Brainstorm a List
0 Include any possible events, people, and
things that might appear in your memoir.
0 My second home: Kim’s house
0 Black Butte Ranch
0Horses
0Cereal
0 Animals: Bandit’s 9 lives, Finding Hobbes,
Misadventure with Magic, Pepper in the Fire
Write About Your Name
0 This simple technique can help you unearth
lots of great material for your life story. Ask
yourself:
0 Who were you named after? Is there a story
connected to that?
0 What nicknames have you had?
0 Were you ever teased about your name?
0 Do people often misspell or mispronounce it?
0 How do you feel about your name?
Sketch a Map of your
Neighborhood
0 Close your eyes and try hard to imagine all the details of your
neighborhood.
0 The more your sketch, the more details you add, the more
you’ll remember.
0 Pick a place you know super well—a neighborhood you lived
for several years, a relative’s house or apartment you often
visited, a vacation home, or a summer camp you return to
every year.
0 Don’t try to make it look professional, just detailed.
Ralph Fletcher’s Map
Sketch a Map of your
Neighborhood
0 As you make your map, label to mark:
0 Where something happened (you lost a tooth, found a
pocket knife, , or buried a beloved pet)
0 A “power spot” (where all the neighborhood kids
gathered)
0 A “danger spot” (a place you had to avoid)
0 A favorite place
0 A secret place
Make a “Heart Map”
0 Similar to a map of your neighborhood, but with a
twist—it’s an emotional map of what matters to you.
0 Things near and dear to your heart (family, friends,
hobbies, interests)
0 Some things included on a “heart map” can be serious,
while others can be more playful.
Example “Heart Map”
Still need some topic ideas?
Gather Artifacts
0 At home tonight, get a box to gather things that have
been important to you.
0 Examples: a beloved stuffed animal or doll, your first
baseball glove, a scrap from your baby blanket, an old
photograph of you, Girl or Boy Scout badges, old
journals or trading cards
0 Hold the object, close your eyes, and see what rises
into your memory.
0 Where did you get it? Who gave it to you? Did it ever get
lost? How did (does) it make you feel?
Collect Family Stories
0 In your family, are there certain stories that get
told again and again at holidays, weddings,
reunions?
0 Jot down a list of those stories, especially if one of
them happens to involve you. If you can’t
remember it in all it’s detail, ask a relative later
tonight. Ask lots of questions!