Write for You: And So…

by Nancy Casey

Today in your writing you will be thinking about how things got to be the way they are. You will do that by telling very short stories that have the words “and so” in the middle of them.

You can write about yourself. You could, for example, tell the story of how you came to detest your most un-favorite food. In my case, that would be a throwing-up story that ends, “… and so I never ate Cracker Jacks again.” You could tell a story of how a relationship started or how you got a scar. You could tell how you made a decision, or how you ended up living where you do. You could tell about your breakfast.

The only trick is that when you tell the story, you have to twist it into the right shape so that the last phrase begins with “…and so…”

You can write about the world around you: It rained hard last night, and so there are worms all over the sidewalks.

You can explain a fact from science: Gravity has existed as long as the known universe, and so things fall down and not up.

You can write about the future: My garden isn’t planted yet and so it is not likely to grow. Perhaps a story like that could have a companion that ends, “…and so my garden isn’t planted.”

You don’t necessarily have to write things that are true: Birds from all over the world have come to the park to argue about politics, and so the trees are noisy.

One thing happens. And so something else happens. Fill a page with little stories like that.

When you have finished, give your work a title. Make sure the date is on it somewhere, too. Add decoration and color to the page as needed. Here is an example of what a person could write.

Share what you have written! Post it as a comment below. You can type in your work. Or post a picture of it.

Nancy Casey has lived in Latah County for many years and taught writing at the Recovery Center. You can find more of her work here. If you would like her help with a writing project of any kind—resumes, letters, stories novels—email latahrecoverycenter@gmail.com for more information.