Monday Writing Prompt: I Remember

Sometimes, during my daily writing practice, I find myself writing more autobiography than fiction. I describe places I've lived in and where I used to play, people I used to know, events that pop up in that moment in time. Over the weekend, the prompt was, "Someone was playing the piano," and I spent 20 minutes writing about Andrew McMahon and the impact his music has had on me. It's not that these short bursts of rewritten memories are part of any one story, but the details I find in my writing later on never cease to amaze me.

This week, see what memories first come to your mind when you let the flood gates open. Take the beginning, "I remember..." and finish the line in a sentence or two. For example:

I remember... picnics at my grandparents' house, the wooden picnic table that may or may not have been painted red, the pallet by the driveway we used to claim as first base in kickball.

Do this four or five times and choose one to use in a longer exercise. Don't force yourself to remember one particular place or event or person, but rather grab the first thought that comes to mind and go with that. The goal here is not necessarily about telling a story, but to let your mind work on recalling details, seeing the scene that way. What you come up with, and the form these memories take, will likely surprise you.

If all goes well, I'll have a memory or two to share with you on Friday.

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Don't like this week's prompt? Check out previous ones through the Monday Writing Prompt tag.