We all think that we are not famous enough to write our memoirs but this is a misconception! What would you do if you came upon a manuscript written by your great grandmother in the late 1800's?? Wouldn't you be thrilled beyond words to hear what life was like then? Wouldn't you be excited to find that people then loved, lost, and lived much as you do today?? How did they handle it? How did everyday life make them feel??
Why should we write our memoirs? To remember and honor our lives. To bring our family members together. To bring new insight to our lives. To provide future generations a look at life as we knew it. To facilitate a healing experience within our lives. To connect us to history.
"People today are rootless and aching for connections to the past", says Lettice Stuart, a Texas personal historian who records the memoirs of everyday people. The process of documenting their lives often brings family members together and, as their life tale unfolds they will find themselves gaining new insights into events that took place, perhaps even bringing about healing to the past.
It is the act of writing, not the words themselves that produce a healing in the writer. Therefore, one need not be a scholar or novelist to reap the benefits of lifewriting.
These are not really rules! They are more like gentle reminders!
- Start with one story at a time.
- Make a schedule to write at least one page every day and stick to it!
- Remember to include your feelings about the event! Many men forget to do this!
- If you write only one page per day, you will have 365 pages in one year!
- Use vivid detail.
- For now, ignore spelling and grammar. If you worry about getting every sentence perfect, you will never finish your writing!
- You can check facts later. Don’t worry if you forgot someone’s name or a particular date-just get the story written!!! You can go back later!
- You may want to alter names and identities to protect your loved ones.
