Category Archives: Writing prompt

Writers write. Find prompts to get started if the blank page is staring back at you…

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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LifeMapping—Because Everything Happened Somewhere

By Sarah White An email recently popped into my in-box that reminded me of one of the oddest—and most entertaining—freelance writing assignments I’ve ever taken on. That email was about a reminiscence tool that you might consider for yourself or … Continue reading

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Desperately Seeking Stories

Okay, I’m not desperate, just having fun with a play on words about that rom-com with Madonna and Rosanna Arquette, “Desperately Seeking Susan.” The film premiered in 1985. It was Madonna’s first major screen role. It is one of my … Continue reading

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A Week at Camp Torture

By Sarah White This post was written in response to the prompt, “A time you stepped outside your value system or witnessed someone being treated differently,” from the Guided Autobiography theme “Navigating Differences.” Waycross Camp is an Episcopal summer camp. After several … Continue reading

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Keep the Stories, Lose the Stuff?

By Sarah White I went to Italy. I turned 65. I came back feeling my life didn’t fit as comfortably as it had. The urge for change had been sparked. However, any change I could envision brought a chain of … Continue reading

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Braided Essay: Silverwood Park Responds to Dane County Parks Hours, Rules, & Information

By Sarah White In my writing, I’ve begun to play around with patterns; one is the Braided Essay, a form that invites the weaving of a personal narrative with outside information that takes on more resonance as the essay unfolds. … Continue reading

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“Extraordinary Times: Coronavirus Journal” from Sam Uhl

I’ve found a partial solution to how to blog while experiencing a COVID19 pandemic-related form of writers’ block: I’m sharing resources offered by friends/colleagues who are finding their own ways to help “ordinary” people cope in such an extraordinary time. … Continue reading

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Finding our Resilience in this Spring of COVID19

Our memories are too important to let a global pandemic get in the way of preserving and sharing them. I find I’m not doing a lot of reminiscence writing these days–just a little journaling, trying to capture the weird day-to-day … Continue reading

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Let’s add some reading and writing (forget the Arithmetic)

These are troubling times. I’m self-isolating (as if my lifestyle weren’t already pretty self-isolated, as a home-based freelance writer). I’m trying to meet the world as if I were the one carrying contagion, protecting those around me with social distance, … Continue reading

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Family Holiday Recipe Blog Share

This week I’m happy to participate in a blog share with Catherine Lanser. I met Catherine this summer in a Remember to Write! memoir workshop I taught in summer 2019. We agreed on the topic of Family Holiday Recipe, inspired by … Continue reading

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