The “I Remember” Writing Assignment (after Joe Brainard)

Flower Painting IV by Joe Brainard.

“I Remember” exercise.

This is the simplest and also the most powerful of all writing prompts.

It is this: write pages of sentences that begin with the phrase “I Remember.” This assignment is based on a book of the same name by Joe Brainard, an artist and writer, who collected his “I Remember”s in several editions, and are available in book form.

Some “I Remember”s are very short, others a paragraph long.

Information and excerpts from Joe Brainard

Short article on Brainard at The Academy of American Poets.

An excerpt from Frieze Magazine.

A couple more here.

Some audio recordings of readings by Joe Brainard at PennSound (scroll down for I Remember excerpts).

From ArtVoice, “Remember Brainard.”

A lesson plan from Teachers & Writers Collaborative based on the “I Remember” excercise.

Other writers’ Joe Brainard imitations and homages

D.W. Lichtenberg‘s “I Remember” piece.

Jon Emil Vincent‘s “I heart Joe Brainard, always will.”

Shane Allison‘s “I Remember, Joe.” Also his book called I Remember.