Journal With Impact: Family Journal Vacation Worksheet

Workshop: Six Conversations for Writing Creative Journals

“Creating memories is a priceless gift. Memories will last a lifetime; things only a short-period of time.”                                                                                          Alyice Edrich

Family Journal Vacation Worksheet

1. Make a list of all the Events you remember that happened. (ex. flat tire)

2. People

a. Make a list of all the people there: family, friends, and strangers that you noticed for a reason.

b. Next to each name put what was the distinguishing characteristic of that person at that time. (ex. lady in snack shack—wild hair) (brother—told new joke every day).

3. Describe the Setting: place, weather, smells. Be sure to choose specific words rather than generalize.  For example, just how cold did it get at night: chilly or freezing?

4. Was there then, or afterwards, an image or repeated phrase that became a code for that vacation? One friend shared that this turned into several favorite reminders for their various adventures.           

5. What is your specific emotional connection to this vacation that makes it your funniest or most embarrassing or….. ?

6.     Write out a rough vignette draft of that vacation.

Action Steps:

1. After you’ve put all your thoughts together, make a copy for each person with you on that trip and give them each your version.

Share: Did any memory surprise you when you did the worksheet? What made it stand out?

Read deep, marcy

Note: I found the quotes for this family section at www.wiseoldsayings.com. They had a lot more that you might find more personal, especially if you are beginning to prepare a memoir, which we will be examining later in the series.

Strategy # 6 Homespun Locale: Vacation Worksheet

Build Your Story: 8 Strategies for Writing Innovative Setting with Impact

Family Vacation Journal Worksheet

Another way to approach local flavor is to use your own personal vacations as a starting point. Then from that base material you can adjust fictionally up and down the emotional scale from humor to terror depending on your genre.

Try it out first with a short weekend trip you’ve taken recently.

Event/Time/Place

1.     Make a list of all the events you remember that happened. (ex. flat tire two hours before reaching destination)

2.     a. Make a list of all the people there: family, friends, and strangers.

b. Next to each name put what was the distinguishing characteristic of that person at that time. (ex. lady in snack shack—had wild hair) (brother—told a new joke every morning)

3.     Describe the setting: place, weather, and smells.

4.     Was there then or afterwards an image or repeated phrase that became a code for that vacation? (ex. Remember the phone?)     

5.     What is your specific emotional connection that makes it your……….?

6.     Write out a rough draft of that vacation. Overwrite the sensory details. Then revise once again choosing the main focus.

  For example: “Every time I smell jasmine I remember…

Add taste, hear, touch, and see.

                      

Share: What one incident distinguished your trip?

 

Read deep, marcy