glimpse into a particular moment.

I like to use the example of a photograph — sometimes what is outside the frame is just as important as what’s inside the frame. Use sensory details to bring us in the moment with you. What’s happening?

When you’re ready, and once you’ve selected the pieces you want to spend time on, you can revise your work. This will give you a chance to do a deeper dive into whatever it is that want to say, and shape the work for a reader. But again, you don’t have to worry about that now, just be assured that you can “fix” whatever you need to fix, later. 👩🏻‍🔧

Mem oir Writing Prompts & Ideas

Let’s get started! Use the following memoir prompts to get your creativity flowing. These open-ended prompts are very flexible so choose at random, switch them up, make them yours. Use them as a starting point, trust the process, and GO. 🏃🏻‍♀️

• The Alphabet Autobiography (similar to the abecedarian poetic form). You’ll write one sentence of line for each letter of the alphabet, from A to Z. Start with the letter A, and think about something (or someone) in your life that begins with A. It doesn’t have to “important” — don’t overthink it. Go with whatever comes up first, and keep going until you reach the end of the alphabet.
• Write about a family heirloom.
• What were the cartoon characters of your childhood, and which one did you identify with?
• Write about your first best friend. 
• Not everyone has owned a pet, but we all have animal companions in some form. Think stuffed animal, class pet, a totem animal. Write about the first one that comes to mind.
• Write about a favorite teacher. 
• What’s the first thing you did this morning? 
• Have you ever had a near-death experience?
• Write about your first love.
• What was the most embarrassing thing that happened to you in high school?
• What is the best memory you have of a place you traveled to?
• When was the last time you saw a relative you don’t know very well? Tell us what you think about them. How are they related to you?
• Tell us about your favorite article of clothing. Where did you get it, why do you love it, what does it say about you?
• What was the first thing you ever bought yourself?
• What is your favorite gift you’ve ever given (or received)?
• Who do you love to spend time with? Why?
• Think of a time you lied.
• Think of a time when you stole something.
• Think of a time when you laughed so hard, you cried.
• Think of a time when you felt triumphant.
• Think of a time when you were completely and utterly in love.
• What was the worst day of your life?
• What’s your favorite season? Why?
• What’s your favorite holiday? Why?
• When were you the happiest you’ve ever been?
• When you were the saddest you’ve ever been?
• What is one of your most vivid memories of your parents?
• When was the last time you felt jealous?
• Write about a random act of kindness someone did for you. 
• What is your favorite smell?
• Write about your name. What does it mean? Do you have a nickname? Does it suit you?
• What is something no one knows about you?
• Tell us a recipe that you make by heart. How did you learn it? How often do you make it?
• Did you have a comfort object growing up? What was it, and when did you need it?
• Write about a recurring dream.
• When you look in the mirror, what feature do you notice first? Write about that.
• What was the first place you ever traveled to?
• How has your worldview changed since you were a child?
• What was your first car?
• When was the last time you went swimming?
• What’s a job you would love to do?
• How many siblings do you have, and what are their names?
• Tell us about your favorite kind of sandwich.
• Write about your scars.
• What’s your go-to cocktail?
• How many times have you moved in your life?
• Describe the house you grew up in.
• How many tattoos and piercings do you have, and why did you get them?
• Write about the last time you were in nature, and what happened.
• Write about a camping trip.

More Great Resources

• Experiment with micro memoirs and establish a simple writing practice to help you write regularly.
• Read this post,  10 Tips on How to Write a Book About Your Life , for an overview of the writing process.
• Read this post, Top 10 Must-Read Books on How to Write a Memoir , which features books by some great writers of the genre.
• Want to know when I add more prompts? Join my newsletter ! 💌

Using Creative Writing to Improve Memory

• Post author: The CTTL
• Post published: January 19, 2021
• Post category: Research in Practice

As English teachers, we often use analytical writing assignments to assess reading comprehension and understanding. However, one underutilized method for engaging with text is creative writing.

English teachers have been using close reading and passage analysis for years to highlight important moments in stories and to help students dig into word choice to produce a concise, formal written analysis. But what happens when a student tries to put herself or himself into a character’s metaphorical shoes?

Creative writing increases empathy

Engaging in this type of creative writing task changes the exercise from an external literary analysis to an internal view of a character’s feelings and emotions. One goal of the creative writing exercise – and reading in general – is to create empathy and develop students’ theory of mind, which involves understanding why someone acts in a particular way or predicting how someone will act. (1)

Empathy and theory of mind are both central to social cognition, and researchers have determined that character-driven stories consistently lead to the synthesis of oxytocin, a hormone which motivates cooperation with others by strengthening one’s sense of empathy. (2)

And improves memory

In addition to enhanced social cognition, an important outcome of this creative writing task is the improvement of memory. Using stories to learn activates the brain’s positive emotional state and transfers the information more readily into memory. (3)

For students with strong memory or those who love the story, remembering events and scenes may not be that difficult. But what about students who do not necessarily connect with the storyline or characters? What could help them remember key scenes? To answer this question, we asked our students to engage in the exercise of writing from the perspective of another character.

An fMRI study found that when participants continued to write creatively from a literary text that was given to them, the areas of their brain at work were those involving language processing, working memory, and the long term memory system. (4) We saw this impact firsthand; while engaged in this creative writing task, students juggled a myriad of cognitive tasks, including remembering plot details, character traits, common language used by the character, and the context of the scene students were asked to recreate.

Our classroom experiences

When students in English 8 were asked to choose a character from the jail scene in “To Kill a Mockingbird,” the scene in which Atticus is guarding Tom Robinson from racist farmers who want him dead, students chose a range of perspectives. They had to play with words and sentence structures; they were even allowed to break traditional grammar rules for the sake of artistic license. One English 8 student wrote the following from Atticus Finch’s perspective:

“My mouth is frozen open, my fists clenched tightly, and my heart still beating way too fast. Scout’s voice wrenches at something inside of me and I look away from Jem, who stands in front of me with his own fists clenched at his sides. He has my eyes… A prideful voice whispers inside of me as I turn to look at my daughter, he has my hair too… As my gaze lands on Scout, my heart slows its anxious thrum.”

When a student creates and writes like the above character, they are an author too. Thinking about which words to choose and which feelings to evoke creates a deeper connection to the moment and, therefore, creates a stronger memory of the plot and characters. Recreating this particular scene from Atticus’s perspective could have even more lasting effects as studies have found that when students discover meaning in characters’ good deeds, they are often motivated to act more virtu­ously as well. (5)

We asked our 11th grade students to do the same creative writing exercise for our unit on “The Great Gatsby.” Incorporating more choice for our older students, we asked them to pick from a select number of scenes in addition to choosing the character whose perspective they wanted to adopt. Some students not only used language common to the character, but also incorporated literary devices such as foreshadowing and irony. For example, one student wrote from the perspective of Myrtle Wilson shortly before she dies:

“She looks so out of place. I should be sitting next to him, not her. But that car is so… It’s unforgettable. That car is something else. If I was in that car, I would leave quite an impression on anyone who should look. It definitely will leave an impression on me.”

The benefits of this assignment multiply when you ask students to read their work aloud so that they can appreciate each other’s creativity and remember the scenes and emotions of the characters more clearly. When reading, hearing, and writing stories, our brains are wired to focus on the characters’ thoughts and feelings (6) — if stories are memorable, it is because of the people within them. If students can connect to characters, they can more easily learn from them, choosing which qualities they want to avoid and which they want to emulate. Creative writing that incorporates choice, empathy, and memory empowers students to become authors, both of the story they are rewriting and of their own life stories.

About the Authors

Liz Regan Kiingi teaches English at St. Andrew’s. Julia Dean is the former CTTL Academy Program Coordinator and Innovation Associate and an English teacher at St. Andrew’s who is now pursuing graduate studies.

This article was originally published in  Volume 4 of “Think Differently and Deeply”  (2020) .

(1)   Theory of Mind: Understanding Others in a Social World. Psychology Today. Retrieved January 9, 2020, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/socioemotionalsuccess/201707/theory-mind-understanding-others-in-social-world .

(2)   How Stories Change the Brain. Greater Good. Retrieved January 9, 2020, from https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_stories_change_brain

(3)   The Neuroscience of Narrative and Memory. Edutopia. Retrieved January 9, 2020, from https://www.edutopia.org/article/neuroscience-narrative-and-memory  

(4)   Shah, C., Erhard, K., Ortheil, H.-J., Kaza, E., Kessler, C., & Lotze, M. (2013). Neural correlates of creative writing: An fMRI study. Human Brain Mapping, 34(5), 1088–1101. https://doi.org/10.1002/hbm.21493

(5)   Gotlieb, R., Jahner, E. E., Immordino-Yang, M. H., & Kaufman, S. B. (2015). How Social-Emotional Imagination Facilitates Deep Learning and Creativity in the Classroom. Retrieved from https://scottbarrykaufman.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/CUUS2378-17_Proof_ RG_061016.pdf (6)   Yuan, Y., Major-Girardin, J., & Brown, S. (2018). Storytelling Is Intrinsically Mentalistic: A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study of Narrative Production across Modalities. Journal of Cognitive

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January 10, 2018

Writing and Memory: Why It Is Important for Authors

Fiction Writing Tips , Writing

experience , fiction , growing up , literature , nostalgia , time , writing

I have talked in the past about nostalgia and reminiscence , and in this article I will emphasize the role of writing and memory in the context of writing fiction.

Many people are under the impression fiction is a process where you just “come up with things”, as if from thin air. This is inaccurate. Deep down, writing fiction is about telling a truth (often a secret or unpleasant one) in a different way.

And so, experiencing becomes an operative element: before you write you must experience . Writing and memory, therefore, go hand-in-hand. The diagram below should give you a quick idea.

The term “memorable” is important. A memorable experience is not only easier to remember but also more  valuable to remember. Of course this is an entirely subjective matter, and a skillful writer is precisely one that can turn a seemingly mundane experience into a momentous narrative chunk.

