PODCAST SHOW NOTES
Episode Title: Writing Prompts: 3 Time-Travel Exercises to Discover Your Past, Present & Future Self
Episode Description: In this transformative episode, acclaimed memoir teacher Laura Davis reveals three life-changing writing prompts that unlock profound self-discovery. With over 35 years of teaching experience and as the award-winning author of "The Burning Light of Two Stars," Laura guides listeners through a powerful exercise that explores identity across time. Learn how to write your way through personal transformation using techniques that have changed thousands of writers' lives.
What Laura Covers in This Episode:
Three specific writing prompts for exploring different versions of yourself across time periods
The transformative power of third-person writing practice for gaining new perspective on your life
How to access deep unconscious material through continuous, unedited writing
Laura's vulnerable personal responses to each prompt, including her struggles with envisioning the future
The breakthrough technique of letting your future self speak to present worries and fears
Step-by-step instructions for implementing these life-changing exercises at home
Why writing without stopping, planning, or editing creates the most powerful insights
Episode Highlights:
The Magic of Flow Writing: How 20 minutes of continuous writing without editing accesses rivers of creativity and self-knowledge hidden in your unconscious mind
Third Person Breakthrough: Why referring to yourself by name creates psychological distance that reveals patterns and insights impossible to see otherwise
From Trauma to Triumph: Laura's raw journey from feeling like "a little leaf fluttering in the wind" to becoming an internationally acclaimed author and teacher
Future Self Wisdom: The powerful moment when Laura hands the pen to her future self, who offers comfort and perspective to present-day anxieties
Present-Day Vulnerability: Laura's honest reflections on health challenges, aging fears, and the transition from intense productivity to rest and being
Practical Implementation: Exact instructions for using these prompts, including timing, technique, and what to expect from the writing process
Creative Problem-Solving: How to work with difficult prompts when you feel stuck or unable to imagine certain life phases
Healing Through Writing: How these exercises facilitate emotional processing and personal growth through storytelling
About Host Laura Davis
Laura Davis is a master writing teacher and 7-time author with over 35 years of experience guiding writers through transformative creative processes. Her award-winning memoir "The Burning Light of Two Stars" won the prestigious BookLife Prize in 2021.
As co-author of the groundbreaking book "The Courage to Heal," Laura has influenced millions of lives through her fearless approach to truth-telling and healing through writing.
She teaches ongoing Zoom classes to students worldwide and leads transformative international writing retreats. Laura specializes in helping writers excavate their deepest stories, develop authentic voice, and find profound healing through the written word.
Opportunities to Work with Laura Mentioned in this Episode
Wednesday writing practice class on Zoom: https://lauradavis.net/writing-classes/#writing
Thursday feedback classes with Laura: https://lauradavis.net/writing-classes/#feedback
Write, Travel, Transform: Cuba: https://lauradavis.net/cuba/
Key Takeaways from This Episode
Write in third person using your name to create psychological distance that reveals new insights about your life patterns, growth, and authentic self
Set a timer for 20 minutes per prompt and write continuously without stopping, planning, or editing to bypass your inner critic and access deeper truth
Embrace discomfort with difficult prompts like imagining your future self - resistance often signals where the most important breakthroughs await
Use the "hand over the pen" technique when stuck by letting different aspects of yourself (especially your future self) speak directly to your current concerns
Trust the writing process completely to reveal what you need to know, even when you believe you have nothing meaningful to say about a particular life phase
Connect with Laura Davis
Website & Class Information: https://lauradavis.net/
Newsletter & Writing Resources: https://laurasaridavis.substack.com/
Weekly Writing Classes: Detailed information and applications available at lauradavis.net
International Writing Retreats: Current offerings and upcoming destinations listed on her website
The Writer's Journey with Laura Davis is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support her work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. You'll receive regular posts like these, as well as beautifully curated poems and nature photos, essays on life and the craft of writing, and more.
You can subscribe here: https://laurasaridavis.substack.com/
Learn about Laura's writing classes, books, workshops, and international retreats at: https://lauradavis.net/
