Holding your completed memoir in your hands would be a milestone moment for anyone who dreams of doing so. Yet, for some, it’s less a distant ambition than an unimagined or even laughable one—a pursuit that seems at once time-consuming and futile. Who, after all, would want to read their life story?
As many of our authors discover to their surprise, the answer to this question is often “lots of people”!
Starting the journey
Ed Kushins, of California, was amongst those who had not thought about writing their life stories. Ed had no overwhelming desire to do so, nor did he have ambitions to share his experiences or to leave a written legacy. His trigger was the realization that he was remembering things he’d long since forgotten and forgetting things that he knew he’d once remembered.
Ed started making lists and spreadsheets to jog his memory about life events, activities, travels, achievements, and friends, and he began toying with the idea of converting them into something readable and shareable. It was chancing upon a LifeBook Memoirs advertisement that set him on the path to creating a fully-fledged story of his life.
Later on, Ed very kindly wrote to us to explain the journey that he experienced from that point onward:
“I saw an advertisement for LifeBook Memoirs and their offer of a well-organized program. The program was based on a series of face-to-face interviews that they would transcribe and then professionally develop and edit to create my own personalized memoir.
I was further intrigued after spending time on their website, listening to and reading samples and testimonials. I decided that I wanted to expand my notes into a real memoir, as much for myself as for the people—mostly family members—whom I thought might want to read it. The writing was easy, fun, and interesting. Judy, my interviewer, and I outlined the memoir structure, and our interview sessions flowed smoothly, as did the ghostwriting and the editing. It was a wonderful experience.
Having the finished memoir has been rewarding far beyond my expectations. It was well worth the effort and cost, and more people than I had expected were interested in reading it! And, besides rekindling—and, in some cases, clarifying—dormant memories, it has led me down paths that are influencing my present and future. I am now reconnecting with old friends, digging into my ancestry, and living the rest of my life as if I’m collecting material for Volume 2!”
Ed’s LifeBook, entitled EDification, was completed in 2024.