However, generally speaking, great novels materialize not because you remember what you ate last week, but because you remember  how you felt on your first day at school . In this post I will show you the connection between creativity, writing, and memory. I will also give you 5 concrete tips that will help you become a better fiction writer by training your writing memory.

Writing and Memory: The Recollection of Moments

I mentioned in the previous section that great books are born because you remember  how you felt on your first day at school – to name one example. Did you notice the emphasis? It’s not as important to remember the memorable experience itself, as it is to recall its  affect .

In other words, it’s not really that important to remember any factual details about the experience, as long as you remember the way it made you feel; the kind of thoughts it inspired, the way it perhaps made you understand something.

Remember, we’re discussing about writing and memory in the process of writing  fiction . Conversely, if we were talking about writing non-fiction (or journalism), then obviously facts should take precedent (unless if fake news is your thing!)

As the graph above shows, there is a linkage between memorable experience, memory, and writing. There are some further elements to take into consideration, so let’s make a list with all of them. Essentially, we’re expanding on the graph above.

Memorable Experience > Strong Affect > Mental Anchor > Memory > Recalling Affect > Writing > Manipulating Experience

To elaborate on the matter, I’ll use an example many of us could relate to.

I’ll never forget my first day at school. How could I, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing [ Memorable Experience] . I remember how scared I was, how anxious to make a good impression [ Strong Affect ]. I think the uniqueness of this fear is what makes me remember the whole thing so vividly, it’s like a trauma of some sort [ Mental Anchor ]! Recently I’ve been thinking a lot about my first day at school [ Memory ], precisely because I remember how it felt [ Recalling Affect ]. I decided to write a short story about it [ Writing ], only I’ll have the kid be fearless and nonchalant [ Manipulating Experience ]. It’ll be fun!

Can You Train Your Writing Memory?

Often people ask whether you’re born one thing or you become it. For example, one may ask “ Are writers born or made? “

There is no direct answer to that, not in a black-and-white way that people would like it to be. Some people might remember more easily because of their genetic code (disclaimer: I’m not qualified to make such a claim, I’m only speculating).

Others might have a vivid imagination in their DNA (ditto). I  can assure you of one thing however: Virtually  everyone gets better with practice, training, and experience. And writing and memory are two things you can train to cooperate together more efficiently.

OK, so how exactly Do You Train Your Brain to Remember Events?

Here’s the secret: creation, writing and memory are three facets of the same essence. It all boils down to  experiencing ; particularly, its connection to time and the present moment .

In more detail, memory is the tool that actually allows you to experience. Think of it like this: if there was some odd defect in your brain that erased your memory every passing second, could you experience  anything at all ? Could you see a movie , enjoy a meal, have sex, or go to the museum? The answer must be no. Memory is what allows you to have a concept of experiencing.

As for creation (which in our context of being an author uses writing as its tool), that serves the purpose of re -membering the experience. Creation puts the whole thing back together, using the bricks awaiting in the depths of your mind (including your unconscious). The end result might not be the same – indeed, it usually isn’t, deliberately so.

Once you realize that writing, creation and memory all coexist under the umbrella of experiencing, training your memory becomes easy. Here are 5 concrete tips for improving your creative memory:

Give yourself writing tasks related to old experiences

Pick a quiet moment (i know…) and daydream about a past event, start a list with all the people you know, keep a dream journal, write meta-experience texts, creativity, writing and memory: conclusions.

A good author of fiction is one who can skillfully translate experiences into words. To put words into abstractness, that’s the writer’s skill.

And in order to create – or recreate – a writer must have a deep sense of experience. This comes with good memory. Writing and memory are, really, two sides of the same coin that is experience.

The reason some people write more engaging novels than others is because they have learned to remember  better . When I read a book I can usually tell whether the author wrote a certain scene as a result of remembering the affect of a past memory. Those are the best-written scenes, you need to have as many of those as possible.

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• Published: 27 February 2023

The role of memory in creative ideation

• Mathias Benedek   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-6258-4476 1 ,
• Roger E. Beaty   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-6114-5973 2 ,
• Daniel L. Schacter   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-2460-6061 3 , 4 &
• Yoed N. Kenett   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-3872-7689 5  

Nature Reviews Psychology volume  2 ,  pages 246–257 ( 2023 ) Cite this article

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Creativity reflects the remarkable human capacity to produce novel and effective ideas. Empirical work suggests that creative ideas do not just emerge out of nowhere but typically result from goal-directed memory processes. Specifically, creative ideation is supported by controlled retrieval, involves semantic and episodic memory, builds on processes used in memory construction and differentially recruits memory at different stages in the creative process. In this Perspective, we propose a memory in creative ideation (MemiC) framework that describes how creative ideas arise across four distinguishable stages of memory search, candidate idea construction, novelty evaluation and effectiveness evaluation. We discuss evidence supporting the contribution of semantic and episodic memory to each stage of creative ideation. The MemiC framework overcomes the shortcomings of previous creativity theories by accounting for the controlled, dynamic involvement of different memory systems across separable ideation stages and offers a clear agenda for future creativity research.

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Benedek, M., Beaty, R.E., Schacter, D.L. et al. The role of memory in creative ideation. Nat Rev Psychol 2 , 246–257 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44159-023-00158-z

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25 Great Creative Writing Exercises To Awaken The Senses

• January 23, 2023
• Craft , Inspiration

I’ve written about the importance of sensory imagery in writing before, specifically for developing characters, in my blog: Use The Five Senses and Bring Your Characters to Life.  

But it’s not just for developing your characters; sensory imagery is needed everywhere if you want your readers to engage with your story. 

What is sensory imagery?

When we tell a story, we create a world in the reader’s mind, and by using specific, definite, and concrete details, we enable the reader to enter this new world. 

A detail is  definite and concrete when it appeals to the senses. It should be seen, heard, smelled, tasted, or touched.  

Whether you are writing non-fiction, fiction, poetry, or plays, getting in touch with your senses, and using imagery that relates to them, will serve you well. 

Experience using sensory imagery.

This post aims to give you the experience of engaging with each sense and letting it take you somewhere unexpected. It’s all very well to understand the concept of using the senses and even be convinced that it’s important to include them in your writing. Still, until you’ve taken the time—10 minutes is all you need— to experience the nuances of each sense, you might not fully understand why using sensory imagery in your writing is essential and how it works. 

How to start: Choose a writing prompt and write it  at the top of your page.    Set your timer for 10 minutes. Read the prompt and begin writing immediately, without thinking—follow the first thought and go wherever it takes you. No editing, no judging, just writing.

Keep your pen moving. 

Don’t stop until the time is up. 

Suspend judgment. 

Be curious. 

Tip: Write by hand.  Writing by hand connects the brain and body and, I believe, the heart. It’s especially helpful in getting those first thoughts onto the page.

Remember:  you can always write from the POV of one of your characters.

25 Great Sensory Writing Prompts.

The sense of smell.

More than any other sense, smell can connect us intimately to the past in a way our ideas cannot. A scent can initiate a flood of memories regardless of how unexpected or fleeting. A whiff of your mother’s perfume on an old sweater can catapult you to a long-forgotten memory of weekly drives to ballet class, the last kiss at bedtime, tears over a science project, or your wedding day. 

Prompt 1.    What’s the most unusual smell you’ve ever encountered?

Prompt 2.    What’s the first scent you smell upon entering your home?

Prompt 3.    What is the most dangerous smell you can think of?

Prompt 4.    If you were holding your favorite stuffed animal from childhood, what would it smell like?

Prompt 5.    Peel an orange, inhale the scent and write about the first memory that comes to mind.

For more on smell, read the blog How the Sense of Smell Can Enhance Your Writing .

The Sense of Touch   

Touch is a basic human need, and it’s the first sense we develop upon entering this world and the last sense to go as we depart this world.

It is also one of the least used senses in writing, perhaps because it’s the most difficult to describe. But think about how often we confirm what we see by reaching out and touching. A reader can more easily engage with a character’s world if they can touch it. I’m using the word touch rather than feel because the term “feel” tends to lead us to emotions, and while that’s important, it’s not what we’re aiming for here. 

Prompt 1.    Write about the last time you touched wet . 

Prompt 2.    Write about something you want to touch but can’t or shouldn’t.

Prompt 3.    Imagine you can describe a sculpture by how it feels as you run your hands over it.

Prompt 4.    Write about the earliest touch you can remember.

Prompt 5.    Write about something you can’t pass by without touching it.

For more on the sense of touch, read the blog How To Use The Sense Of Touch In Your Writing .

The Sense of Taste

Taste might be the least used sense in writing but think of all you can learn about your character through their tastebuds. The sense of taste and the act of tasting can be highly evocative, taking your reader from delight to disgust with a mere nibble.

Yes, it may be challenging to describe taste without using the senses for sight and smell, which are inherent in taste but challenge yourself to see where taste alone might take you.

Prompt 1.    This exercise will prime you for the following four prompts  Choose something you like to eat, a piece of fruit, a square of chocolate, and most anything will work. Sit quietly and take a few slow breaths. When you’re ready, take a bite or place the food item in yo r mouth and let it sit on your tongue. Take note of physical sensations, flavor, and sound. You may discover new sensations and ideas for enriching your descriptive details.  Now, write a description of what you experienced. 

Prompt 2.    Write about your favorite childhood meal and how it might ta te today.

Prompt 3.    Think of two of your favorite foods. Now write about how they might taste together.

Prompt 4.    Write about the experience of tasting a foreign dish for the first time.

Prompt 5.    Describe the taste of your favorite dessert without revealing what it is.

For more on the sense of taste, read the blog, How To Use The Sense Of Taste In Your Writing .

The Sense of Hearing

Second, to sight, hearing gives us a primary experience of the world we live in. Sounds enrich our environment; we depend on them to help u  interpret, communicate with, and express the world around us.  

While not as evocative as smell, familiar sounds can stir memories and transport us to another time and place. What more powerful tool could a writer ask for than auditory details that offer nuanced layers to a scene?

