Although most people do not consider themselves to be writers, there is one book everyone is not only qualified to write, but should write—their autobiography.
Your first reaction might be that the very idea of writing an autobiography is ridiculous, that they’re only written by famous, exciting people who’ve lived wildly fascinating lives.
That would be true if one was trying to write a bestseller, but I’m suggesting a project that has nothing to do with fame or fortune, a book never intended to be published for general consumption. This is a book with a different intention, one to be self-published or copied at the local print shop or even on your home printer.
You may be thinking that this sounds like a lot of work and wondering why I am suggesting you even entertain this idea—especially if there is no hope of monetary compensation or accolades waiting for you at the end of your hard work.
There is only one reason to consider this proposal: to leave a meaningful legacy for your family and close friends. These are the people who know you best and already have a connection to you and your life, and would not be bored with the stories you have to share.
Many people dabble in genealogy, keep boxes of old family p
hotos, photo albums and scrapbooks, but how many people know the stories behind those names and faces? Sometimes we’re lucky if old photos are even labeled with the names of those pictured. And too often, the people who might be able to answer our questions are either unable to remember the details or are no longer with us.
When my own father passed away last February, my sisters and I decided to create a scrapbook for my mother with photographs from his childhood, his school yearbooks, sports team he had joined, and family photos. Although we were able to put together a beautiful book, I couldn’t help but wonder if it could have been even more meaningful if we had a story to accompany the photos and tell us what these captures in time meant to my father.
I also noticed that although my sisters and I had many common memories, we also had unique ones of events or conversations that had taken place with my father. How wonderful it would be to have those stories written for my mother, our children, and us to enjoy!
Since none of us know how long we will be here, it seems to me that sooner rather than later is a good time to get started. Rather than just recording events in list form, write a story that captures your feelings as you experience different times and events in your life. Those are the details that make an ordinary life extraordinary, and the ones that your loved ones will appreciate and treasure.
There is a book I would recommend for anyone who thinks they’d like to try this but not sure how to get started. I was lucky enough to receive this book from a fellow Gatherer, Catherine J, as a prize for writing a photo caption. It’s titled, You Don’t Have To Be Famous: How To Write Your Life Story by Steve Zousmer. It’s well written, easy to understand, and provides lots of idea for how to organize your thoughts and get them down on paper.
Here’s a link to this book on Amazon if you’d like to take a look inside: You Don't Have To Be Famous
As always, I look forward to reading your submissions.
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Comments: 26
I've also started getting down info from my daddy who is an original "Swamp" Georgia Cracker, if ever there was one...now does he have some stories to tell about growing up on the edge of the Okefenokee ;-)
Great idea, thanks for the info ;-)
I'm writing a memoir for a mix of reasons. 1. My stories are interesting and precious to me. 2. Times have changed so much during my lifetime going on 72 years, and I want to capture some of this change if I can. 3. My daughter has said she enjoys hearing my sisters and me talk about our early life. Perhaps others will, too. 4. Writing my memoirs makes me a historian, writing subjective history in contrast to objective history, which can sometimes be boring. 5. Writing stories about people and events related to me helps me better understand and appreciate family members and myself. 6. I wish someone had done it for my grandparents and other ancestors so that I could know them better.
I understand your feelings about your grandparents and other ancestors. That's kind of the point of this; if everyone writes their own stories, no one will have to "wish" that someone else had captured the stories. We can't go backwards, but we can try to encourage our family members to each write their own story so no one is left longing for them.
I haven't written anything about the time before I kept the journal (and even in the early years my journal-keeping was spotty). I probably should. I find that many times I'm motivated by recapturing experiences from my youth but I don't actually have a record of my thoughts from that time. I'm sure much is already lost in the far recesses of my memory, unlikely to come out even if I were to attempt to write up my life from then.
Thanks for your comment on my Grandmother story this morning.
In your case, however, it's too late; you're already renowned on Gather. :)
Of course, we can't go back and ask relatives who are no longer with us how they viewed their own life, but we can start with our own lives and encourage our children or other family members and friends to write their own life story. The facts are always interesting, but the emotions are what make a story come alive. I would encourage anyone who writes their story to include their own feelings about their life stories; this gives a more meaningful picture of who they really were.