Imagine learning more about your great-grandparents’ lives, their stories, values and challenges, and your heritage. That’s the gift you are giving your family and future generations when you put your story to paper and write your memoir.
What are the Benefits of Writing a Memoir?
Writing a memoir is beneficial for both the author and the reader. A person who writes a memoir is sharing their life story from their perspective, allowing the reader to understand the author’s decisions and actions directly from their point of view. This can be extremely powerful when the reader knows the author personally, as it gives the reader a much better understanding of not only the how, but why certain events took place. Below we review other benefits of writing a memoir.
Having a Comfortable Space to Share
Sometimes, talking about experiences is not easy. They may be difficult topics or, perhaps, they may be challenging to concisely explain during a conversation. Sharing through a memoir makes this challenge considerably simpler, as the author can plan, draft and re-draft until they are happy with how they are portraying themselves or the events that took place.
A Cathartic Experience and an Enjoyable Project
Being quite literally the project of a LifeBook, writing a memoir and looking back and reminiscing about all those key dates and events, such as marriages, first homes, and the births of children, while also remembering stories that might otherwise have been forgotten, should be a very enjoyable undertaking. It is a cathartic and profound experience to condense years into pages, though also potentially emotional at points as you remember more challenging times or loved ones who have passed away. However, these challenging moments don’t need to be left out of your story. Difficult memories are just as important as the happier ones, both of which have moulded you and created who you are today.
It Becomes A Key Piece of Your Legacy
Our legacies are much more than the equity we pass on to subsequent generations. From memories given to possessions passed down, there are a considerable number of factors that combine to create a person’s overall legacy. A memoir is a fantastic addition to your legacy as it provides considerable detail and paints a great picture of one’s life. A gravestone shows just two dates – the year born and the year passed on – but a memoir explains the events of the dash in between.
A Fantastic Gift for Family, Friends and Future Generations
Sharing stories with loved ones has several benefits, but sharing a memoir containing all of your most important stories is a considerable step further than this, as memoirs encapsulate those stories and allow the reader to be reminded of the author any time they pick up the book. Therefore, they are a great gift for loved ones, as both parties do not have to be together for the reader to feel connected to the author.
Write Your Memoir Before It’s Too Late
Unfortunately, the reality of life is that we are not always able to share our stories firsthand. Once our ability to recall or tell these stories fades they are at risk of being forgotten. Hence why Roy Moëd, the founder of LifeBook, reiterates “We can’t preserve our memory, but we can preserve our memories. Write them down.” Writing a memoir is so important; a memoir is a perfect tool to keep our stories alive once our ability to share leaves us.
How LifeBook Can Help
LifeBook is one of the world’s leading private autobiography services. Our books are created not to be the next bestseller, but to be treasured gifts and heirlooms for your family and closest friends. We understand the importance of getting every author’s story right – not only by having dates, names, and key facts correct but by having your memoir read as if it was you reading your story aloud. Founded 10 years ago, there are now over 10,000 people around the world who own a LifeBook.
To find out how a LifeBook project works, click here.
