Post #46 – Women’s Memoirs, Writing Prompt – Kendra Bonnett and Matilda Butler
By Promptly Portland
Writing Your Life Story with a Little Help from Your Pet
Pets are wonderful. A few years ago, I was quite lonely. I didn’t have anyone else in my life so I spent many hours alone. As I looked into the future, I imagined I might always be alone. I could accept that, but then through the mother of a friend I had an opportunity to have a dog, Mickie. That experience has changed my life.
I took her with me everywhere — to get coffee at Peet’s, to visit friends, to work where I taught high school. The students loved her. Some of them even volunteered to babysit when I had to travel. When I finished my M.A. degree and began teaching at the college level, I no longer felt I could take Mickie with me. But she was and is still a wonderful companion. I learned more about myself by loving her.
Now I’m fortunate to have someone else in my life. But Mickie is still and always will be an important life companion. Fortunately, my partner also has a dog. You should see us when we hike, two dogs scampering along with us.
I have family members who would be upset with me if they found out I was only writing about dogs. They’d even point out, “There are 73 million cat owners and only 44 million dog owners. Why didn’t you include us?” And, I’d have to agree. Cats make a difference in the lives of their owners as much (some would argue more) than dogs. So, yes, let’s think about pets rather than just dogs or cats.
By now you are probably used to the notion that I wander around in my thinking and writing before I finally get to a writing prompt. Hopefully, my meandering around a topic gets you contemplating writing even before I come up with a specific exercise. Because Mickie means so much to me, I’d like to get you thinking about your pet and yourself. Try the following and see what develops.
500 Words (or more): Memoir Writing Prompt
Did you have a pet as a child? As an adult? Do you have a pet now? As long as you have had a pet at some point in your life, you’ll enjoy this memoir writing prompt.
1. Write about 250 words about your pet. Make your pet a real character with a physical description, a personality description, and a set of behaviors and experiences.
2. Then pretend your pet is going to write 250 words about you. How would your pet describe you physically? What would your pet write about your personality? Which of your behaviors and experiences would your pet mention? Then write that second 250 words as if you were your pet describing you.
If you did both #1 and #2, you are now well on to your way to thinking about descriptions. You started with the early part — describing someone else (okay, your pet). Then you described yourself but through the eyes of your pet. That might not have been too hard because it wasn’t you describing you (okay, it was but through the device of your pet). Now, the next time you are writing about your life, perhaps you’ll find it easier to describe yourself.
Until next time,
Promptly Portland
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