Prompt 1.   What would it sound like if  you amplified the sound of snow falling on the roof?

Prompt 2.    Describe the sound of a family holiday dinner.

Prompt 3.    Play a piece of your favorite music and write from the first image that appears in your mind.

Prompt 4.    Sit quietly for 2-3 minutes until you can identify the sound that is the farthest away. Describe it without naming it and go wherever it takes you. 

Prompt 5.    What sound do you most like/dislike?

For more on the sense of hearing, read the blog How To Use The Sense Of Hearing In Your Writing .

The Sense of Sight

The sense of sight is the sense we use most often in writing.

If you’ve ever tried to describe something without referring to sight, you’ll know just how challenging that is to accomplish. 

Perhaps this is because 70% of the body’s sense receptors cluster in the eyes, and it is mainly through seeing the world that we appraise and understand it. 

​​A visual image can be a trigger for memory and emotion. A painting can take us back to a time in history replete with triumph or tragedy. A gesture captured in a photograph may symbolize love, loss, or confusion.

Remember, sight is not only for description and scene setting; showing how your characters see the world and how they feel about it will capture your readers’ attention.

Prompt 1.    Describe your face as you might see it reflected in a pool of water.

Prompt 2.    Describe someone who doesn’t know you are watching them.

Prompt 3.    If anger were a creature, describe it.

Prompt 4.   Describe your ideal writing place.

Prompt 5.   Choose a painting and describe it without using the sense of sight  Use every other sense.

For more on the sense of sight, read the blog How To Use The Sense Of Sight In Your Writing .

I hope you find these prompts useful—let me know how it goes.

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4 Responses

Thanks for these useful prompts.

I’m glad you found them helpful!

Thank you, Kathryn.

I am from India, where the land is filled with vibrant and splendid colors, smells, tastes, and sounds. Thank you for your tips. Touch is something difficult for me to describe in words. Touch is something I find hard to put into words. Your advice gave me the courage to try.

I’ve bookmarked your page. Looking forward to reading more posts.

Thank you for leaving a commment. I’m so pleased you this blog helpful.

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63 Best Memoir Writing Prompts To Stoke Your Ideas

You’re writing a memoir. But you’re not sure what questions or life lessons you want to focus on.

Even if only family members and friends will read the finished book, you want to make it worth their time. 

This isn’t just a whimsical collection of anecdotes from your life.

You want to convey something to your readers that will stay with them. 

And maybe you want your memoir’s impact to serve as your legacy — a testament to how you made a small (or large) difference. 

The collection of memoir questions in this post can help you create a legacy worth sharing.

So, if you don’t already have enough ideas for a memoir, read on. 

A Strong Theme

Overcoming obstacles, emotional storytelling, satisfying ending, examples of good starting sentences for a memoir , 63 memoir writing prompts , what are the primary parts of a memoir.

Though similar to autobiographies, memoirs are less chronological and more impressionable – less historical and more relatable.

Resultantly, they’re structured differently. 

With that in mind, let’s look at five elements that tie a memoir together, rendering it more enjoyable.

Biographies are histories that may not hew to a cohesive theme. But memoirs focus on inspiring and enlightening experiences and events.

As such, books in the genre promote a theme or idea that binds the highlighted happenings to an overarching reflection point or lesson.

Many people are super at sniffing out insincerity, and most folks prefer candidness.

So while exact dates and logistical facts may be off in a memoir, being raw and real with emotions, revelations, and relational impacts is vital. To put it colloquially: The best personal accounts let it all hang out. 

People prefer inspiring stories. They want to read about people overcoming obstacles, standing as testaments to the tenacious nature of the human spirit. Why?

Because it engenders hope. If this person was able to achieve “x,” there’s a possibility I could, too. Furthermore, people find it comforting that they’re not the only ones who’ve faced seemingly insurmountable impediments.

Readers crave emotion. And for many of the stoic masses, books, plays, television shows, and films are their primary sources of sentimentality.

Historically, the best-performing memoirs are built on emotional frameworks that resonate with readers. The goal is to touch hearts, not just heads.

In a not-so-small way, memoirs are like romance books: Readers want a “happy” ending. So close strongly. Ensure the finale touches on the book’s central themes and emotional highlights.

End it with a smile and note of encouragement, leaving the audience satisfied and optimistic.

Use the following questions as memoir writing exercises . Choose those that immediately evoke memories that have stayed with you over the years.

Group them by theme — family, career, beliefs, etc. — and address at least one question a day. 

For each question, write freely for around 300 to 400 words. You can always edit it later to tighten it up or add more content. 

1. What is your earliest memory?

2. What have your parents told you about your birth that was unusual?

3. How well did you get along with your siblings, if you have any?

4. Which parent were you closest to growing up and why?

5. What parent or parental figure had the biggest influence on you growing up?

6. What is your happiest childhood memory?

7. What is your saddest or most painful childhood memory?

8. Did you have good parents? How did they show their love for you?

9. What words of theirs from your childhood do you remember most, and why?

10. What do you remember most about your parents’ relationship? 

11. Were your parents together, or did they live apart? Did they get along? 

12. How has your relationship with your parents affected your own love relationships?

13. Who or what did you want to be when you grew up? 

14. What shows or movies influenced you most during your childhood?

15. What were your favorite books to read, and how did they influence you?

16. If you grew up in a religious household, how did you see “God”? 

17. How did you think “God” saw you? Who influenced those beliefs?

18. Describe your spiritual journey from adolescence to the present?

19. Who was your first best friend? How did you become friends? 

20. Who was your favorite teacher in elementary school, and why?

21. Did you fit in with any social group or clique in school? Describe your social life?

22. What were your biggest learning challenges in school (academic or social)? 

23. Who was your first crush, and what drew you to them? How long did it last?

24. What was your favorite subject in school, and what did you love about it?

25. What do you wish you would have learned more about growing up?

26. What did you learn about yourself in high school? What was your biggest mistake?

27. What seemed normal to you growing up that now strikes you as messed up?

28. How old were you when you first moved away from home?

29. Who gave you your first kiss? And what do you remember most about it?

30. Who was your first love ? What do you remember most about them?

31. Was there ever a time in your life when you realized you weren’t straight? 

32. Describe a memorable argument you had with one of your parents? How did it end?

33. Have you lost a parent? How did it happen, and how did their death affect you?

34. What was your first real job? What do you remember most about it?

35. How did you spend the money you earned with that job? 

36. At what moment in your life did you feel most loved? 

37. At what moment in your life did you feel most alone?

38. What do you remember most about your high school graduation? Did it matter?

39. What’s something you’ve done that you never thought you would do?

40. What has been the greatest challenge of your life up to this point?

41. What did you learn in college that has had a powerful influence on you?

42. How has your family’s financial situation growing up influenced you?

43. How has someone’s harsh criticism of you led you to an important realization? 

44. Do you consider yourself a “good person”? Why or why not?

45. Who was the first person who considered you worth standing up for?

46. If you have children, whom did you trust with them when they were babies?

47. Did you have pets growing up? Did you feel close or attached to any of them?

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48. Describe someone from your past whom you’d love to see again. 

49. Do you have a lost love? If yes, describe them, how you met, and how you lost them. 

50. Describe a moment when you made a fool of yourself and what it cost you. 

51. What is something you learned later in life that you wish you’d learned as a child?

52. How do you want others to see you? What words come to mind? 

53. What do you still believe now that you believed even as a child or as a teenager?

54. What do you no longer believe that you did believe as a child or teenager?

55. When have you alienated people by being vocal about your beliefs? 

56. Are you as vocal about your beliefs as you were when you were a young adult ?

57. Are you haunted by the consequences of beliefs you’ve since abandoned? 

58. How have your political beliefs changed since you were a teenager? 

59. Have you ever joined a protest for a cause you believe in? Would you still? 

60. How has technology shaped your life for the past 10 years? 

61.Has your chosen career made you happy — or cost you and your family too much?

62. What comes to mind if someone asks you what you’re good at? Why does it matter?

63. How is your family unique? What makes you proudest when you think about them?

We’ve looked at the elements that make memoirs shine. Now, let’s turn our attention to one of the most important parts of a personal account: the opening sentence.

We’ve scoured some of the most successful, moving memoirs of all time to curate a list of memorable starting sentences. Notice how all of them hint at the theme of the book.

Let’s jump in.

1. “They called him Moishe the Beadle, as if his entire life he had never had a surname.” From Night, a first-hand account of the WWII Holocaust by Elie Wiesel

2. “My mother is scraping a piece of burned toast out of the kitchen window, a crease of annoyance across her forehead.” From Toast: The Story of a Boy’s Hunger, foodie Nigel Slater’s account of culinary events that shaped his life.

3. “Then there was the bad weather.” From A Moveable Feast , Ernest Hemingway’s telling of his years as an young expat in Paris

4. “You know those plants always trying to find the light?” From Over the Top: A Raw Journey of Self-Love by Queer Eye for the Straight Guy’s beloved star, Jonathan Van Ness

5. “What are you looking at me for? I didn’t come to stay.” From Maya Angelou’s masterpiece, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings , the story of persevering in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles

6. “I’m on Kauai, in Hawaii, today, August 5, 2005. It’s unbelievably clear and sunny, not a cloud in the sky.” From What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami, a memoir about the fluidity of running and writing

7. “The soil in Leitrim is poor, in places no more than an inch deep. ” From All Will be Well , Irish writer John McGahern’s recounting of his troubled childhood 

8. “The past is beautiful because one never realizes an emotion at the time.” From Educated , Tara Westover’s engrossing account of her path from growing up in an uneducated survivalist family to earning a doctorate in intellectual history from Cambridge University 

9. “I flipped through the CT scan images, the diagnosis obvious.” From When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi, the now-deceased doctor’s journey toward mortality after discovering he had terminal cancer

10. “Romantic love is the most important and exciting thing in the entire world.” From Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton, a funny, light-hearted memoir about one woman’s amorous journey from teenager to twentysomething

Final Thoughts

These memoir topics should get ideas flooding into your mind. All you have to do, then, is let them out onto the page. The more you write, the easier it will be to choose the primary focus for your memoir. And the more fun you’ll have writing it. 

