Brainstorming prompts February 12, 2007

If you feel that your personal passion is not something you want to continue with, brainstorm a new list of possibilities. In general, I think working with something specific and concrete (rather than general and vague), works best. Think about things/activities that you know how to do.  If you’re psyched about your personal passion, continue to the next prompt.

 

Write a paragraph or half page for each of the following prompts:

 

1) I love…

(read p. 411 of “Why I Ride”

 

2) I am not a….

    I didn’t…….

(Richman uses the negative at least twice in her essay—first on page 396 and again on p. 411).

 

3) A list of things you need to do/engage with/participate in your personal passion. (See page 413).

 

4) Describe an object that is essential to your passion…

(Look at Richman’s description of her bike on p. 404).

 

5) What kinds of special knowledge do you need to participate in your personal passion?     

 

6) What are the concerns, issues, problems, difficulties that you face?

 

7) Searching for insights:

• Sometimes I think X, other times Y…

 

• When most people think about (your personal passion), they probably think about……………

 

• What they don’t know/realize/understand is……………..

Personal Passion drafts (for Monday) February 8, 2007

The draft for Monday should focus on exploring, explaining, describing, and reflecting on something you know a lot about, something you love to do, or excel at.  Please read the essay I handed out in class on Monday, “Why I Ride.”  It’s a great example of a writer working closely with a topic she’s very familiar with, and one that is central to her sense of identity.  Here are some writing prompts to get you started:

• Make a list of all the roles you play in your life (the many hats we all wear)(This could include, for example, waitress, caretaker for aging grandparent, golf pro, volunteer at local homeless shelter, etc)
• Make a list of all the things you know how to do (and enjoy doing). This could include things like: yoga, baking, knitting, snowboarding, being a trapeze artist.
• Make a list of your hobbies, personal passions and pasttimes:( writing, bellydancing, running marathons.)  You may see a lot of overlap in your lists, that’s fine. In fact, pay attention to the things that keep recurring and popping up for you.

Read over your lists and circle the things that interest you and that you feel like there’s a lot to explore.  Do some private freewriting (set a timer for 7-10 minutes and go. Really!) Which of these yields rich material?  Go with that.

Components of this draft:

1. Focus on selecting key indelible moments that stand out for you. Create a series of scenes (each on no longer than half a page). Remind yourself of the essential aspects of a scene by referring to True Stories.   Think of this draft like a collage or scrapbook of “snapshots” or images (created from words) that convey specific moments for your reader.
2. Don’t worry about intros, conlcusions, or transition between scenes. Concentrate instead on working with telling details that provide essential information about: the time/place/setting, the people, the objects, and the action. How can you recreate this experience for people who aren’t familiar with your personal passion?
3. 3-4 pages, 3 copies for an in-class workshop.
4. Don’t forget to read the assigned syllabus reading in True Stories as well.
5. Have fun with these!
6. Here’s a link to a blog writer about Anne Panning’s essay “Remembering, I was Not There.”