If You Want To Write: Tell Your Story

K. Wordbird Bate

He’s writing his life story.

     Nearly every writer begins with what s/he knows. What do you know more about than anyone else on this planet? YOU! You amazing, complicated, puzzling, striving, mistaken, gifted, person.” You know you.

     YOU is a perfect writing topic for most of us. Everyone has a compelling history and perspective to share. Whether you grew up in a small town or a bustling city, never left your street, or traveled into many adventures, your story is unique. Even when you are part of something thousands of others do, for instance going to a particular college, your experience is unique. 

     You can memoir in a diary privately, talking to yourself to clarify, shape and even heal what is going on with you. You can share about you in a blog on line—to connect and network socially. If you keep a journal, decide, before you begin, what privacy level you want. Then ask those living in your home to respect that. If you are uncertain, take steps to assure your privacy, because worry about violation of your diary affects your writing. Similarly, you must promise never to read someone else’s private writings without their permission. Whether they find out or not, it will change your relationship forever. Be proud of the choices you make. Be a person others can trust.

      Another way to use a diary is to help move you through writing projects. Journaling can stir ideas and keep your thinking fresh. You can also “dump” junk thinking. Just write everything that’s in your head, until your mind begins to clear.

      I learn a lot by teaching memoir writing. When I walked into my first memoir writing class as a young un’, I was shocked to see that more than half my students had two and three times more life experience than me. “What do I have to teach them?” I thought. And I was right. It is still true that my elders teach me more than I teach them. What I do is help them reach their goals. If a little structure, guidance and push would be helpful, or fun, take a memoir writing class. Find a teacher to help you reach your goals.

     Many people want to write their early life stories as a gift to their children and grandchildren. That is exciting! Most of us forget that our parents and grandparents HAD lives before us! Think about that. What do you know about your grandparents or parents as teenagers? Their stories will intrigue you. Human beings, greater world events that influence lives, interconnections of individual lives, are fascinating. Therefore, YOUR story too, is fascinating. Telling it well makes it even more so.

      Here’s a regret older students often voice. They did not get started earlier. Some of their lifelong friends, teachers, and family members have passed away. This means it’s impossible to check facts, events or memories with others who were there. Elders may have some memory loss. Who wouldn’t? They want to go back thirty, forty or fifty years to recall the vivid details that make a story come to life. Some people recall the past as if it were yesterday. For many, it is just too darn long ago! It is also true that writing out memories is sometimes intense work. Still, the over fifty crowd produce fantastic memoir. They provide their families with a cherished record of their lives. It is never too late to write your memoirs. So if you want to, do it.

     Memoir is astounding. In part because the writer is unaware of his or her future, yet day-by-day we follow them into it. Each entry is immediate, today, what I feel now. You can never go back and truly recapture that. You have to chase after it TODAY, sit down, and put it into words. Then it is there, until you are ready to use it.

      So many people tell me they wished they started earlier. That means, whatever your age: GET STARTED, YOU! Quit putting it off. Let’s hear about that life story you have “always meant” to write. If you have started, share some tips.   

Let Yourself Bloom,

© K. Wordbird Bate

photo by Life in Nanni