As we come to the end of our workshop, I like to share more informal writing exercises with students that they can use on their own if they wish. A basic building block of a writer’s practice is the timed free write. It’s something that I return to time and time again in my own practice. If I get stuck in the process of writing something, free write. If I’m having trouble generating a new idea, free write.
I like “flipping” the free write by incorporating prompts and different ideas. The letter to self exercise is something I keep in my pocket when I’m feeling stuck, unclear or even when I’m dealing with a challenge. There’s a few different ways to do it, but this week I guided students to imagine their future self in all of their amazing brilliance. What advice and wisdom would that future self offer to you now if they could? Some students had a hard time imagining themselves in the future, so I suggested they write a letter to their younger self, offering some kindness and nurturing to that part of themselves.
These pieces can sometimes be of a very personal nature, so I don’t usually like to publish them in their entirety. But below I pulled lines from each of the pieces I gathered.
Enjoy this weeks sort-of-a-cento!
A Letter To Self
By all the English class and After School Poetry Club students: Luis, Zulmy, Osvaldo, Miguel, Ian, Jaime, Daisy, Jovany, Michael, Emelie, and Mary,
Be careful of the choices you make in the future, believe in you and don’t give up. You have spent so much of your life, trying to avoid uncomfortable situations instead of stepping out of your comfort zone. You’ve accepted your flaws and embraced them. Remember you learn and grow from every experience, good or bad. I hope one day you are all we dreamed about. Focus on your future. Spend money on smart things. Don’t waste money on stupid things. The decision is yours, don’t stray to please others. Bring back your happiness. Disfruta del proceso, el tiempo es corto. You aren’t like everyone else, and that’s okay.