That’s not to say it’ll be easy to create a powerful memoir. It won’t be. But the more clarity you have about its overall mission, the more easily the words will flow. 

Enjoy these memoir writing exercises. And apply the same clarity of focus during the editing process. Your readers will thank you. 

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The Brain Benefits of Creative Writing

Did you know that writing has powerful health benefits? While most people don’t associate an activity like writing with health, picking it up as a hobby or habit in your later years has been proven to improve brain function and keep the mind sharp.

And the best part of writing? Anyone can do it! Creative writing is an easy and fun way to take care of your mental and physical health. It allows individuals to settle back and deeply reflect on their own life experiences or dream up new ones. Writing offers limitless avenues to explore, from prose to poetry. Whether you would like to write your memories into a memoir or write fictional characters that go on adventures, you receive the same health benefits.

Let’s take a closer look at the health benefits of writing.

Stimulate Cognitive Function & Improve Memory Retention

If you used this as a study trick in your school days, then you know that writing something down over and over again helps you to remember it. The process of recalling something, writing it down, and reading it back on paper boosts memory and comprehension. As a result, this leads to improved cognitive processing.

However, studies have found that the creative process of crafting a story stimulates certain parts of the brain that simply copying words down on paper will not. The process of creating characters, plot, scene, dialogue, setting, and more invigorate the brain. Essentially, creating an entirely new narrative requires much more thought and creativity than rote writing. Creative writing engages the brain on a new level and forms new neural pathways and connections, keeping the brain sharp and agile.

Reduce Stress

Stress can cause and worsen a whole host of health problems. Not to mention, stress is just plain unpleasant. Finding an outlet to redirect and alleviate this stress is essential for everyone’s mental and physical wellbeing. When you are feeling overwhelmed, the last thing you want to do— or think to do— is write a short story or poem.

However, any type of writing that requires imagination helps de-stress your body and mind. Writing provides a constructive escape, providing the distraction your mind needs to decrease anxiety, stop racing thoughts, and improve your mood. As a result, when you’re ready to leave your fictional world for the real world, you’ll likely feel better and even have a fresh perspective.

Improve Sleep & Create Peace of Mind

It can be hard to get your brain to shut off and relax. Consequently, when it comes time for bed, many people lie awake with racing thoughts. Writing is a great tactic for improving your sleep cycle because it helps get those thoughts out on paper, so they are not living so much in your head.

Improve Mood

Specifically for seniors, creative writing and writing in a journal can help promote mindfulness and help older adults live in the present moment, rather than worrying what the future holds. This habit can support coming to terms with the ageing process, help cherish their memories, and celebrate the experiences of their life. Expressive writing is a powerful tool that offers a safe space for individuals to process and explore their thoughts, feelings, emotions, and impactful life experiences.

You don’t have to be an aspiring author to reap the benefits of writing, simply a willingness to pick up your pen! The Life Enrichment Center offers a variety of engaging writing classes for writers of all levels, such as: Creative Writing , Six-Week Memoir Writing , Monologues for Beginners , and the Ten-Minute Play for Beginners .

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22 writing prompts that jog childhood memories

by Kim Kautzer | May 23, 2018 | Writing & Journal Prompts

My childhood memories are rich and varied.

I loved visiting my grandma’s apartment, with its fringed window shades and faint smell of eucalyptus. Her desk drawers, lined in green felt, spilled over with card decks, cocktail napkins, and golf tees. Every door in the house was fitted with wobbly crystal doorknobs. The bathroom smelled of Listerine.

My brother and I would sleep in the small bedroom off the kitchen—the very room our mom shared with her own brother growing up in the north side of Chicago.

I can picture myself reaching way down into Grandma’s frost-filled chest freezer for the ever-present box of Eskimo Pies. Her well-stocked pantry and doily-covered tabletops contained loads of delectable treats I was often denied at home: pastries, chocolate-covered marshmallow cookies, and delicate bowls of jellied orange sticks and other candy .

This was the 1960s, long before big-box stores came on the scene. Together Grandma and I would walk to the corner of Roscoe and Broadway, where we’d explore the wonders of Simon’s Drugstore, Heinemann’s Bakery, and Martha’s Candies.

Those childhood m emories of my grandma are largely synonymous with food.

In my mind’s eye, I can still picture driving from Illinois to Wisconsin beneath a canopy of crimson leaves against an blindingly blue sky. I remember Passover dinners with a million Jewish relatives in the basement of some wizened old uncle’s apartment building.

Other childhood memories recall the mysteries of new baby brothers coming on the scene, building a hideout among the branches of a fallen tree, and giving my best friend’s parakeet a ride down the stairs in her aqua Barbie convertible.

It’s good to write down our recollections . As vivid as the moment seems at the time, memories fade. These prompts will help jog them.  This can be a great homeschool writing activity! Invite your older children to participate. They’re in closer proximity to their memories, and can usually remember the details more vividly.

There are no rules : Jot your thoughts in snippets or write them out diary-style. Either way, do your best to recall the sensory details that made the moment important, for it’s those little things that keep the memory alive.

Writing Prompts about Childhood Memories

• Who was your best childhood friend ? Write about some of the fun things you used to do together.
• Describe one of your  earliest childhood memories .  How old were you? What bits and pieces can you recall?
• When you were little, did you ever try to run away from home ? What made you want to leave? What did you pack? How far did you get?
• Can you remember your mom’s or grandmother’s kitchen ? Use sight and smell words to describe it.
• Describe the most unusual or memorable place you have lived.
• Did you have your own bedroom growing up, or did you share with a sibling? Describe your room.
• Were you shy as a child? Bossy? Obnoxious? Describe several of your childhood character traits . How did those qualities show themselves? Are you still that way today?
• What childhood memories of your mother and father do you have? Describe a couple of snapshot moments.
• Write about a holiday memory . Where did you go? What did you do? What foods do you remember?
• Describe your favorite hideaway .
• Did you attend a traditional school, or were you homeschooled? Describe a school-related memory .
• Think of a time when you did something you shouldn’t have done. Describe both the incident and the feelings they created.
• Have you ever needed stitches, broken a bone, or been hospitalized? Describe a childhood injury or illness .
• Do you have quirky or  interesting relatives on your family tree? Describe one or two of them.
• Describe your most memorable family vacatio n . Where did you go? Did something exciting or unusual happen? Did you eat new or unique foods ?
• Books can be childhood friends. What were some of your favorites? Why were they special?
• Did you grow up with family traditions ? Describe one.
• Describe a game or activity you used to play with a sibling .
• What was your most beloved toy ? Describe its shape, appearance, and texture. What feelings come to mind when you think of that toy?
• Think of a childhood event that made you feel anxious or scared . Describe both the event itself and the feelings it stirred up.
• Write about some sayings, expressions, or advice you heard at home when you were growing up. Who said them? What did they mean? Do you use any of those expressions today?
• What are your happiest childhood memories ? Describe one event and the feelings associated with it.

I hope you’ll get much use out of these writing prompts about childhood memories. What’s one of your most vivid childhood memories? Share a snippet in the comments!

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19,903 quotes, descriptions and writing prompts, 4,965 themes

Memories - quotes and descriptions to inspire creative writing

• bonfire night
• celebration
• childhood memories
• good memories
• happy memories
• memory cards
• painful memories
• photographs
• revisiting a place

The best of my memories as far back and forwards as I may reach, form the golden thread of both soul and spine.

Memories us together bring both new fuel and fire, igniting an everlasting flame that speaks of magic and legend.

Memories of vivid hue come dancing in as if the wind was their favourite tune, as if they ever ready to samba.

Let us build our memories of the best times and forgive the worst, for our future is together. That's the way it is when you love someone, that's the way it has to be. There is no perfect, only perfect for one another.

The brain has little concept of time, and so the painful memory is experienced as a current event. This is why, once we have come to terms with them and gained new perspectives on what happened, it is important to move on and recall the happy times instead. This way you deal with them, disarm them, and choose real health for yourself. This way you love yourself and set yourself free.

My memories, the good and painful, are photographs - and I can choose what kind of album I wish to build.

The negative memories come with a cost, as addictive as they feel, once lessons are learnt there is nothing in them of value. The positive memories come as a friend with a picnic basket, they are good and nourishing, supportive and kind. And so I choose to build myself this way, letting the bad ones wander off on their own and encouraging the good ones to blossom and grow. This way I become confident, well balanced and in control of me, able to appreciate each moment as a gift and to see a positive future.

Each raindrop is the drop that kissed your skin in those days that we were together, me and you, my baby boy. Each one is the same because they sing of these such treasured memories, of the comforting love that remains and the hopes I hold for your future. And so, I love the rain better than photographs, for each one is a perfect moment.

Memories are often invoked by a fragrance, for me it is the smell of potatoes being fried in old oil - then I am at the seaside, shingle underfoot, fishing boats glistening in the afternoon sun. Yet for me the strongest memory, the one that feels most like being sunk into one of those alternative reality machines, is the giggle from baby Hans. It is more delicate than wind-chimes and just as chaotic, just as melodic. In those moments I have Clarissa once more, newborn, fresh, an unknown future before her.

The golden-brown gazelle became the caramel of my memories.

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Memories To Trigger Your Descriptions

Writers Write creates writing resources and shares writing tips. In this post, we discuss how you can use memories to trigger your descriptions .

Have you thought of using memories to enhance your descriptions? The sense of  smell  is one of the best ways to do this.

On Sunday afternoons, when things slow down and you can catch your breath with a cup of coffee or a hot chocolate, you may just find yourself in a reflective mood. Over lunch today, my sister and cousin were reminiscing about sea-side holidays we used to have as kids.

