I’m sneaking on to post a quick writing exercise, which I realize will not only be the 19th #WriteFridays exercise, but will also be posted on the 19th. Small things like that make me happy. Yes, I’m a dork. Anyway, this will be the last one before I take a few weeks’ hiatus to go fulfill some other obligations. But not to worry! Check back in after the July 4th holiday, or simply after July 4th for those not in the States, and I will have resumed my writing exercise and coaching goodness.
This week’s exercise comes from both a conversation I had with one of my clients, as well as the opportunity I had this week to read and review a story excerpt written by a gentleman with whom I deployed in 2003. Reading through his work was like a short glimpse into some of his personal experiences in the military, which got me thinking…
Exercise the 19th: Think back to an event in your life that you remember with some amount of clarity. It doesn’t have to be an earth-shattering or life-changing memory, it just has to be a strong one. When you have captured some of the sense details (what did you see? what did you hear? were there any strong smells?), it’s time to begin.
For your first paragraph, begin writing your memory. This could be from a first-person point of view, or you can try writing it out in third person. As you move into the second paragraph, write what happens next — but make it up. And also, now it’s happening to someone else.
Good luck!
