1. SPARK
&
FLOW
TheMemoirClass.comGuidetothe
incrediblebenefitswriting
hasonyourbodyandsoul

2. Note on using the interactive PDF:
This eBook was created to be viewed on a laptop or tablet but
may lay out differently depending on platform. Text that is in an
outlined square denotes a link to a website. Also, if you move
your cursor over the text it may go from an "arrow" to a "hand"
which means you are hovering over a live link. Enjoy!

3. Let's start with the good news: you don't need to find creativity, it
is already inside of you! This Spark & Flow eBook was created to
give you ideas about how to access, play with, experiment on, and
move with your already existing creativity.
Our brains are dialectical storytelling machines. If I give you two
images, your brain will immediately compare, contrast, and begin to tell
a story about the two scenes. We cannot NOT tell stories. Our very
consciousness is a long repeated internal story about who we are,
where we came from, and what we want. A recent article in the Los
Angeles Times confirmed that, “Academics trace the idea of writing as
therapy to the time of Egyptian pharaoh Ramses II, about 1,200 BC.”
Your desire to write is ancient, important, and worth pursuing as a part
of your regimen of self­acceptance and spiritual health.
byErinJourdan,OwnerandInstructor
MemoirClass.com
INTRODUCTION

4. First I want to highlight the scientific research findings published in the
news the last two years. The New York Times health writer Tara
Parker­Pope reported, “Studies have shown that writing about oneself
and personal experiences can improve mood disorders, help reduce
symptoms among cancer patients, improve a person’s health after a
heart attack, reduce doctor visits and even boost memory.” It turns out
that this new health elixir is free, doesn't come in pill form and can be
done with paper and a pencil!
In three different studies mentioned in the NY Times article, writing
was used for an even deeper function. By using a “writing intervention”
where the subjects were asked to retell or recast their personal stories
with a more objectively perceived story (such as finding counter­
examples to negative self­beliefs) led to marked improvements.
According to Timothy D. Wilson, a University of Virginia psychology
professor, the positive narratives helped to “Nudge people from a self­
defeating way of thinking into a more optimistic cycle that reinforces
itself.” In short, we are boxed­in by the stories we tell ourselves. By
working through our own self­narrative we can begin to positively
change both our bodies and our minds.
TheMentalandPhysicalBenefitsofWriting

5. The seminal writing therapy researcher James Pennebaker clarified
this idea, “When people put their emotional upheaval into words, their
physical and mental health improves markedly.” Echoing this
statement, psychologist Jane Turner Goldsmith reported in
the Australian Psychological Society Journal, "[Pennebaker's studies
have] been replicated many times, demonstrating a range of physical
health benefits and reduction of illness symptoms. Benefits to
emotional health, such as reduced post­traumatic symptoms and
improved mood and psychological wellbeing.”
The evidence continues to mount for why writing is an effective
way to stay physically and mentally healthy. In a 2015 article in Fast
Company, psychotherapist Maud Purcell explains, "Writing accesses
the left hemisphere of the brain, which is analytical and rational. While
your left­brain is occupied, your right brain is free to do what it does
best, i.e. create, intuit and feel. In this way, writing removes mental
blocks and allows us to use more of our brainpower to better
understand ourselves and the world around us." According to
researchers the benefits of having a writing practice include: increased
self­confidence, higher emotional intelligence, increased
mindfulness, and a boost in memory and comprehension.

6. Here are some statements you can use to remind yourself who you
are as a creative mind: “I am a storytelling creature, I was born to
make stories.” “Creativity is inside me, and by practicing, I can gain
access to my flow.” “I’ve led a truly singular experience and I believe
there are stories that need to be told about love, family, mystery and
sadness.” “I will not judge myself or be judged for my writing. The
simple act of doing it gives me a clear and healthy perspective on my
life in this world.”
So strike the flint and get your spark flowing into a fire, and access the
amazing transformative power of writing! The first few exercises in this
eBook start with preparing your body to write. Think of the kindling, the
spark has caught but without the breath it will extinguish. We begin
with oxygen to build our spark into a powerful fire.
So how do we integrate the research that writing can be a vital and
powerful tool into our lives? To start the Spark & Flow of creativity we
need a recalibration of perspective on our writing. Instead of reading
these exercises and thinking, “oh this exercise won’t help, I will just
put down the pen and turn on the TV.” Or, “Why do
an exercise…maybe I’m just not creative, or worse, I’m just lazy.”
Here is another classic, “Who would care about my experiences?”
You have to fight those thoughts. Instead of telling yourself a negative
story about your creativity, try positive intervention.
Whydoyouwrite?
AnIntervention