Use Memories To Trigger Your Descriptions

As they were talking, I remembered so many vivid details of those holidays . The block of flats we used to stay in. The building was painted blue with the crest of a buck on the wall. I could smell the inside of the lift again. I could sit here until my hot chocolate turned cold and I still couldn’t describe that smell.

The scent of sunscreen or candy floss would be easier and more carefree and, yet, it’s that warm enclosed lift I want to write about. The almost magisterial staleness of that space was both sobering and thrilling.

The Scent Of Remembrance

It felt like a serious and grown-up piece of machinery; as a kid, I used to get a secret kick using it as a child unaccompanied by an adult – pressing the heavy black round button,  listening  to the heavy outer wooden door swung shut as the steel doors slid over and sealed me in, and the orange numbers counting off the floors. The smell of stale oil and hot machinery seems fanciful now – I’m not convinced it captures that special smell for me.

I don’t think I was the only child who loved the lifts. There was one crotchety old lady who complained about “kids fooling around in the lifts” and now, with a faint chuckle, I’m pretty sure I was one of those kids. It must have been an adventure for a five- or six-year-old boy.

Capturing The Elusive

My hot chocolate is finished and, for a moment, I felt foolish for writing about something so trivial, when I wanted to write about the excitement of summer at the sea. But I realised the small memories are important and, I think, even more special. The descriptions you struggle with, and yearn to capture, stretch you as a writer. They make you think. They make you grow.

I still don’t think I can capture that scent, that memory completely – and maybe I shouldn’t try to. It’s enough to go back there and remember as much as you can and write it, report it, as honestly as you can.

Why not try these exercises?

• Write about your last haircut or trip to the hairdresser in as much detail as possible.
• Write about the smell of your family car as a kid or the caravan or holiday home you visited.
• Write about the smell of the inside of your mother’s handbag or your father’s study or workroom.
• Write about hot chocolate or ginger tea or any of your favourite drinks.

Top Tip:  If you want to learn how to write a book, sign up for our  online course .

If you enjoyed this post, read:

• The Big 5 Personality Traits
• When To Stick To The Rules Of Fiction And When To Break Them
• Getting Feedback On Your Writing – 4 Things To Keep In Mind
• Embracing Your Uniqueness As A Writer

TIP: If you want help writing a book, buy  The Novel Writing Exercises Workbook .

• Anthony Ehlers , Description , Writing Inspiration

© Writers Write 2022

• Writing Activities

105 Creative Writing Exercises To Get You Writing Again

You know that feeling when you just don’t feel like writing? Sometimes you can’t even get a word down on paper. It’s the most frustrating thing ever to a writer, especially when you’re working towards a deadline. The good news is that we have a list of 105 creative writing exercises to help you get motivated and start writing again!

What are creative writing exercises?

Creative writing exercises are short writing activities (normally around 10 minutes) designed to get you writing. The goal of these exercises is to give you the motivation to put words onto a blank paper. These words don’t need to be logical or meaningful, neither do they need to be grammatically correct or spelt correctly. The whole idea is to just get you writing something, anything. The end result of these quick creative writing exercises is normally a series of notes, bullet points or ramblings that you can, later on, use as inspiration for a bigger piece of writing such as a story or a poem. 

Good creative writing exercises are short, quick and easy to complete. You shouldn’t need to think too much about your style of writing or how imaginative your notes are. Just write anything that comes to mind, and you’ll be on the road to improving your creative writing skills and beating writer’s block . 

Use the generator below to get a random creative writing exercise idea:

List of 105+ Creative Writing Exercises

Here are over 105 creative writing exercises to give your brain a workout and help those creative juices flow again:

• Set a timer for 60 seconds. Now write down as many words or phrases that come to mind at that moment.
• Pick any colour you like. Now start your sentence with this colour. For example, Orange, the colour of my favourite top. 
• Open a book or dictionary on a random page. Pick a random word. You can close your eyes and slowly move your finger across the page. Now, write a paragraph with this random word in it. You can even use an online dictionary to get random words:

• Create your own alphabet picture book or list. It can be A to Z of animals, food, monsters or anything else you like!
• Using only the sense of smell, describe where you are right now.
• Take a snack break. While eating your snack write down the exact taste of that food. The goal of this creative writing exercise is to make your readers savour this food as well.
• Pick a random object in your room and write a short paragraph from its point of view. For example, how does your pencil feel? What if your lamp had feelings?
• Describe your dream house. Where would you live one day? Is it huge or tiny? 
• Pick two different TV shows, movies or books that you like. Now swap the main character. What if Supergirl was in Twilight? What if SpongeBob SquarePants was in The Flash? Write a short scene using this character swap as inspiration.
• What’s your favourite video game? Write at least 10 tips for playing this game.
• Pick your favourite hobby or sport. Now pretend an alien has just landed on Earth and you need to teach it this hobby or sport. Write at least ten tips on how you would teach this alien.
• Use a random image generator and write a paragraph about the first picture you see.

