How to Write Your Life Story

It can be an intimidating exercise to try and write a lifetime of memories. The secret is knowing what to write and how to arrange the memories into a sensible order. Follow these tips for a book that will enlighten, inform and amuse generations to come.

Arrangement

There are a couple of ways to organise an autobiography. The most common is chronologically but this is not always the easiest. It may be better to divide the book into sections according to groups of memories.

What to Write About

It can be overwhelming to look back over a life and try to decide what to write. The best way is tackle it step by step, event by event. Do this by writing each memory as a separate incident, or on a separate page if necessary. The list below can be a useful starting point for jogging memories:

• First memories
• Childhood memories
• Birthdays
• Christmas/New Year
• Holidays
• Hard times and difficulties
• Faith and religion
• Festivals and celebration
• Food
• Friends and neighbours
• Family members
• Chores
• Illnesses
• Entertainment
• Homes
• Schools
• Politics
• Shopping
• Sport
• Travel
• Love and marriage
• Wars
• Clothing
• Jobs

What to Include

Search for old photographs, letters, documents and newspaper clippings to include. These can be scanned in and included as part of the book and will add authenticity and interest. Some writers prefer to do a central section of pictures and others scatter them through the story as appropriate. Use as many as possible as they tend to breathe life into a story.

Write With Emotion and Feeling

Once the basic facts are down, go back and add colour, life and texture. Weave emotions into the words and let the reader feel the heat of the fire or the thrill of a first roller coaster ride. This can be done by adding in dialogue and setting the scene. Every person has drama, suspense, conflict and joy in their lives. Express this and the book will be an easy read.

Viewpoint

Most autobiographies are told in the first person – in other words, from the “I” point of view. This brings reality and depth of feeling to the story. Try to avoid using “I” in every sentence, however. It can become tedious.

Program

Any word processor is a good place to start typing the story. For those with more skill, MS Publisher offers the options of setting the file up as a booklet which will print double-sided, four pages to an A4. It also helps with cropping photos, adjusting color and resizing pictures.

Printing

Print on demand publishers are the cheapest way to print a limited number of books. Lulu.com is a popular internet option but most cities have printers who will do a similar job. The cost is generally reasonable and well worth it for the privilege of preserving family memories.

A life story is a gift to generations to come and a fascinating project as memories are revisited and photographs examined. It may even be expanded to include chapters on children and spouse. If the desire is there, follow through and create a valuable heritage for family members to enjoy.