Do You Have a Story to Tell?
Have you ever wanted to tell your story but didn't know how to start? We are here to help! Miles for Migraine is creating a Book Project to showcase you and the migraine community. This book will be composed of essays, pictures, and other creative expressions of personal experiences living with migraine. You do not need any specific experience either!
Tell Me More!
We encourage you to submit your story in any format you feel comfortable with and as many ways as you wish. Now, we may not publish all entries, but we will try! Submissions accepted through July 15, 2022.
Any Suggestions on How to Start?
Absolutely! We have put together some ideas to get your creative juices flowing. Click on the "writing" or "art" prompts below to guide you. We are excited to learn your story! Have fun, and should you have any questions, please contact us Lisa at lisamigraine@gmail.com.
We are no longer excepting submissions for this project
Watch for the final book coming soon
Please create your choice of written story, such as an essay, a letter, or a poem. The final creation should be less than 500 words, and the ideas below may help get you started.
- Pretend you just received your newspaper from the future with an article about migraine or headache disease. What do you hope it says?
- What would your migraine look like if it was visible? Would this change anyone's view or treatment?
- How would you describe your Migraine or Headache Disease?
- Type of weather, what weather would that be?
- A vehicle, what would it be?
- Without using the word "pain."
- What color would it be?
- If you wrote a letter to your migraine, what would the letter say?
- Tell us how your identity (race, gender, appearance or body size, sexual orientation, etc.) has affected your journey with migraine or headache disease.
- Write about a time when migraine or headache disease has either made you cry or made you laugh (or both).
- Write a Yelp-style review of your migraine or headache disease as if it were a place you visited.
- Write a fake sales pitch as if you are trying to sell your migraine or headache disease as a vacation destination.
- Write a letter thanking someone who has helped you in your migraine or headache disease journey.
- Despite living with migraine or headache disease, write about something you are grateful for.
- What brings you hope?
- What is most useful to help you through your migraine or headache disease?
- Write a Haiku about your migraine or headache disease
You may use pictures, drawings, and any other expression you choose. Just include a short description of your work in under 100 words. Check out these ideas below for help getting started:
Drawing
- Using lines, shapes, and colors create a visual representation of how you experience migraine or headache disease.
- What helps you get through the challenging moments? Create a drawing or painting on this theme.
- Doodle while listening to music that helps you feel better. Try not to think about what you're drawing and let your hand guide you.
- Draw yourself as a tree or plant. Write words and phrases on the page that answer the question: "What do you need to grow?"
- Draw a line down the middle of a piece of paper. On one side, draw or paint a symbol representing your experience of pain. On the other side, draw or paint a symbol that represents wellbeing. Surround the symbols with words and phrases that describe how you feel about each
- Set time for a "creativity date" with a friend or family member who supports you. Draw or paint together and take photos of your process.
- Create a comic with stick figures describing a light-hearted or humorous aspect of your experience.
- Draw yourself as a superhero defeating your migraine or headache disease.
- Paint or draw a road or path headed in the direction of your goals. Create a symbol or character to represent yourself and place it somewhere along the way.
- Recall a memory about someone who has helped you in your journey with migraine and headache disease. Create a drawing or painting about that experience and what it meant to you.
- Identify a mantra or a statement that helps guide you when you're experiencing symptoms. Write it on the page in large letters and draw or color around the words.
Photography
- Take a photograph of something that brings you hope, joy, or a positive distraction when you're experiencing migraine or headache disease symptoms.
- Take a photograph or a series of pictures that capture aspects of your journey with migraine and headache disease.
Other
- Create a collage of words and images cut from magazines that represent your experience with migraine or headache disease.
- Use mindfulness to engage your creativity. Follow along with a guided meditation or independently spend 5-10 minutes intentionally focusing on your breath. When you have finished, spend time experimenting with art materials of your choice.
- Use digital art to create a meme about migraine or headache disease.
- Create art from nature—collect sticks, stones, leaves, flowers, shells, and other natural materials. Arrange them together in a way that is visually pleasing to you. Photograph your creation.
- Create a visual representation of how your spirituality or religious beliefs guide you through your experience.
- Create a mixed-media sculpture using air-dry clay and/or household items that explores one or more of your migraine or headache disorder symptoms.
- Simply allow yourself to create freely without any directives or expectations.