• Write a letter to your favourite celebrity or character. What inspires you most about them? Can you think of a memorable moment where this person’s life affected yours? We have this helpful guide on writing a letter to your best friend for extra inspiration.
• Write down at least 10 benefits of writing. This can help motivate you and beat writer’s block.
• Complete this sentence in 10 different ways: Patrick waited for the school bus and…
• Pick up a random book from your bookshelf and go to page 9. Find the ninth sentence on that page. Use this sentence as a story starter.
• Create a character profile based on all the traits that you hate. It might help to list down all the traits first and then work on describing the character.
• What is the scariest or most dangerous situation you have ever been in? Why was this situation scary? How did you cope at that moment?
• Pretend that you’re a chat show host and you’re interviewing your favourite celebrity. Write down the script for this conversation.
• Using extreme detail, write down what you have been doing for the past one hour today. Think about your thoughts, feelings and actions during this time.
• Make a list of potential character names for your next story. You can use a fantasy name generator to help you.
• Describe a futuristic setting. What do you think the world would look like in 100 years time?
• Think about a recent argument you had with someone. Would you change anything about it? How would you resolve an argument in the future?
• Describe a fantasy world. What kind of creatures live in this world? What is the climate like? What everyday challenges would a typical citizen of this world face? You can use this fantasy world name generator for inspiration.
• At the flip of a switch, you turn into a dragon. What kind of dragon would you be? Describe your appearance, special abilities, likes and dislikes. You can use a dragon name generator to give yourself a cool dragon name.
• Pick your favourite book or a famous story. Now change the point of view. For example, you could rewrite the fairytale , Cinderella. This time around, Prince Charming could be the main character. What do you think Prince Charming was doing, while Cinderella was cleaning the floors and getting ready for the ball?
• Pick a random writing prompt and use it to write a short story. Check out this collection of over 300 writing prompts for kids to inspire you. 
• Write a shopping list for a famous character in history. Imagine if you were Albert Einstein’s assistant, what kind of things would he shop for on a weekly basis?
• Create a fake advertisement poster for a random object that is near you right now. Your goal is to convince the reader to buy this object from you.
• What is the worst (or most annoying) sound that you can imagine? Describe this sound in great detail, so your reader can understand the pain you feel when hearing this sound.
• What is your favourite song at the moment? Pick one line from this song and describe a moment in your life that relates to this line.
•  You’re hosting an imaginary dinner party at your house. Create a list of people you would invite, and some party invites. Think about the theme of the dinner party, the food you will serve and entertainment for the evening. 
• You are waiting to see your dentist in the waiting room. Write down every thought you are having at this moment in time. 
• Make a list of your greatest fears. Try to think of at least three fears. Now write a short story about a character who is forced to confront one of these fears. 
• Create a ‘Wanted’ poster for a famous villain of your choice. Think about the crimes they have committed, and the reward you will give for having them caught. 
• Imagine you are a journalist for the ‘Imagine Forest Times’ newspaper. Your task is to get an exclusive interview with the most famous villain of all time. Pick a villain of your choice and interview them for your newspaper article. What questions would you ask them, and what would their responses be?
•  In a school playground, you see the school bully hurting a new kid. Write three short stories, one from each perspective in this scenario (The bully, the witness and the kid getting bullied).
• You just won $10 million dollars. What would you spend this money on?
• Pick a random animal, and research at least five interesting facts about this animal. Write a short story centred around one of these interesting facts. 
• Pick a global issue that you are passionate about. This could be climate change, black lives matters, women’s rights etc. Now create a campaign poster for this global issue. 
• Write an acrostic poem about an object near you right now (or even your own name). You could use a poetry idea generator to inspire you.
• Imagine you are the head chef of a 5-star restaurant. Recently the business has slowed down. Your task is to come up with a brand-new menu to excite customers. Watch this video prompt on YouTube to inspire you.
• What is your favourite food of all time? Imagine if this piece of food was alive, what would it say to you?
• If life was one big musical, what would you be singing about right now? Write the lyrics of your song. 
• Create and describe the most ultimate villain of all time. What would their traits be? What would their past look like? Will they have any positive traits?
• Complete this sentence in at least 10 different ways: Every time I look out of the window, I…
• You have just made it into the local newspaper, but what for? Write down at least five potential newspaper headlines . Here’s an example, Local Boy Survives a Deadly Illness.
• If you were a witch or a wizard, what would your specialist area be and why? You might want to use a Harry Potter name generator or a witch name generator for inspiration.
• What is your favourite thing to do on a Saturday night? Write a short story centred around this activity. 
• Your main character has just received the following items: A highlighter, a red cap, a teddy bear and a fork. What would your character do with these items? Can you write a story using these items? 
• Create a timeline of your own life, from birth to this current moment. Think about the key events in your life, such as birthdays, graduations, weddings and so on. After you have done this, you can pick one key event from your life to write a story about. 
• Think of a famous book or movie you like. Rewrite a scene from this book or movie, where the main character is an outsider. They watch the key events play out, but have no role in the story. What would their actions be? How would they react?
• Three very different characters have just won the lottery. Write a script for each character, as they reveal the big news to their best friend.  
• Write a day in the life story of three different characters. How does each character start their day? What do they do throughout the day? And how does their day end?
•  Write about the worst experience in your life so far. Think about a time when you were most upset or angry and describe it. 
• Imagine you’ve found a time machine in your house. What year would you travel to and why?
• Describe your own superhero. Think about their appearance, special abilities and their superhero name. Will they have a secret identity? Who is their number one enemy?
• What is your favourite country in the world? Research five fun facts about this country and use one to write a short story. 
• Set yourself at least three writing goals. This could be a good way to motivate yourself to write every day. For example, one goal might be to write at least 150 words a day. 
• Create a character description based on the one fact, three fiction rule. Think about one fact or truth about yourself. And then add in three fictional or fantasy elements. For example, your character could be the same age as you in real life, this is your one fact. And the three fictional elements could be they have the ability to fly, talk in over 100 different languages and have green skin. 
• Describe the perfect person. What traits would they have? Think about their appearance, their interests and their dislikes. 
• Keep a daily journal or diary. This is a great way to keep writing every day. There are lots of things you can write about in your journal, such as you can write about the ‘highs’ and ‘lows’ of your day. Think about anything that inspired you or anything that upset you, or just write anything that comes to mind at the moment. 
• Write a book review or a movie review. If you’re lost for inspiration, just watch a random movie or read any book that you can find. Then write a critical review on it. Think about the best parts of the book/movie and the worst parts. How would you improve the book or movie?
• Write down a conversation between yourself. You can imagine talking to your younger self or future self (i.e. in 10 years’ time). What would you tell them? Are there any lessons you learned or warnings you need to give? Maybe you could talk about what your life is like now and compare it to their life?
• Try writing some quick flash fiction stories . Flash fiction is normally around 500 words long, so try to stay within this limit.
• Write a six-word story about something that happened to you today or yesterday. A six-word story is basically an entire story told in just six words. Take for example: “Another football game ruined by me.” or “A dog’s painting sold for millions.” – Six-word stories are similar to writing newspaper headlines. The goal is to summarise your story in just six words. 
• The most common monsters or creatures used in stories include vampires, werewolves , dragons, the bigfoot, sirens and the loch-ness monster. In a battle of intelligence, who do you think will win and why?
• Think about an important event in your life that has happened so far, such as a birthday or the birth of a new sibling. Now using the 5 W’s and 1 H technique describe this event in great detail. The 5 W’s include: What, Who, Where, Why, When and the 1 H is: How. Ask yourself questions about the event, such as what exactly happened on that day? Who was there? Why was this event important? When and where did it happen? And finally, how did it make you feel?
• Pretend to be someone else. Think about someone important in your life. Now put yourself into their shoes, and write a day in the life story about being them. What do you think they do on a daily basis? What situations would they encounter? How would they feel?
• Complete this sentence in at least 10 different ways: I remember…
• Write about your dream holiday. Where would you go? Who would you go with? And what kind of activities would you do?
• Which one item in your house do you use the most? Is it the television, computer, mobile phone, the sofa or the microwave? Now write a story of how this item was invented. You might want to do some research online and use these ideas to build up your story. 
• In exactly 100 words, describe your bedroom. Try not to go over or under this word limit.
• Make a top ten list of your favourite animals. Based on this list create your own animal fact file, where you provide fun facts about each animal in your list.
• What is your favourite scene from a book or a movie? Write down this scene. Now rewrite the scene in a different genre, such as horror, comedy, drama etc.
•  Change the main character of a story you recently read into a villain. For example, you could take a popular fairytale such as Jack and the Beanstalk, but this time re-write the story to make Jack the villain of the tale.
• Complete the following sentence in at least 10 different ways: Do you ever wonder…
• What does your name mean? Research the meaning of your own name, or a name that interests you. Then use this as inspiration for your next story. For example, the name ‘Marty’ means “Servant Of Mars, God Of War”. This could make a good concept for a sci-fi story.
• Make a list of three different types of heroes (or main characters) for potential future stories.
• If someone gave you $10 dollars, what would you spend it on and why?
• Describe the world’s most boring character in at least 100 words. 
• What is the biggest problem in the world today, and how can you help fix this issue?
• Create your own travel brochure for your hometown. Think about why tourists might want to visit your hometown. What is your town’s history? What kind of activities can you do? You could even research some interesting facts. 
• Make a list of all your favourite moments or memories in your life. Now pick one to write a short story about.
• Describe the scariest and ugliest monster you can imagine. You could even draw a picture of this monster with your description.
• Write seven haikus, one for each colour of the rainbow. That’s red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. 
• Imagine you are at the supermarket. Write down at least three funny scenarios that could happen to you at the supermarket. Use one for your next short story. 
• Imagine your main character is at home staring at a photograph. Write the saddest scene possible. Your goal is to make your reader cry when reading this scene. 
• What is happiness? In at least 150 words describe the feeling of happiness. You could use examples from your own life of when you felt happy.
• Think of a recent nightmare you had and write down everything you can remember. Use this nightmare as inspiration for your next story.
• Keep a dream journal. Every time you wake up in the middle of the night or early in the morning you can quickly jot down things that you remember from your dreams. These notes can then be used as inspiration for a short story. 
• Your main character is having a really bad day. Describe this bad day and the series of events they experience. What’s the worst thing that could happen to your character?
• You find a box on your doorstep. You open this box and see the most amazing thing ever. Describe this amazing thing to your readers.
• Make a list of at least five possible settings or locations for future stories. Remember to describe each setting in detail.
• Think of something new you recently learned. Write this down. Now write a short story where your main character also learns the same thing.
• Describe the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen in your whole life. Your goal is to amaze your readers with its beauty. 
• Make a list of things that make you happy or cheer you up. Try to think of at least five ideas. Now imagine living in a world where all these things were banned or against the law. Use this as inspiration for your next story.
• Would you rather be rich and alone or poor and very popular? Write a story based on the lives of these two characters. 
• Imagine your main character is a Librarian. Write down at least three dark secrets they might have. Remember, the best secrets are always unexpected.
• There’s a history behind everything. Describe the history of your house. How and when was your house built? Think about the land it was built on and the people that may have lived here long before you.
• Imagine that you are the king or queen of a beautiful kingdom. Describe your kingdom in great detail. What kind of rules would you have? Would you be a kind ruler or an evil ruler of the kingdom?
• Make a wish list of at least three objects you wish you owned right now. Now use these three items in your next story. At least one of them must be the main prop in the story.
• Using nothing but the sense of taste, describe a nice Sunday afternoon at your house. Remember you can’t use your other senses (i.e see, hear, smell or touch) in this description. 
• What’s the worst pain you felt in your life? Describe this pain in great detail, so your readers can also feel it.
• If you were lost on a deserted island in the middle of nowhere, what three must-have things would you pack and why?
• Particpate in online writing challenges or contests. Here at Imagine Forest, we offer daily writing challenges with a new prompt added every day to inspire you. Check out our challenges section in the menu.

Do you have any more fun creative writing exercises to share? Let us know in the comments below!

Marty the wizard is the master of Imagine Forest. When he's not reading a ton of books or writing some of his own tales, he loves to be surrounded by the magical creatures that live in Imagine Forest. While living in his tree house he has devoted his time to helping children around the world with their writing skills and creativity.

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Non-fiction/Poetry ,

Memoir writing prompts to spark inspiration.

By Paul Roberts

What Is A Memoir? 

A memoir is, quite literally, a memory – a record written from personal knowledge or experience. It’s a form that complies with that great piece of advice, “write about what you know!” 

A memoir gives us the opportunity to explore major life events or a singular subject in as much detail as possible. Of course, by virtue of being shorter, a single memoir can stand on its own, or become part of a bigger collection such as an autobiography. Whether your memoir is about a time in your life that was brief yet significant, or depicts your entire life, having some memoir ideas to hand can be helpful for every memoir writer.

Like any other piece of creative writing, a memoir needs to succeed in maintaining the reader’s engagement throughout. Knowing which memory to pick is often the most pressing challenge.

These 50 prompts will get your creative juices flowing, whether you’re writing about an important life lesson, the most influential person in your life, or are detailing your family history.

50 Memoir Writing Prompts 

Prompts to prepare you .

1. Keep a journal. Capture events so that they’re there for you in 20 years’ time. What’s more, journal keeping is a discipline that maintains a writing practice. 

2. Find inspiration in photographs. A picture can help us recall past events. Take a look at your phone. What were you doing 5 years ago today? Use the ‘search’ facility to find something obscure – a cherry, a ski, an ice cream. What memories do the images evoke? 

3. Interview people. Friends and family, especially the elderly, are not only full of memories but also often keen to share them. Make a cup of tea and, with their permission, turn on a discrete voice or video recorder while you chat about the past. 

4. Take inspiration from the space around you. What keepsakes do you have around you right now? Are they connected in any way? What story do they tell about you? 

5. Identify the story. An event may be of great interest but what stories are there to tell? What happened before and after the event? What impact did it have on you and others? 

6. Recall a moment of conflict. Disagreements make for drama, and dramatic tension keeps a reader engaged. 

7. Write about a moment or period of emotional change. Think of a time when you moved between happiness and sadness. Engaging drama is about emotional transition… 

8. Write about transformation. Can you recall a moment when your fundamental beliefs and opinions about something were changed? Perhaps you suddenly started – or stopped – believing in God? 

9. Identify who you’re writing for. What questions would they have about the memories you’re describing? 

Prompts To Inspire You 

Things that matter to us all .

10. Life and/or death. There’s little else of such significance. Have you had a near-death experience? What is your experience of witnessing birth or death? 

11. What is your experience of good and ill health? Have you ever been diagnosed with a significant condition? In what way did it change you, physically, mentally and emotionally? How were those around you affected by it? 

12. When did you first (or last!) fall in love? Who, or what, was it with? 

13. Comedy or tragedy? Drama exists in both. Can you write about a funny situation? What caused it? What impression did it leave on you or others? If you can bring yourself to write about tragedy, how did it affect you? Was the process of writing about it cathartic?

