Sharing the Past
Share your experiences, trials, and joys in your personal life history and story!
How many times have you told yourself you would write down your stories or your family’s stories? You know the stories that you tell to inspire others, the stories that everyone loves to hear at family gatherings, or the stories of your ancestors. Truth is, whether you desire to write a memoir, biography, or a compilation of stories, the idea usually lands on a shelf next to a half-done photo album and a pile of unsorted memorabilia. Time is a commodity we never seem to have enough of. Yet, during this pandemic we have been given a gift; the gift of time. Yet, despite this gift of more time, most of us haven’t plowed through our to do list of “someday” items. I’m guilty of it too, so no judgement.
I think of my grandmother’s stories that I never took the time to write down even though I said I would. In her 102 years of life she had so many experiences, trials, and joys. Many of her stories I never heard and for those I have, the details have faded with each passing year. As a person who lives with few regrets, this is one that haunts me. I had the opportunity to write those stories down and share them with my kids and future grandkids. But like many people, I said I would do it eventually. Inevitably, my window of opportunity closed before I wrote a word. Don’t let that be you. Don’t keep saying someday. Like the Nike add says, ‘Just Do It.’ Even though the pandemic restrictions are lifting, we are still not fully back to our crazy lives and we can carve out time to write.
Ok, I hear you saying as you read this blog, “But I’m not a writer.” You don’t have to be a writer per se. The stories are basically already written in your mind or your loved one’s mind. All you need to do is put those words on paper. Recently, I was contacted by a woman who wrote a memoir. She is not a writer, but a former teacher. A client of CLP told her about us and recommended she call us for help. We did a beta read on her memoir, gave her detailed feedback to guide her edits, and she is now in the process of having us create a book for her. Her goal is to share her story with her family, friends, and anyone else who would be interested. Once she stopped avoiding what she saw as a daunting task, she started achieving her dream. You can too.
So, here are simple and doable steps:
· Establish goals: what do you want to write about, who are your target readers, and when do you want to complete it by.
· Write down all the points and information you want to put in the book. Simple bullet points are all you need.
· Create an outline. I always recommend doing an outline to give your writing some structure throughout the process.
· Commit to writing for a certain amount of time each day. Set a specific time and place each day to do your writing.
· Start writing and make it a daily or weekly habit.
· Once your story is complete, get someone to read it – I always recommend a beta read by anyone not close to you.
If you are still afraid and find the task overwhelming, call or email us here at CLP. Our consultations are always free. We will get you started on the right path and provide support you along the way. We can help you turn your stories into a book for your family, friends, or to even sell to the public. Don’t regret something in the future that you have the power to change today. CLP is here to help you create the best gift you can give both current and future generations – the sharing of your story or your family’s story.
Email us at info@creativelicensepublishing.com today and let us help you get started!
