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World War II Writing Prompts

WWII Writing – Military Memories Writing Prompt Day 1

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Have you taken time to record the stories of your World War II ancestors and families? One way to get started is to use the Military Memories Writing Prompts to jump start your research and writing.  as we explore life on the U.S. home front, women in service, and the lives of all veterans.

These prompts were written with the World War II era in mind, but most can be used for any war. They were originally used in May 2014 and are not grouped by category. Since May 2014 I expanded these 31 prompts into over 500. Are you looking for more writing prompts to help you tell the stories of war from a U.S. or European perspective? See my Stories from the World War II Battlefield Volume 3: Writing the Stories of War, for over 500 writing prompts for U.S. and European writing.

Holik and Privoznik families 1940s.

Prompt 1: The Home Front. On the home front, describe your family’s experience during the war. Who did they send to war and when? What impact did your family have on the entire war effort?

Please share your prompts and responses on your blog and tag them with #militarymemories.

Do you need help learning how to do World War II research or need to hire a researcher to help you? Please feel free to contact me for more details.

© 2016 Jennifer Holik

Book Launch – World War II Writing

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Today I’m happy to announce the launch of two new books to help you with your World War II writing!

Stories from the World War II Battlefield Volume 3: Writing the Stories of War (paperback)

This book contains a short how-to prepare to write the stories and over 500 writing prompts plus a workbook section.

and

Stories from the World War II Battlefield: World War II Writing Prompts (paperback and Kindle)

This book contains over 500 writing prompts.

StoriVol3 cover screenshot tempes from the World War II Battlefield Volume 3: Writing the Stories of War (paperback)

Stories can save us.

Stories have the power to heal.

Stories help us preserve the past and provide hope that history will not repeat itself. For some cultures, storytelling is the primary method for transmitting a family or group’s collective history. For others, writing the stories to share with family or the world, is the method.

When we write, we must ask ourselves, what writing really matters? Consider the words you write as your legacy. Find ways to share your writing to document your life, to remember those who are no longer here, and to honor those who survived a time when the world was collapsing in chaos.

All the tools researchers need to start writing the stories of World War II from a U.S. perspective or overseas theater of war perspective, to honor those who lived in those chaotic years, are included in this volume.

The tools include:

  • Reasons to write the stories of war.
  • Tips to help you organize your thoughts and sources before you write.
  • Writing formulas to help you organize your stories.
  • More than 500 writing prompts covering multiple themes for writers in the U.S. and overseas.
  • Suggestions on how to share your stories on memorial websites and through books.
  • Additional resources for writing the stories of war.

This is the most important reference guide researchers need to begin writing the stories of World War II.

Vol3 WP Cover tempStories from the World War II Battlefield: World War II Writing Prompts (paperback and Kindle)

Stories can save us.

Stories have the power to heal.

Stories help us preserve the past and provide hope that history will not repeat itself. For some cultures, storytelling is the primary method for transmitting a family or group’s collective history. For others, writing the stories to share with family or the world, is the method.

When we write, we must ask ourselves, what writing really matters? Consider the words you write as your legacy. Find ways to share your writing to document your life, to remember those who are no longer here, and to honor those who survived a time when the world was collapsing in chaos.

This important reference guide contains more than 500 writing prompts covering multiple themes for writers in the U.S. and overseas. Explore these prompts as you write your stories of war.

Want to see what some of the prompts look like? Check back here every day in May for Military Memories Writing Prompts. You can write your own on your blog and tag them with #militarymemories.

Do you need help learning how to do World War II research or need to hire a researcher to help you? Please feel free to contact me for more details.

© 2016 Jennifer Holik