14. Imagine that you meet a younger version of yourself. What impression do you have of them and they of you? What lesson would you share with them? What might they tell you that you’ve lost sight of over the years? 

15. Can you recall a moment when you overcame your fear of something? Perhaps you asked someone out for a drink, or spoke in front of an audience, or abseiled down a cliff…? 

16. Were you ever betrayed? Or did you betray someone else? How did it feel? Did you regret it, or was it in some way the right thing to do? Did it have a lasting impact on your life? 

17. What has been the most exciting moment of your life, your happiest memory? Why did it thrill you so much?  

18. Who or what did you want to be when you were younger? How did that ambition drive you? Did you achieve your wishes? What do you feel now that you are older? 

19. What books or films influenced you most when you were growing up? Why, and in what way? 

20. Are you a subject matter expert in something? Do you collect stamps? Do you breed cats? Have you been into space? Have you been through the criminal justice system? 

21. What do you wish you could have discovered or learned as you were growing up? Why would it have been important to you now? 

22. Looking back at your childhood, what seems odd or unusual to you? In what ways did it contribute to who you are today? Think about your earliest memory.

23. Get someone else to describe you in three words. How does their view compare with your own impression of yourself? What do you keep private and what do you share? Why? 

24. What makes you laugh and cry? What themes connect these things? What do they tell you about yourself?  

25. At what moment in your life have you felt most loved, and most alone? When was that? Are they related in some way? How did those moments change you? 

26. What cause or person would you die for? Does anything or anyone matter to you so much that you would die for it/them? Is death a price worth paying? 

27. What keeps you awake at night? Why? Have you ever sought to overcome it? Can you share a recollection of when you first worried about it? 

28. What are your insecurities? Do you worry about your looks, your confidence or money? Why? When did your insecurity first manifest itself? Have you ever tried to overcome it?  

29. Write about a moment when you made a significant choice. Perhaps you proposed or were proposed to. In hindsight, was your response the right one? What choices would you like to face again, and why?

30. Your heroes. Have you ever met them? Did they live up to your expectations? How did you feel about them afterwards? In what way did their actions, behaviours and beliefs affect you? 

31. When did reality not meet your expectations? Was university not what you wanted it to be? When was a blind date a bit of a letdown? 

32. What are the best and worst pieces of advice you’ve ever received, or offered? Is advice a good thing? 

33. Can you describe a moment when you didn’t do something which, with hindsight, you regret? Why does it still matter to you? How would your life have changed if you had done something differently? 

34. Find the drama in an accident and bring it to life for your reader. What happened? Who was involved? What was the outcome? What changed as a result? 

35. Which incident in your life hurt you more than any other? Why did it hurt so much? What effect has it had on the rest of your life?  

36. Describe something memorable that you did for the very first time. What drove you to do it? How did you feel before, during and after doing it? 

Relationships 

37. The poet Philip Larkin famously wrote, “They **** you up, your mum and dad.” Write about family relationships; they’re full of drama. 

38. How have your parents’ relationships with you and with one other affected your own personal relationships?  

39. Write about your relationship with your siblings. What rivalries and friendships were there? If you were an only child, what are your reflections on being brought up alone? 

40. Write about a friend. How did you meet them? What was the attraction? In what ways are they different from you? 

41. Write about a stranger. How did you meet? Did you remain in touch? Why is it that you remember them? 

42. Who from your own family’s history would you most like to meet? What would you ask them? What would you most like to tell or show them? 

Day To Day 

43. Which part of the world would you revisit? What makes you long to return? How does that place make you feel? 

44. Write about moving in or out of somewhere you have lived. What surprised you? What went well, or not so well? What has been the legacy of that day? 

45. What did you buy with your first-ever paycheque? Why? Do you still have it? What would you buy with an equivalent amount of money today? 

Prompts To Improve Your Writing 

46. Write about the sensual aspects of memory. What you saw is important, but what are the tastes, smells and sounds that you remember? Did you touch anything? Help your reader feel what you felt. 

47. Show, don’t tell. You could write that someone was upset. Or you could describe how a tear gathered on the tip of their nose as they stared resolutely at the ground. 

48. Don’t wait! Did you just create a memory? Capture it in a draft as soon as you can to encapsulate the present moment. 

49. Just the facts…? The facts provide the structure around which the memoir hangs. But what engages a reader is the way in which the facts are presented and described. So, dig down to uncover or recall how you were changed by what happened. 

50. Use metaphors and similes. Need to write about war? Perhaps you could pick out the tale of two neighbours on opposite sides of the conflict. Want to describe a complex emotion? Try comparing your own experience to something with which a reader may be familiar. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

Do memoirs have to be 100% true  .

If it’s a personal memory, artistic licence is acceptable – it’s your memoir . But if you’re writing about a shared memory – a football match, a funeral, a wedding – take care that any facts are verifiable. If the reader finds something to be untruthful, the authenticity of the entire piece may be undermined. But whether personal or private, great memoirs are enriched by the author’s own insights and reflections. 

How Do I Begin A Memoir?  

Wherever possible, try to find the most reliable and truthful source. 

Like all good stories, a memoir should have a beginning, a middle and an end. A collection of memories – an autobiography – can benefit from some careful curation but, at its simplest, can follow events as they took place over time. 

What Makes A Memoir Successful?  

At least three things will engage your reader. First, the subject matter must be of interest. Find the common human themes in the story such as love, romance, revenge or conflict. Second, articulate how it felt to experience what was happening at the time. Emotions are a common language that allow people to connect. Third, write it as well as you possibly can. The better the standard of writing, the easier it will be for the reader to slip into your story. 

Memoir Writing

Capture your memories. Start today! Take photos, keep a diary, talk with your friends and family and – importantly – listen! 

Try using one memoir writing prompt, or combine them to find the inspiration you need to get started.

Polish your writing until it sparkles! 

About the author

Paul Roberts is a writer and business consultant with a love for effective communication. He has been published six times by three publishers. In addition, Paul writes frequently for magazines and professional publications as diverse as The Independent, Evening Standard, Maxim and Viz comic. He has worked with Jericho for ten years as an Editor and Mentor and greatly enjoys helping writers develop their writing capabilities and mindset. For more on Paul, see his Amazon author page .

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100 Writing Prompts to Explore Your Childhood Memories

March 31, 2024 by Richard Leave a Comment

100 Writing Prompts to Explore Your Childhood Memories: Our childhood memories hold a special place in our hearts, shaping who we are and how we see the world. They are a treasure trove of experiences, emotions, and lessons that continue to influence us throughout our lives. By delving into these memories and reflecting on their significance, we can gain valuable insights into ourselves and the formative years that made us who we are today.

Writing about childhood memories is a powerful way to reconnect with our younger selves, process past experiences, and share meaningful stories with others. It allows us to relive joyful moments, overcome challenges, and appreciate the people and events shaping our lives. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or simply looking to explore your history, writing about childhood memories can be a therapeutic and enlightening exercise.

To help you get started on this journey of self-discovery, we’ve compiled a list of 100 thought-provoking writing prompts designed to inspire you to explore your childhood memories. These prompts cover various topics, from favorite toys and cherished friendships to life lessons and defining moments. Each prompt is crafted to evoke vivid recollections and encourage deep reflection on these experiences’ impact on your life.

As you work through these writing prompts, remember there are no right or wrong answers. Your childhood memories are unique and valuable, offering a window into your history and the forces that have molded you into who you are today. Embrace the arising emotions, be honest, and let your writing flow freely.

So, grab a pen and paper, open up your favorite writing app, and embark on a fascinating journey through your childhood memories. Let these 100 writing prompts guide you as you rediscover the joys, challenges, and lessons of your early years and gain a deeper understanding of yourself and the experiences that have shaped you. Happy writing!

Here are 100 writing prompts based on exploring childhood memories and their impact on life:

