• Bookshop
  • News
  • Login
  • Donate
  • Programmes
    • Young Writers Programme
    • Young Writers Festival
    • Summer residential
    • Folio Mentorships
    • National Writing Day
  • Writers
    • Our ambassadors
    • Who we work with
    • Becoming a First Story writer
  • Schools
    • Partner schools HUB
    • Free writing resources
    • BBC Teach x First Story resources
    • Becoming a First Story partner school
  • Locations
    • North of England
    • East Midlands
    • Greater London
  • About
    • About us
    • Our impact
    • Staff and trustees
    • Vacancies
  • Support
    • Ways to support
    • Make a donation
  • Menu
  • Skip to left header navigation
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

First Story

England's leading creative writing charity for young people

  • Bookshop
  • News
  • Login
  • Donate
  • Programmes
    • Young Writers Programme
    • Young Writers Festival
    • Summer residential
    • Folio Mentorships
    • National Writing Day
  • Writers
    • Our ambassadors
    • Who we work with
    • Becoming a First Story writer
  • Schools
    • Partner schools HUB
    • Free writing resources
    • BBC Teach x First Story resources
    • Becoming a First Story partner school
  • Locations
    • North of England
    • East Midlands
    • Greater London
  • About
    • About us
    • Our impact
    • Staff and trustees
    • Vacancies
  • Support
    • Ways to support
    • Make a donation

I remember

This exercise encourages students to use memories as a source of inspiration and creative material. Topics: writing autobiography and memoir; describing emotions and feelings; valuing our experiences.

Prep and resources

The American artist Joe Brainard’s autobiography, ‘I Remember’ (1975) has become a cult classic. His method was simply to set down specific memories as they rose to the surface of his consciousness, each prefaced by the refrain ‘I remember’. Other writers have used this technique too, such as Wendy Cope and Paul Farley. You may want to photocopy some ‘I Remember’ pieces to use in this session.

Ice Breaker: automatic writing

Ask students to write a diary entry, stressing that it will be private, and they won’t have to read it aloud if they don’t want to. Encourage them to write using emotions, describing how certain situations felt.

Exercise: I remember

Give students an existing ‘I Remember’ piece each to read, or read one aloud to the whole group.

Ask them to write their own pieces, using the ‘I Remember’ format.

Plenary

Ask each student to read some or all of what they’ve written to the group and discuss which parts the others like best. You may emphasise the ways that our own stories / memories, even ones we think are boring, can be relevant and interesting to others.

Above Footer

First Story's funders include

Footer

Contact us

44 Webber Street
London
SE1 8QW

020 7481 7777

info@firststory.org.uk

  • First Story North
  • First Story East Midlands
  • First Story London
  • Vacancies
  • Diversity and Inclusion
  • Safeguarding
  • Pandemic response
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Notice
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube

Site Footer

© First Story Ltd. All rights reserved | Registered Charity No: 1122939 | Company No: 06487410