In Part 2 of her guest post below, Linda Gartz, researcher and author of the ambitious and impressive Family Archaeologist blog, offers tips to others interested in documenting their family histories. Family History Writing Advice The first thing to do if you want to begin a family history is … [Read more...] about Family History Writing: Guest Post by Linda Gartz, Part 2
Family History
Supercharge Your Life Writing with These Ideas
The main branch of my town library invited three instructors to lead creativity workshops for folks 50+ years old. I had the pleasure of running the workshop on memoir and life story writing with three different groups of participants. I'd worried beforehand that the evening was packing too many … [Read more...] about Supercharge Your Life Writing with These Ideas
Writing Stories from Your Life
I teach memoir and life story writing. Reading my students' stories has given me a peek into the lives of those who've fought in wars or made ends meet on the home front; and of little girls who wandered along wooden floors in an old dime store, accompanied by the slightly sour aroma that emanated … [Read more...] about Writing Stories from Your Life
Must-Have Memoir Writing Aids: Updated 2018
Some of the most useful, powerful, and perhaps lesser known resources I recommend to my students who are working on memoirs, life stories, and family histories, and use in my own memoir writing are listed below. They include electronic and hard copy resources. Let's continue the tradition of … [Read more...] about Must-Have Memoir Writing Aids: Updated 2018
Memoir Writing: One Important Element
A critical building block of your memoir should be emotion. This can be particularly difficult for boomers and seniors to incorporate in their life stories. Although many have an urge to tell their stories, they can be hampered by the constraints of privacy and circumspection their generation often … [Read more...] about Memoir Writing: One Important Element
Teaching Memoir Writing to Boomers and Seniors
It was only recently that I realized why I so thoroughly enjoy teaching boomers and seniors creative writing. The main reason is that their lives and perspectives are so incredibly rich and valuable. You can't imagine all I've learned about the past from their first-person accounts. One woman is … [Read more...] about Teaching Memoir Writing to Boomers and Seniors