A vastly untapped resource in the scrapbooking craft is the art of lifewriting, or writing one's memoirs.  I believe many people might be scared off from this resource, and the ideas and techniques it offers, because they are overwhelmed by the idea of writing their "life story".  But what many scrappers may not realize is that you don't have to write your whole life story to make use of lifewriting techniques.  Of particular use is the many journaling prompts available on the Internet.  With the help of these prompts, you will never lack for a layout topic again!

To me, journaling prompts, and lifewriting prompts in particular, beg to be scrapped.  When I scan a list of journaling prompts, I think, "Hey, that would make a great layout!"  I believe this is true because creating a page from a journaling starting point allows the page to be memory-driven, rather than photo or embellishment-based.  When you create a layout based on a journaling prompt (or what I call Memory Prompts in my book), you give voice to a perspective and opinion that is solely your own.  In Write Your Heart Out, Rebecca McClanahan writes, "To name the world in your own terms, to tell your own story, is an act of authority and power.  When you write, you are saying, in effect, 'I have a voice.  I have a story.  This is what I have to say.'"  The memories in your head are uniquely your own; no one else remembers events quite the way you do, even if they shared the experience.  So to create a layout that was inspired by a journaling prompt will allow that voice to be heard in a way that is not as accessible when you scrapbook based solely on photos.

When you browse through a list of journaling prompts, choose one that "speaks" to you, one that calls up some memory or response in you.  Then from there, follow these steps to crate a layout based on the prompt of your choice:

Jot down any notes, memories, or sensory descriptions that come to mind.  Consider setting aside a brainstorming session to see what kinds of memories different prompts evoke.   I suggest writing out all the answers (long-hand, or on the computer) before putting together your layouts.  Get your answers down in this brainstorming session.  This is the time for you to gather your thoughts on what you would like to see included in your layout.  Don’t censor your thoughts here – just jot it all down, and think of this as a working draft.   

Once you have your written material, then you can start looking through your stash of photos and memorabilia.  What can you use to support what you want to say?  

Remember, photos don’t have to be of a particular event you remember – just a photo of you taken around that same time will be enough.  Kim McCrary, creative editor at Creating Keepsakes magazine, calls this “backwards journaling” or “journaling from the inside out”.  Decide what you want to say first, then find photos to “prove” your point.

Bring together your written material, and your “supporting evidence,” and sit down to scrap them.  Work on one layout at a time, revel in your memories, and enjoy yourself!

Keep in mind that prompts are meant to trigger something in you; you don’t need to follow them exactly.  Think about how these ideas speak to you.  Lifewriting prompts allow you to create your own journaling and scrapbooking experience!   If you read the prompts as applying to your past, then by all means talk about your past experiences.  Or maybe a prompt makes you think of a more recent experience.  Go with what means the most to you!  That's what's so adaptable and neat about lifewriting prompts!  They are the ultimate renewable resource!  Lifewriting prompts are meant to be sparks for getting you to write about and celebrate your life.  Remember that everyone has a story to tell, and there are no wrong answers!

 

One of my favorite prompt resources was compiled by David Kellin, aka "PapaBear".  He has collected a Year of Writing Prompts, and sorted them by months.  I drew heavily from his site (with his permission) in writing The Book of Me.  "Journal prompts are open ended questions that you can use to spark a writing session," Kellin writes.  "There is no right or wrong way to answer these questions. Feel free to explore wherever the question leads. The idea is to get you moving, not to define the whole writing session."  Just browsing through all these ideas had me itching to write.  And once I write a piece, I can't help but scrap it!  

 

Here's one of the prompts Kellin offers:

4-Jan: What do you show to let others know you love them?

 

Journaling inspired by this prompt is deeply meaningful.  Your response is an intimate look at who you are closest to, and the ways you show your affection.  It is also something only you can answer for yourself.  To create a scrapbooking layout based on this prompt, I would first jot down some ideas of how I show love for the people in my life.  My list might look something like this:

 

my son: read him bedtime stories using a different voice for each character

my daughter: sing her a special song at bedtime

my husband: make sure he has hot cocoa mix for his morning coffee

my girlfriend: share any neat fonts or recipes I find while surfing

 

Once I have compiled my list, I would write a little paragraph about each way I show my affection for these people, perhaps noting why these things are special to each person, or how I know they will appreciate those tokens.  Then I would either go through my stash of pictures to find something appropriate, or I would go take the pictures specifically for this page.  I might choose photos of me with each person, a close-up face picture of each person, or the person enjoying each token of affection.  I would probably choose photos that could be cropped small, to keep the emphasis on my journaling.  Then I would scrap the page simply, and maybe title it "Tokens of Affection."  There!  Done!  A layout that allows my friends and family to get an intimate glimpse at how they are touching my life, and how I try to comfort and nurture them in return.  And all based on a lifewriting journaling prompt -- a free resource available on the Internet!

 

 

Some of my favorite lifewriting sites:

 

David Kellin's Year of Writing Prompts

365 Writing Prompts (one for each day of the year!) from Writer's Digest

Lifestory Briefs from StoryCircle

MemoryGrabber (an e-book, but scroll down to the free 6-day email course)

Story themes & ideas from the Center for Life Stories Preservation

Lifelore autobiography writing workshop -- absolutely awesome!  Really leads you through the lifewriting process step-by-step.