Author Archives: first person productions

About first person productions

My blog "True Stories Well Told" is a place for people who read and write about real life. I’ve been leading life writing groups since 2004. I teach, coach memoir writers 1:1, and help people publish and share their life stories.

First Outing After the Pandemic

By Pat LaPointe I’ve never felt more excited about going out. Nineteen months inside. “OOH, my black stilettos. I can hardly wait to wear them again.” Shoe: “I shouldn’t care. If you want to break your neck, it’s your choice”. … Continue reading

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Zaidie Envy

By Marlene Samuels I grew up in a community almost entirely devoid of old people — those who might be considered “grandparent” age. My understanding of “grandparent” was so totally confused and distorted that the concept and title resulted in endless disappointments … Continue reading

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Asking Your Support for the New Birren Center for Autobiographical Studies

From time to time you’ve seen me post here about the Guided Autobiography method developed by Dr. James Birren. It’s the best-kept secret for enriching your life, in my opinion, not to mention an effective and enjoyable way to get … Continue reading

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Three Strikes

By Kurt Baumann This is the second in a two-part post about Kurt’s life of prayer. To read the first, click here. When I was twenty, I was in a hotel room, thinking about how to end my life. The … Continue reading

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Handle with Prayer

By Kurt Baumann This post is the first in a two-part series. In one of Bil Keane’s Family Circus cartoons, Billy, the oldest son, is doing homework, and asks: “What is the greatest power?” Each one of the characters has … Continue reading

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The Birren Center is at it again! Third anthology open for submissions

Back in November, I announced the publication of the second anthology from the Birren Center for Guided Autobiography. As of May first, the third anthology is open for submission. Note, to submit you must have taken a Guided Autobiography class, … Continue reading

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Ingratiating Mother-In-Law or Chutzpah Unleashed?

By Marlene Samuels I’d been married for three years during which time my husband and I had been renovating our house almost constantly. Although a magnificent brick and limestone structure built in1882 complete with copper spires and massive leaded windows, … Continue reading

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Revisiting the “Flash” Form

I’m teaching a Creative Writing workshop for Madison College at the moment; yesterday’s lesson was on the “Flash” form — Flash fiction, nonfiction, memoir. The zoomed-in essence of Flash can be applied to any genre. A student asked, “When did … Continue reading

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Joyful Noise

By Pat LaPointe. This COVID-era essay first appeared on Story Circle Network. “Please, God. Make them quit crying” was my prayer as one preemie twin would wail, and the other twin soon join her in her less-than-melodious sounds. “Can’t you … Continue reading

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Tornadoes Made a True Story Lover Out of Me

By Sarah White From April 3-4 1974, there was a super outbreak of tornadoes across the Midwest. Indiana, where I was 17 at the time, was not spared. While the tornadoes that ripped through Indiana had no literal impact on … Continue reading

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