7. I am not a yoga teacher, but I do believe in the integral importance of
breath. If you are sitting in your chair at the computer hunched over
shallowly breathing that isn't optimal for creativity. Oxygen is
absolutely necessary for life, for flow and for powering your brain. I
realize it is only natural to peer into the screen, get close and focused
on those letters coming out of our fingertips, turning into words,
paragraphs, and narratives. But as my yogini friends would remind me,
the self is also about the flow of energy. Kundalini in particular is a type
of yoga focused on Shakti or “primal energy.” If you are older you may
remember Ruth Gordon as Maude in the 70s film Harold and Maude
where she practices the Breath of Fire to greet the morning. It is a very
old and exotic tradition, but there is some incredible wisdom there.
Here is a video on YouTube from Women’s Health Yoga (which also
has instructions for male practitioners).
Ok, it looks and sounds weird and it makes you feel self­conscious. I
am not denying that Breath of Fire isn’t pretty strange for our western
culture. But in the privacy of your own home, who cares? If this is too
much, try one of these alternative breathing exercises from Dr. Andrew
Weil ­ the Stimulating Breath, 4­7­8 Breath, and Breath Counting.
There is a video after each description with Dr. Weil demonstrating the
technique. This will bring you energy and focus before you start
writing. If you like this exercise, try the “What Does My Body Want?”
video prompt.
ExerciseOne:Breathing

8. A spark is energy transference from flint to tinder, electricity turning to
heat creating fire. How do we create the same reaction in our bodies?
One way to cause a shock to the body is to go from very warm water
to very cold water. I’ve experienced this jolt at the Korean Spa I go to
in Los Angeles ­ but it is a common thing to do in many cultures…from
the saunas of Finland to the Polar Bear clubs of Michigan. There is a
liminal moment where your brain screams, don’t do it, don’t jump in the
lake! But you overpower it and feel the surge of joy that comes with
immersing in the cold water. I've learned to crave it, just like how
some people crave spicy food.
The formal name for this technique is “Contrast Bathing” and it is
popular among runners and people who experience a lot of
inflammation in their bodies. According to Natural Health News, “Hot
and cold baths have been used for centuries and some of the benefits
they bring include: increased energy, increased circulation,
detoxification, and the clearing of negative energy. An easy way to
replicate the spa experience of alternating hot and cold baths, and the
primal experience of jumping from hot springs to cold rivers, is to
simply alternate hot and cold water in your shower.” Hit the showers,
get invigorated, and then hit the pen and paper, champs! If you liked
this exercise, watch the “Risk in Writing” video craft talk.
ExerciseTWO:SparkingShock

9. Wish you were anywhere but here? Is one of your points of resistance
that you wish you had an endless budget for travel and excitement?
Well, we all wish we had a cheap garret in Paris or perhaps a house in
Marrakech where we could soak up desert views. Well, I am here to
tell you it is all POV ­ your Minneapolis backyard may be an exotic
locale for a Berber used to the desert, just as the epic waterfalls and
greenery and of the Pacific Northwest would seem foreign to the
average Parisian in a café. The point is that what gets our inspiration
flowing via travel is difference.
An hour and a half from where I live in Los Angeles is the Joshua Tree
National Park. The terrain is a completely different color palette. The
weather is dry and diverse from day to night. At night you can see the
stars, and with limited city lights some say you can see the Milky Way
with the naked eye. When you sit down for a rest during a hike you
notice that every square foot contains millions of objects: types of
sand, rocks, seeds, animal tracks, debris, glass, charcoal, water
droplets, organic matter, paint chips, bugs and insects – and that is just
at first glance. For this exercise find your square footage of land,
maybe in your own backyard. What are the scientific names of the
grasses and flowers? When you dig what do you find? What is the
color of the earth beneath your feet? Are there memories of this
space? Pick up a leaf, crumble in and take in its smell. What are the
words that come to mind and those you need to learn to truly
understand this place? For my spot in Joshua Tree I needed a new
vocabulary and fresh eyes for creosote, mountain lion paws, spines,
snowmelt, yucca, scrub, inselbergs, wrens, oasis and more… If you
enjoyed this exercise, try the “Prisms” video writing prompt.
ExerciseTHREE:GETSMALL

