Creating Your Life StoryWhat, Why, How

What?

• Biography

• Autobiography

• Memoir

• Personal essay

• Oral history

Why?

Preserve family history

Preserve personal history

For self-reflection

Share your wisdom

Preserve family history

Tell the story of significant events in the life of your family.

Tell about the people, values, and customs of your family.

Preserve personal history

Write about events and ideas that matter to you.

For self-reflection

A memoir is like a mirror reflecting back on your life.

Writing is the act of reaching across the abyss of isolation to share and reflect.

Natalie Goldberg

Share your wisdom

How to start a life story

Write from your own memories

Interview family members

Be interviewed by someone else

Record your thoughts on audio or video

Collect photos and documents

Conduct research

Documents

Research insets

How to organize a life story:chronologically

How to organize a life story:thematically

How to organize a life story: using photos or artifacts

How to publish a life story

Audio or video tape

Scrapbook

Book