Memory Mapping

1
Memory Mapping

• English 126 Creative Writing

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Think of an object . . .

• . . . that holds some significant personal value
  for you.
• Draw, as basically as you can, the environment or
  the location relevant to the object. If its an
  object from your childhood, for example, draw a
  map of the street as you remember it from that
  time. (If you recall an area of land, rather than
  a street, draw that instead.)
• Include three prominent physical features of the
  vicinity.

3
In your mind, . . .

• Zoom down through the roof of the building, and
  right into the room the object is located.
• Now draw the floor plan of the room.

4
Imagine a small, empty picture frame, or a small
magnifying glass. Use it to frame certain
details of your room or space, and write a brief
description of the following

• Look in one direction. Whats there? Catalog
  everything you see.
• What can you feel with your hands, between your
  toes, against your cheek, etc.?
• If there are windows or clearings, pick one and
  write what you see out of it and what you hear
  while youre looking.
• Pick one or two other objects in the space, and
  describe the feelings they evoke in you.

5
Locate the object in that space and write . . .

• a description of how you feel strongly about it.
• an analogy (a comparison) with some other
  experience that these feelings are like.
• an explanation of why you feel strongly.

6
Are there people in this space?

• If yes, choose one and describe what that person
  looks like and is like.
• If no, describe what its like to be alone there.

7
Who cares?

• Describe one major way in which this object and
  its story matter to you.
• State one reason a reader unknown to you should
  be interested in this story or find it relevant?

8
Free-write!

• Free-write To write uninterrupted for a period
  of time, without concern for grammar, spelling,
  punctuation, usage or any other convention of
  proper writing an invention strategy that free
  associates about a topic without concern for
  structure or development.
• In ten minutes, free-write about an experience
  that you remember involving your chosen object,
  with as many references to the memory you mapped
  in this exercise try to capture a sense of the
  importance of what happened without actually
  saying what that importance is.