10. Okay so you have tried getting small and focusing in, now it is time to
take out your antenna. Don’t have an antenna? Sure you do! If you go
out in public, we all have our feelers out. Spend 15 minutes doing one
of the oldest activities for keeping yourself occupied in public:
eavesdropping. Yes, let’s just call it what it is…spying, snooping and
overhearing.
We are not listening to judge what people are saying, we are listening
for the cadence of the voice…the way others tell a story. Some
considerations about what you hear: Timbre: what makes this voice
specific even if there are others of the same loudness or pitch? Pitch:
the degree of highness or lowness of a tone i.e. squeaky to deep.
Tone: combination of duration, pitch, intensity (or loudness), and
timbre (or quality). Loudness: qualities of the voice in terms of soft or
loud. A very interesting resource is this article from Macmillan
dictionary online of words you can use to describe someone’s voice.
Breathy? Brittle? Croaky? How would you describe your own voice? If
you don’t feel comfortable eavesdropping most phones have apps
where you can record your own voice or use the video function.
Being able to describe your own voice is one of the key ways you can
bring a sense of objectivity to writing a memoir­focused scene.
Consider trying to do a self­portrait – yes, just as visual artists do, by
looking in the mirror and sketching with words. If you enjoyed this
exercise, consider trying “The Art of Witness” writing prompt from the
MemoirClass.com blog.
ExerciseFOUR:VoiceandSound

11. I don’t know about you, but a few of my favorite films are retellings of
famous Greek or Roman myths. Have you seen Pan’s Labyrinth or
Crimson Peak, the new Guillermo Del Toro film? Oh Brother Where Art
Thou starring George Clooney is a retelling of Homer’s The
Odyssey, and author Suzanne Collins has stated that The Hunger
Games was influenced by the Myth of Theseus. Both My Fair Lady and
Woody Allen’s Mighty Aphrodite are retellings of the Pygmalion myth. If
you are stuck, recasting your characters in a classic storytelling arc
could be just the way to move the action along. Online, there are tons
of resources on myths and their assorted stories. Pandora’s box,
Phaeton’s chariot, Perseus and Medusa, the twelve labors of Heracles
are all classical stories – structures – that you can use to drape your
story on. If you enjoyed this exercise, consider trying “The Enemy”
video writing prompt.
ExerciseFIVE:READaMyth

12. Etymology: 1300­1400; Middle English < Latin etymologia < Greek
etymologia, equivalent to etymolog(os) studying the true meanings and
values of words (etymo(s) true + logos (word, reason).
Having problems producing words? Consider breaking them apart.
Going down the rabbit hole of the derivation of a word can lead to
serendipitous associations that can help you take that synaptic jump to
the next creative thought. I really enjoyed this example from Listverse
about the word clue, since it also includes a reference to Exercise
Five: “The clue to the origin of the word Clue is in its derivation from
the medieval word Clew, meaning ball of thread. This may not be of
much help unless you are clued up on Classical mythology. The hero
Theseus was given a ball of thread to help him find his way out of the
labyrinth of Minos. By following the trail of thread he left behind him he
was able to navigate his way to the exit. The word clue then became
associated with anything which might hint at the solution.”
ExerciseSIX:Study"TrueMeaning"
Here is a link to an awesome Online Etymology Library, which leads us
to the word skein: "fixed quantity of yarn doubled over and over and
knotted, mid­15c., from Middle French escaigne "a hank of yarn" (Old
French escagne, mid­14c., Modern French écagne), of uncertain
origin. Compare Medieval Latin scagna "a skein," Irish sgainne "a
skein, clue."
If you have “hit a wall” consider putting on your detective hat and
investigate etymology. It might shake a clue loose for how to get
creative! If you enjoyed this exercise, consider trying the “Writing
Small” exercise from MemoirClass.com blog.

