Coffee break exercise: Old friends

Think back to a time in your past, or imagine a time in one of your fictional characters' pasts.

For a few moments, make notes about who and what was significant at that particular time for you, or your character - the friends, the music, the books, the buildings or important places.

Now choose one of those significant things and begin to write about how you, or your character, feel now about their old friend from the past. Write for 15 minutes.

You can write fiction or poetry, but this is also a very effective exercise for people who are interested in life writing. Use it to help you shape a new piece of memoir writing if it's prompted you to carry on exploring your past via creative non-fiction.

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