Exploratory · Adapted from research on autobiographical reasoning and narrative identity (McAdams, Fivush)
Autobiography Brainstorm
Four prompts. Forty minutes. See the arc of your life before writing about any one part of it. The map that makes the writing practice possible.
What it is
Autobiography Brainstorm is the app's orientation module for long-form autobiographical work. Four brainstorm prompts, each about ten minutes, surface the raw material autobiographical writing practice depends on: the adverse and challenging events that shaped a life, the positive and transformative moments that had lasting impact, the timeline anchors that mark when things happened, and the distinct periods of life that have their own character.
The theoretical anchor is Dan McAdams's work on narrative identity, which treats the construction of a coherent life story as one of the developmental tasks of adulthood, and Robyn Fivush's research on autobiographical reasoning, which documents the mental-health benefits of integrated autobiographical narrative. Most people who try to write about their life fail because they start writing before they know the shape of the thing they are writing about. The Brainstorm module produces the map.
The output of the module is a working document — four lists and paragraph-sketches that most users refer to over subsequent months as they write individual pieces. The module pairs well with C.A.R.E. or Pennebaker for working on specific events, and with Archetypal Journaling's Steppingstones section for further integration.
Who it fits, and who it doesn't
Likely a fit
You want to write about your life and do not know where to start. You are working with a therapist on developmental material and want a map you can both reference. You are writing a memoir or long-form essay and need to see the arc.
Not the first line
You want a focused session on a specific current concern — Three-Prompt Clearing or C.A.R.E. is better. You are in acute crisis and need stabilization rather than orientation work.
The prompts
- Adverse and challenging events 10 min
What adverse or challenging events have shaped your life? You don't need to tell the whole story — just list and briefly describe what comes to mind. Childhood, relationships, work, illness, loss. Anything that left a mark.
- Positive and transformative moments 10 min
What positive or transformative moments have had a lasting impact on you? Encounters, decisions, breakthroughs, places, people who changed something in you.
- Timeline anchors 10 min
If you were to draw a timeline of your life, what key events would you put on it? Don't worry about ordering perfectly — just list the markers: moves, schools, jobs, relationships, deaths, births, ruptures, beginnings.
- Distinct periods 10 min
Are there periods of your life that feel distinct from others — geographically, relationally, developmentally, professionally? How might you describe them in a few words each? ("The Pittsburgh years." "Before my father died." "The marriage.")
Do it in the app
The writing app runs this protocol with a timer, autosave, and optional LIWC analysis. Free, private, clinician-built.
Open Autobiography Brainstorm in the app →Read further
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Autobiography Brainstorm module?
A four-prompt orientation module for autobiographical writing. The prompts surface adverse events, transformative moments, timeline anchors, and distinct periods of life — the raw material that longer-form autobiographical writing works with.
Do I have to write an actual autobiography after the brainstorm?
No. Many users run the brainstorm as a standalone exercise — the output is useful on its own as a map. Users who want to continue into longer-form writing can use C.A.R.E. or Pennebaker on specific events the brainstorm surfaced, or Archetypal Journaling's Steppingstones section for continued integration.
Why does the module have four prompts instead of one?
Different questions surface different material. A single "tell me about your life" prompt tends to produce the version already well-rehearsed. Four specific angles — adverse events, transformative moments, timeline anchors, distinct periods — surface material the rehearsed version typically leaves out.
Can I save the brainstorm and come back to it?
Yes. The app autosaves each entry and lets you return to refine or extend the lists over days or weeks. Most users find the brainstorm gets richer on second and third passes.