13. Collage, assemblage, pentimento and erasure are a few of my favorite
words. They are also methods for visual artists who are working with
color, texture, and raw materials to form images. I went through
YouTube watching some of the best­known artists paint, sculpt, peel
and scrape. In each video, there is a moment where one thinks, “what
are they after, what do they see that I cannot?” Pablo Picasso draws a
flower inside of a fish with easy comic squiggles, and this is the same
man who painted Guernica. Richter scrapes the paint against the
canvas wearing a suit! Rodin with a chisel over 100 years ago on film!
Louise Bourgeois peeling an orange while telling a story about her
father. With writing, you can’t really see the wonder of the act. The
hesitation or easy lines, the painting strokes of good luck and those of
skill. The point is to keep going, layer on top of layer. Peel back some
of the words, and erase a few but know that the process takes time.
ExerciseSEVEN:MixedMedia
Some exercises:
• Draw a scribble and then write around it.
• Cut up your work and keep the words that stick out to you and start with
them.
• Write over a photograph. Simply deface it with a story.
• Erase chunks of your writing, how does it change what is there?
Physically try to get into your writing and get out of your mind. You can even
be silly and decide to write in glitter roller ball pen, or perhaps write on the
back of leftover wrapping paper. Take the pressure off and let the color in. If
you liked this exercise, try the “Personal Maps” video writing prompt.

14. Do you have a favorite anecdote that is so memorable it practically has
a life of its own? Are there stories that are crowd pleasers and have
come to define your character (or at least how you present your foibles
to a crowd or new acquaintance?) It doesn’t have to be your defining
moment, but think for a minute, what is something that has happened
in your life that could make a good jumping off point for a story? I am
one of the few writers who doesn’t really fictionalize my life very much.
There are many books that are a thinly veiled version of something
that happened to the author. So the idea of this exercise came to me
as a way to try to work with life stories.
When I was in college in the Midwest, I had a roommate who wore
wigs. She was obsessed with torch songs and we used to go to the
stairs of the state building and sing every tune that had the word “blue”
in it. She was from a rural town in Iowa if I mentioned it by name you
could probably figure out this girl’s name. She never went to any of her
classes, and dated all of my ex­boyfriends. She drank too much and all
of her clothes had to be dry­cleaned. She would smoke camel filtered
cigarettes by the pack, drink coca­cola and only eat Chinese chicken lo
mein. This story ends with her breaking into my parent’s house
1,044.5 miles away from where we first met, and going to sleep in their
attic.
So the prompt is to think of an anecdote that you love to tell and give it
the fiction treatment. Stretch it, massage it, and change it around. This
is your big fish tale…go ahead and embellish it, add some twists and
turns and have fun! If you liked this exercise, try the “How did you two
meet?” video writing prompt.
ExerciseEIGHT:Adapt

15. Are you tired of writing alone in your Hobbit Hole? Get some of
your writing pals together for a fun game of exquisite corpse. This is a
classic exercise that is truly fun and can go in some unexpected
directions. The official “rules” according to Academy of American
Poets are: “Exquisite Corpse is a collaborative poetry game that traces
its roots to the Parisian Surrealist Movement. Exquisite Corpse is
played by several people, each of whom writes a word on a sheet of
paper, folds the paper to conceal it, and passes it on to the next player
or his or her contribution.”
ExerciseNINE:ExquisiteCorpse
You may remember this assignment from English class in high school
and being the one to unravel the accordion­like draft to be read aloud
to the whole class. You can use a few rules to keep it coherent:
• For memoir, the sentence each person adds next has to be true. For
poetry, it is recommended to use a formula such as, “Adjective, Noun,
Verb, Adjective, Noun.”
• For fiction, this is where things can get
really wacky depending on the group’s mood,
but just let it flow.
If you enjoyed this exercise, consider trying the
“Second Person” video writing prompt.

