When you write about the past, consider adding a photograph to go with your story. It could be a photograph of your childhood home, your school, your neighbourhood, an old market, a playground or a place where something important happened. It could also be an ordinary household object. An old
When I start writing a memoir, I don't begin with a blank Word document and simply write until I reach the end. I create the skeleton of the book first. I open a Word document and create a working table of contents. It doesn't have to
Some of us grew up keeping our thoughts to ourselves. We dealt with our struggles quietly because we thought they were private, embarrassing, or simply something we had to handle on our own. But something changes when we begin writing and sharing our stories. The more you share your journey,
You don't have to start your memoir with, "I was born in..." and then write your life in chronological order. Sometimes that makes memoir writing unnecessarily difficult. You start worrying about dates, sequence, missing years and what happened before what. Try something easier. Write a collection
When I wrote my autobiography in 2021, I tried to cover my whole life in one book. I later discovered that there is an easier way to write my life story: break it into smaller memoirs. Instead of asking, "How do I write about my entire life?" choose
How do I actually turn a memory into a story? Don't worry too much about writing beautifully. Start with three simple things. 1. What happened? Tell us the story. Where were you? How old were you? Who was there? What happened first? What happened next? What did people
Why is it that as children get older, they become less and less willing to tell their parents what they are really thinking and feeling? I came across a conversation in which a child tried to explain this from a child's point of view. Here's what
Every morning, someone seems to hand you another egg. You are a spouse to your life partner, a parent to your children, a caregiver to your ageing parents, an employee to your boss, and occasionally a human being who would like to sit down and drink coffee without someone asking
Yesterday, I learned to play the melody of my first song in 37 years. The last time I played the Electone, I was still a virgin. Yes, that long ago. And what was the great song I played after 37 years? "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." A simple nursery
You have a dream to master a skill. Maybe you want to learn a new language so you can converse with someone you love. Maybe you want to play a musical instrument and bring joy to yourself and others. Maybe you want to complete a marathon. Or finally write and
Sunset, flowers and butterflies are your favourite things. They are my favourite too. So are you. Reply: I just saw this ____ and thank you so much. You mean so much to me too
"When I was young, I thought my father was foolish. It took me years to understand what kind of man he really was." I do not remember the day my father found me. Everything I know about that day was told to me later. I was born with