Writing Our Life Stories: Why and How?

Writing about our lives strengthens our sense of identity, helps us gain new perspectives and meaning, and expresses creativity. Sharing stories about our lives and those of our family with others can preserve history, affirm family identity, celebrate family occasions, deepen intergenerational relationships, improve family conversations, and reach beyond distances of time and geography.  We can write our stories in a variety of formats: memoirs, photo collections, audio-taped or video-taped interviews, edited family videotapes, family genealogy, completing Grandma’s/Grandpa’s memory books. We can write on our own or with others in a supportive writing group.

Celebrating Poets Over 70

Selected readings from our recent anthology Celebrating Poets Over 70, accompanied by stories about the authors (many late bloomers) ranging in age from 70-103.  This can also include information on forming a writing group – facilitation of new writing groups is also an option.

Finding the Smile: Asking for Help through Story

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This workshop, conducted with Kathleen Banchoff, PhD, provides family caregivers with guided practice in telling an engaging caregiving story in the two minutes usually given by family and friends for a response to an inquiry about how things are going.  Writing practice can generate and hone the story. Having a few such rehearsed stories can make all the difference in opening up the caregiving relationship to include some timely help.

Related Topics

The Power of Storytelling: Understanding Ourselves
and Blessing Younger Generations

Writing Down Our Years Project: The Value of Writing Life Stories

Finding a New Voice: Write through Health Adversity