Autobiography or Memoir

"Shall I begin with the day I was born?"
"I just get overwhelmed when I try to think about writing about my life. I'm 70 years old. That will take a long time."

These are the questions I often hear from mature adults who want to leave a record of their lives for their families. In my classes we write stories about events that happened in our lives, in our families. We don't begin with the day we were born. We make a timeline of our lives and use file folders to organize our stories of important memories. One day those stories will form the memoir we want to leave behind.

Even Helen Keller said, in her autobiography, she would only include parts of her life that would be of interest. With prompts we discover memories we want to share with our children and generations to come. Some of the writing may never see the light of day, but some will form the backbone of a family history or a personal history that satisfies the writer and will be treasured by children of tomorrow.

First Five Things to Do Before Writing Your Life Stories

What is the difference between autobiography, memoir, family stories, family history, or stories about your life? In my classes, we write family stories or stories about our lives.




Five Things to do before you begin Writing Stories about Your Life

1. List the most outstanding events that changed your life beginning with your birth.

2. Label folders with each of these life changing experiences and dates.

3. For each folder make a list of memories from that period of your life. Keep this list in the appropriate folder and update the list as you remember more stories or events in that time period.

4. Research – Locate photographs, certificates, articles, letters, diaries, and anything that pertains to your memories. File these in appropriate folders.

5. Choose one folder with the most memorable events. Choose from that folder one vivid memory that brings back smells, sounds, colors or feelings you can express in writing. Try to think about how you would tell that experience in a way to keep the interest of your child or grandchild.

CLASS REUNION

Five students from my class, fall 2008 at Tri-County Community College, gathered for a reunion and tea at the lovely home of Ash and Liz on a mountain in Warne, NC. It was a joy for me to see everyone and hear some of the stories they had written and some re-written since we were all together last fall.

Before we shared writing, we shared delicious homemade cakes and cookies, fruit and cheese, lovely teas and coffee set up in a room with a gorgeous view of the Tusquittee mountain range.

This is an example of the kind of bonding that comes from sharing our life stories in class. Ash is an octogenarian who has lived an incredible life already, but continues to thrive every day. He is excited about writing and sharing his stories.

The other students are four women who also have unique lives about which they continue to write. Ginny was born in the mountains of North Georgia but grew up and lived most of her life in the Detroit area.

Nadine is from the coal mining area of West Virginia, and is now a sophisticated interior designer. Sara lived her early life in a children's home. She has begun her autobiography and what we heard in class held us spellbound. Vicki hails from south Georgia, as I do, and we have many similar memories.

I feel blessed to have met these writers, and I am honored to be included in their reunions which they have decided to continue. Liz was a good sport and didn't throw us out even though we probably overstayed the time alloted for a "tea."

Thanks so much to Ash and Liz for a delightful afternoon and for bringing everyone together again.