Every life deserves a book. So how should we go about creating an autobiography and avoiding the dreaded blank sheet of paper?
1) Realize you DO have something when you write your life story and that it DOES matter. Your memories of parents and grandparents alone is a story worth sharing. Every day of life experience has taught you something. Your children and grandchildren will appreciate anything you write or type for them whether it is a one-page letter or a 100-page book. Frankly, I think obituaries are way too little information, way too late.
2) Don't start with a blank sheet of paper. There are numerous tools on the market that provide an online autobiography template. Also, life story journals or memory journals with prompting questions are also available at any Barnes & Noble or online. When questions are priming the pump of your memories, this gets a whole lot easier. Even if you want to create a more customized book someday, you may want to start with a template of autobiography questions to help you get your first draft done and to stay organized.
3) Don't wait until you are 90 to get started. At age 34, I started my own life story and it was quite an eye opener. As I looked at my story as a whole after a few weeks of answering autobiography questions, I was surprised to come to some new conclusions. It helped me see how one thing led to another, that led to another, that led to another. The whole chain of events was fascinating. I thought about my life in a "bigger picture" view that included my grandparents, my parents, myself, and my children. I even wrote a letter, as part of my story, to my future grandchildren. Also, it helped me think about, "What's next?" What will the next chapter of my life look like? So I see it as an excellent planning tool if you're in transition and asking yourself the question, "What's next?" You may find that, when you reflect, you remember how much you loved something when you were a kid. Looking back, could actually hold the secret to your future!
1) Realize you DO have something when you write your life story and that it DOES matter. Your memories of parents and grandparents alone is a story worth sharing. Every day of life experience has taught you something. Your children and grandchildren will appreciate anything you write or type for them whether it is a one-page letter or a 100-page book. Frankly, I think obituaries are way too little information, way too late.
2) Don't start with a blank sheet of paper. There are numerous tools on the market that provide an online autobiography template. Also, life story journals or memory journals with prompting questions are also available at any Barnes & Noble or online. When questions are priming the pump of your memories, this gets a whole lot easier. Even if you want to create a more customized book someday, you may want to start with a template of autobiography questions to help you get your first draft done and to stay organized.
3) Don't wait until you are 90 to get started. At age 34, I started my own life story and it was quite an eye opener. As I looked at my story as a whole after a few weeks of answering autobiography questions, I was surprised to come to some new conclusions. It helped me see how one thing led to another, that led to another, that led to another. The whole chain of events was fascinating. I thought about my life in a "bigger picture" view that included my grandparents, my parents, myself, and my children. I even wrote a letter, as part of my story, to my future grandchildren. Also, it helped me think about, "What's next?" What will the next chapter of my life look like? So I see it as an excellent planning tool if you're in transition and asking yourself the question, "What's next?" You may find that, when you reflect, you remember how much you loved something when you were a kid. Looking back, could actually hold the secret to your future!
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