Writing Our Stories Day 19

Day 19 Prompt: doing a normal, everyday kind of thing

When we think of what to write about, we often think we need to write about the monumental things in our lives, the big, life-changing things that have happened. 

But you know what? Life is the little moments, too. If you were reading your grandmother’s diary, she might mention big things in her life, but wouldn’t you really want to know what her daily life was like? How she handled her daily challenges. How she was fascinated by snowflakes falling from the sky. An interaction she had with her spouse, with her parents, with her child. 

These tiny but true moments are the heart of life. These tiny moments reveal who a person is, their perspective on life, the nature of their relationships. 

Ordinary moments are life itself. 

Today’s photo is a tiny true story about an ordinary event from my childhood – riding the school bus with my dad. 

You’ll note it is in poem shape. You can try that too, if you normally write in prose. Use the same words, but with line breaks, and see how it feels to you. I wrote my latest memoir in poem form – just because it felt like the best way to convey my tiny stories. 

So today’s prompt: write about a normal, everyday kind of thing.

You can write about something in your life now, something from ten years ago, something from your childhood, whenever. 

Some ordinary ideas I might write about: 

* Taking photos of the new snow

* Shoveling snow – the process, my thoughts about it

* Trying to fold laundry with cats in the laundry basket

* Making a homemade pizza 

What ordinary moments will you write about today? 

Go get ‘em! Cheryl 

#writing #writingprompts #prompts #memoir #memoirwriting #lifestories #kansas #smalltownlife

Excerpt from Gravedigger’s Daughter: Vignettes from a Small Kansas Town, by Cheryl Unruh, available at Meadowlark Books: https://bit.ly/3A82WRN

Visit my website: cherylunruh.com 

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