• What is your earliest childhood memory, and how does it make you feel?
• Describe a favorite toy from your childhood and the adventures you had with it.
• Share a memorable birthday celebration from your childhood.
• Write about a time you got in trouble as a child and what you learned from it.
• Describe your childhood best friend and a memorable experience you shared.
• What was your favorite childhood book, and how did it influence you?
• Write about a family tradition you loved as a child and still cherish today.
• Share a childhood fear you had and how you overcame it.
• Describe a memorable family vacation from your childhood.
• Write about a childhood hero or role model who inspired you.
• What was your favorite childhood game, and why did you love it?
• Describe a childhood pet and the bond you shared.
• Share a childhood dream or aspiration and how it has evolved over time.
• Write about a childhood accomplishment that made you proud.
• Describe a favorite childhood hiding spot and the adventures you had there.
• What was your favorite childhood meal, and why was it so special?
• Write about a childhood disappointment and how you coped with it.
• Describe a memorable childhood gift and the story behind it.
• Share a childhood secret you kept and how it affected you.
• Write about a childhood friendship that ended and what you learned from it.
• Describe a childhood hobby or collection and its significance to you.
• What was your favorite childhood television show, and why did you love it?
• Write about a childhood injury or illness and how it impacted you.
• Describe a memorable childhood performance or recital.
• Share a childhood misunderstanding or misconception and how it was resolved.
• Write about a childhood adventure in your neighborhood.
• Describe a favorite childhood teacher and how they influenced you.
• What was your favorite childhood candy or treat, and why was it so special?
• Write about a childhood rivalry or competition and how it shaped you.
• Describe a childhood prank or practical joke you played or experienced.
• Share a childhood memory involving music and its impact on you.
• Write about a childhood chore you dreaded and how you dealt with it.
• Describe a childhood clubhouse or fort and the adventures you had there.
• What was your favorite childhood sport or physical activity, and why did you enjoy it?
• Write about a childhood encounter with nature that left a lasting impression.
• Describe a childhood trip to a museum, zoo, or amusement park.
• Share a childhood memory involving a grandparent or extended family member.
• Write about a childhood experience that taught you about empathy or compassion.
• Describe a childhood treasure hunt or scavenger hunt you participated in.
• What was your favorite childhood bedtime story, and why did it captivate you?
• Write about a childhood experience that taught you about honesty or integrity.
• Describe a childhood costume or dress-up experience and the fun you had.
• Share a childhood memory involving a favorite fictional character or superhero.
• Write about a childhood experience that taught you about forgiveness.
• Describe a childhood art project or craft that you were proud of.
• What was your favorite childhood board game, and why did you enjoy playing it?
• Write about a childhood experience that taught you about responsibility.
• Describe a childhood sleepover or campout and the memories you made.
• Share a childhood memory involving a favorite family recipe or dish.
• Write about a childhood experience that taught you about perseverance.
• Describe a childhood talent show or competition you participated in.
• What was your favorite childhood playground or park, and why did you love it?
• Write about a childhood experience that taught you about friendship.
• Describe a childhood science experiment or project you conducted.
• Share a childhood memory involving a favorite stuffed animal or blanket.
• Write about a childhood experience that taught you about respect.
• Describe a childhood family reunion or gathering and the fun you had.
• What was your favorite childhood riddle or joke, and why did it make you laugh?
• Write about a childhood experience that taught you about generosity.
• Describe a childhood dance or ballet recital you participated in.
• Share a childhood memory involving a favorite fairy tale or folktale.
• Write about a childhood experience that taught you about courage.
• Describe a childhood tree house or secret hideout and the adventures you had there.
• What was your favorite childhood cartoon character, and why did you love them?
• Write about a childhood experience that taught you about gratitude.
• Describe a childhood magic trick or performance you learned or witnessed.
• Share a childhood memory involving a favorite holiday tradition.
• Write about a childhood experience that taught you about teamwork.
• Describe a childhood experience with a musical instrument or singing.
• What was your favorite childhood outdoor game, and why did you enjoy playing it?
• Write about a childhood experience that taught you about patience.
• Describe a childhood experience with a favorite family heirloom or keepsake.
• Share a childhood memory involving a favorite nursery rhyme or song.
• Write about a childhood experience that taught you about diversity or acceptance.
• Describe a childhood experience with a favorite comic book or graphic novel.
• What was your favorite childhood candy store or ice cream shop, and why was it special?
• Write about a childhood experience that taught you about resilience.
• Describe a childhood experience with a favorite photograph or home video.
• Share a childhood memory involving a favorite family pet.
• Write about a childhood experience that taught you about self-confidence.
• Describe a childhood experience with a favorite board game or puzzle.
• What was your favorite childhood summer camp or workshop, and why did you love it?
• Write about a childhood experience that taught you about kindness.
• Describe a childhood experience with a favorite sports team or athlete.
• Share a childhood memory involving a favorite school field trip.
• Write about a childhood experience that taught you about adaptability.
• Describe a childhood experience with a favorite family car or vehicle.
• What was your favorite childhood arcade game or video game, and why did you enjoy playing it?
• Write about a childhood experience that taught you about leadership.
• Describe a childhood experience with a favorite toy store or candy shop.
• Share a childhood memory involving a favorite family movie night.
• Write about a childhood experience that taught you about self-discipline.
• Describe a childhood experience with a favorite family member’s wedding or celebration.
• What was your favorite childhood make-believe game, and why did you love playing it?
• Describe a childhood experience with a favorite family road trip or adventure.
• Share a childhood memory involving a favorite school project or presentation.
• Write about a childhood experience that taught you about empathy.
• Describe a childhood experience with a favorite family holiday celebration.
• Reflect on how your childhood experiences have shaped the person you are today.

As we end this list of 100 writing prompts exploring childhood memories, we hope you’ve found inspiration, insight, and a renewed connection to your younger self. By delving into these memories and reflecting on their significance, you’ve embarked on a journey of self-discovery that has the power to shape your present and future.

Writing about your childhood experiences may have uncovered forgotten moments, processed long-held emotions, and given you a deeper appreciation for the people and events that have influenced your life. You may have laughed, cried, or lost yourself in thought as you revisited cherished memories and confronted past challenges.

Remember that the journey of self-discovery through writing is an ongoing process. While you’ve completed these 100 prompts, countless more memories and experiences are waiting to be explored. Continue to make time for introspection and writing, as they can be powerful tools for personal growth, healing, and self-understanding.

As you move forward, apply the insights and lessons you’ve gained from this writing exercise to your daily life. Embrace the qualities and strengths that your childhood experiences have instilled in you, and use them to navigate the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Please share your stories with others, as they may inspire and resonate with those who have had similar experiences.

Finally, we encourage you to return to these writing prompts whenever you need to reconnect with your childhood self or gain fresh perspectives on your life’s journey. The memories and insights you’ve uncovered will continue to shape and guide you, reminding you of the remarkable individual you’ve become. Thank you for joining us on this journey of self-discovery, and may your childhood memories continue to inspire and enlighten you for years to come. We have many more writing prompts like this on our site . 

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About Richard

Richard Everywriter (pen name) has worked for literary magazines and literary websites for the last 25 years. He holds degrees in Writing, Journalism, Technology and Education. Richard has headed many writing workshops and courses, and he has taught writing and literature for the last 20 years.  

In writing and publishing he has worked with independent, small, medium and large publishers for years connecting publishers to authors. He has also worked as a journalist and editor in both magazine, newspaper and trade publications as well as in the medical publishing industry.   Follow him on Twitter, and check out our Submissions page .

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8 Memoir Writing Prompts for Older Adults: How to Write Your Life Story

For almost a decade, Deanna was “going to write a memoir.” For almost a decade, she just didn’t really know where or how to start. She collected all kind of photos and dates and evidence of life memories over those long years, but breaking into the actual writing was intimidating, so, again and again, she’d start and quickly stop in one notebook or the next. Then she got involved in a San Francisco memoir writing workshop that gave her the tools and the deadlines she needed to really get her feet wet and then dive fully into the process. In this class, week after week, she spent time with various writing exercises, and she learned to approach each individual step of life story writing rather than trying to approach it as a whole book about her life. Memoir writing prompts can give older adults a much-needed nudge as they overcome the initial hump and just get started.

How to Start Off a Memoir: Everyone’s Story Is Different

There isn’t one right way to write a memoir because everyone’s life story and creative process are unique. Deanna says that, for years, she was held down by the idea that the start of her book—even that very first line—had to be critically special and that she couldn’t live up to the great writers who had come before her. Then, in one of her classes , as she was warming up with a simple writing prompt that asked her to write about an ordinary observation in nature , she didn’t realize she was writing her book’s introduction until it was already done.

A dark brown spider the size of a pea is testing out the space between the arm of my chair and the potted plant 12 or so inches away. It’s establishing some early foundational threads but having to stop every handful of seconds and grip the silk, balling its body up against the wind. I look away for less than a minute, and when I look back, I can’t locate it. The spider has migrated to the space between the chair and the table. It tests. And then it moves again to find enough shelter from the wind’s natural rhythm and my own unpredictable vibrations and disruptions. I smile when I see that it has finally settled between a couple of the table’s own legs and begun to stretch its threads under the table top’s shelter.

How many tries did it take me? Six out-of-state moves before I found somewhere I could start building a lasting home around myself. I had to leave a lot of half-built lives along the way, but I always took away some invisible building blocks that I’d be able to lay down and start the foundation in the next spot. That won’t be the spider’s last neighborhood, but I hope this will be mine.

Experiment and Have Fun: Memoir Writing Prompts for Older Adults

Sometimes, the best way to get started writing your life story is to stop trying. Deanna found her groove when she let go, let herself warm up, and let herself play. Think of the writing process itself as a playground, and each of the prompts below is a new area in which to play and explore. A slide isn’t just a structure to get you from one place to another, it’s also designed to inspire joy, suspense, and a healthy sense of fear. It’s smooth and can be hot or cold to the touch. It can give you a shock in the dry weather, and you’re never quite sure what your landing will be like on the other side. Are you willing to take a ride down with one of these little adventures?

• Can you recall your childhood best friend and some of the things you used to do together? Places you used to go? Ways you pulled your imaginations together?
• Close your eyes and take a tour back through some prominent places from your childhood: a house you grew up in, a relative’s house, a school, a store, a park where you used to play. The list could go on and on, and the rooms within the buildings would extend the tour as well. As you follow your memories through these places, what can you sense? Are there smells, sounds, textures, colors, or even tastes that come back to you?
• What were some traditions your family observed during your early life? Do any of those traditions survive to this day in your family?
• Describe a turning point in your life. Explore the past, present, and future around that experience.
• Which one of your parents—or perhaps another family member—are you most like? How do those similarities make you feel? What about you stands apart?
• Can you remember back to a conversation or interaction that inspired you? See if you can return your imagination to that experience and then write about it from that place of inspiration.
• What was one of your favorite songs from long ago that comes with strong memories or feelings? You may not still have your original playback method, but you can probably find the song by searching the title and artist online. If you can locate it, set aside some time to listen to it (maybe even on repeat), and then, while it’s still playing or in silence afterward, explore the memories and feelings that arise. Let them dance onto your page as they follow their own rhythm.
• Choose something that is important to you. It could be anything from a cherished relationship to a souvenir you brought home from a special trip. Begin by writing about that thing, and then see where your thoughts naturally take you from there.

With any and all of these prompts, don’t become attached to a certain outcome. Don’t hold yourself to a certain expectation of what your story should look like or get intimidated because this little exercise is only a small start toward a larger project. Instead, set the intention to enjoy yourself and the process along the way. It’s worth it to try life-story writing because it’s worth it to explore your life ! Try to put that second consideration first. If you’re wondering how to start off a memoir, don’t get hung up on the memoir itself; instead, get in touch with what’s really interesting: you and your life story. At Institute on Aging , we get to share and take part in so many inspiring life stories . We would be honored for you to join our community too and to discover the richness of daily storytelling with diverse friends. To learn more about our programs or to unearth more exciting activity ideas, get in touch with us!

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