How to Write a Memoir – And Why:
I saw this post by Gail Woodward at dudleycourtpress.com and wanted to share it because she provides four REALLY GOOD reasons why you should write a life story memoir.
Gail’s Reasons (taken from her post) Include:
Share Your Story with the Generations to Come
A memoir ensures that your memories will be recorded and then live on.
On a personal note, I remember the last time I saw my maternal grandmother. I was a teenager and it was the first time that we had really talked about things that mattered. She told me about her life, the things she had done and the history she had lived through. I was so fascinated and proud of her and where I came from. Since then, I have learned more about her from my mother, but I really wish I had been able to know more about my grandmother in her own words.
Writing your own memoir will preserve your life stories not just for the family you have right now, but for the children who will grow up and have questions, and all the families that will come after them.
Preserve Your Life’s Special Memories
Is there something you’ve done that you will always look back on fondly? Something you’re proud of and would do again in a heartbeat?
Maybe your marriage is still going strong after 40 years. Or the business you built enjoyed more success than you first imagined. Or you took a foreign trip of a lifetime and made treasured memories. Or you taught people something that improved a number of lives over the years.
Whatever you’ve done in your life, you’ve undoubtedly done great things and made extraordinary memories that you, your loved ones and others would like to keep.
Writing a memoir will allow you to document and preserve all of those life stories and special memories of the people, places and events that have been important in your life.
Help Others Overcome the Challenges You’ve Faced
Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the burdens in your life? Chances are that your life hasn’t been perfect. It’s likely that you’ve had to conquer a number of setbacks and adversities, and you survived.
To be honest, these physical, mental, emotional, social, spiritual or financial setbacks could have easily consumed you, but you didn’t let them. You fought back, and won, showing dignity and grace even when life hasn’t always been so kind. But now you have something very important to share with the world.
Your personal battles are worth telling and learning from. Your stories can be a great source of wisdom and comfort to people who are waging their own similar battles now.
Writing your memoirs and recording how you successfully overcame your challenges
can serve as an important inspiration for many others.
Understand Yourself and Your Life Better
Would you like to learn more about yourself?
Like it or not, our day-to-day lives, and the world, often move at a remarkably fast pace. Most of us don’t dedicate enough time to truly assimilate, understand and reflect on who we are and what has happened in our lives. As a result, we can become more disconnected over time from ourselves and the lives that we have led.
Of course, there are many tools that can aid in this process, such as regular journal writing, meditation and therapy. However, hands down writing your memoir can be one of the best approaches for you to understand yourself and your life in a more meaningful way.
Writing a memoir forces you to review, take stock and reflect on the people, events and moments that have made up your life, including your feelings and your reactions to them. Writing a memoir will help you to understand yourself and your life better, and then preserve all those valuable memories and stories for yourself and others.
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In her first paragraph, Gail states: “… Since then, I have learned more about her from my mother, but I really wish I had been able to know more about my grandmother in her own words.”
That is one of the primary reasons why we created The Life Writer App: Because people live long lives and they learn a lot during the process.
But when they pass on, their wisdom is typically lost forever.
That is such a wasted opportunity to help others – and especially their own family – by not sharing what they have learned during life.
Why reinvent the wheel during each life?
Gail’s second point is: “Writing a memoir will allow you to document and preserve all of those life stories and special memories of the people, places and events that have been important in your life.”
For sure. We all have favorite things in life, including our favorite possessions.
Recording the things that are most important are a great way to feel an enduring sense of pride, contentment, and fulfillment.
Gail’s third point is: “Your personal battles are worth telling and learning from. Your stories can be a great source of wisdom and comfort to people who are waging their own similar battles now. Writing your memoirs and recording how you successfully overcame your challenges
can serve as an important inspiration for many others.”
THAT is also an important reason why we are so passionate about providing this service.
Our mission is to make life story memoir book writing easy – to inspire, empower, and improve lives (because that is what the life story writing process does).
And when a person learns that a family member was able to overcome a challenge and/or achieve something noteworthy in life, they often think:
“Darn… If he/she can do it, I sure as heck can too!”
That is common, especially in families.
Gail’s final point is: “Like it or not, our day-to-day lives, and the world, often move at a remarkably fast pace. Most of us don’t dedicate enough time to truly assimilate, understand and reflect on who we are and what has happened in our lives. … Writing a memoir forces you to review, take stock and reflect on the people, events and moments that have made up your life, including your feelings and your reactions to them. Writing a memoir will help you to understand yourself and your life better.”
Well said.
And borrowing a quote from Socrates (via Robin Storey):
“The Unexamined Life is Not Worth Living.”
How to Write a Memoir – And Why (!)
Here is a A link to Robin’s amazing post:https://www.thelifewriter.com/blog/news/11-reasons-to-write-your-life-story/
There is something inherently NATURAL and very THERAPEUTIC about reflecting on life.
Everyone should do that and have the opportunity.
… Why don’t you reflect on your life and share what you have earned with your family?
They and YOU will be glad you did.
Try The Life Writer App with a 30 day money back guarantee here:
https://www.thelifewriter.com/product/the-life-writer-app/
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