16. Ok so you are stuck and you want something more serious than taking
an extra cold shower, cutting up words and pasting them together, or
eavesdropping. I get it ­ sometimes you need to get into the mechanics
of writing which is why I added this exercise as the final one. Look at
your bookshelf and pick out a book that really resonates with you. Try
to pick something that will have scenes in it, so a biography of Winston
Churchill is probably not what we are looking for here. A novel, or a
memoir where you enjoyed the writing style and story and it had an
affect on you.
I chose a page from Lit by Mary Karr – her ability to choose the
apropos adjective or metaphor has always impressed me. She
describes meeting a priest that she must confess to with the following
language: “thick Irish lilt, over eighty and skeletally thin, sunken
cheeks, blue veins over an age​spotted skull” he constructs an
“immaculate” cigarette, they smoke “like tar kilns” while she presses
her thumb nail around the rim of a Styrofoam cup, “in a series of half
moons.” What impresses me is her ability to look at him as if she has a
magnifying glass, but then juxtapose his visage with the fact that he
rolls an immaculate cigarette, the beauty of the smoking (a vice) done
perfectly in a religious term (immaculate).
ExerciseTEN:UnMakeaScene

17. Scene from Mary Karr's "Lit"
Pick a paragraph that speaks to you and underline the nouns, circle
the verbs, square the adjectives and try to pick the writing apart a little
bit, you will begin to notice how the writing is functioning on the page.
Do the same exercise to your work in editing – underline the nouns,
circle the verbs and square the adjectives (another way to do this is do
a pass by highlighting nouns or use color to be able to “see” the
structure better in your own work) and fine­tune your word choice,
especially where it becomes dull or repetitive. If you liked this writing
exercise try “The Box” writing prompt on the MemoirClass.com blog.

18. For only $33, which is basically the cost of one hardcover book, you
get the entire 8 module course which includes a 32 page Interactive
PDF + a free PDF eBook of Stunt Writing 101 with full access to
proprietary videos, writing prompts, essays, craft talks, community,
writing plans and more! The MemoirClass.com eCourse is 8 self­
guided modules that you can follow at your own pace. This class is for
anyone who wants a method for learning how to write. No experience
is necessary, but your life experience. Click here to access the store!
AboutUs:
AboutERINJOURDAN
Erin Jourdan, MFA Creative Writing, is a Los
Angeles based writer and teacher. She is the
recipient of a 2007 Djerassi Resident Artist
Fellowship and a 2009 Jentel Foundation Artist
Residency. She teaches memoir/writing from
personal experience classes to private clients,
workshop groups, MOOCs and through her
website www.memoirclass.com.

19. BIBLIOGRAPHY:
GETSOCIAL,JOINUS!
How the Ancient Art of Writing Therapy Can Help You Create a
Brighter Future, Los Angeles Times, January 2016 This is the Key to
Happiness, According to Psychotherapists, Time Magazine, May 2015
10 Surprising Benefits You Will Get From Keeping a Journal,
Huffington Post, February 2015 Story Making and Storytelling: An
Exploration of the Therapeutic Benefits, Australian Psychological
Society, June 2015 Writing Your Way to Happiness, The New York
Times, January 2015 Why Journaling is Good for your Health (and 8
Tips to Get Better), Fast Company, January 2015 This is Your Brain on
Writing, The New York Times, June 2014 Science Shows Something
Surprising About People Who Love to Write, Mic.com, September
2014 Writing for Health and Happiness? BBC.com/ BBC World
Service, August 2013 How Writing Heals Wounds of Both the Mind
and the Body, Time Magazine, July 2013 The Storytelling Animal: How
Stories Make Us Human, Jonathan Gottschall
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