Writing prompts for memoirs

A colleague, Fran Morley of Fairlane, Alabama, shared a great tip for getting into the mindset of life writing.

My favorite trick, Fran writes, is to invite students on a memory walk through a virtual room from their past. I have everyone relax and close their eyes and put themselves back in a favorite room from their past. I have them step into the room, and I lead them around the room, asking them to look up, noting the ceiling, lighting fixtures, etc., look down at the floor (and maybe remove their "virtual" shoes and feel the carpet or flooring), look out windows as they pass them, noting what's in the yard or on the street, and look into other rooms as they pass by doorways. I have them listen to sounds from the room or other rooms (clock on the mantle, whistle of a tea kettle, dog barking outside, etc), and I have them take a deep breath and recall the smells of the room - grandpa's pipe tobacco, musty drapes, mom's perfume, etc.

After going through this virtual stroll down memory lane, by engaging all the senses, people will remember much more about the room than if I just said, "write a paragraph about a room from your past," Fran said.

For people who think writing about the past — writing their life story — is too daunting a task, this can be an outstanding exercise. Your history, one room at a time! After all, a life story is really just a series of small stories woven together with a single thread: you.

A virtual stroll through a room of your childhood might be a way to get you started.

Personal History: Not just for old folks

Personal history isn't just about older people telling stories from bygone days. It's about today.

All of us have, or will have, stories to tell, no matter what our age. Stories about family background, school, first loves, time in the military, our hobbies or travels, our celebrations, are all worth preserving for loved ones.

Remember, you are living tomorrow's history today. If you aren't interested in formalizing your stories now, jot notes to yourself in a journal so that the details that make stories sing won't slip from your memory over time.

What's your story? The topics are endless. Pick one, pick up a pen, and start writing!

Personal History on Video: Houle Trailer

View an example of personal history on video...

Who would want to read about me?

I’m just an ordinary person. I haven’t done anything special. Who would want to read about me?

We hear these objections a lot when talking about the value of personal history. In our star-obsessed culture, ordinary people believe there’s nothing noteworthy about the trials and tribulations of “ordinary” life.

Of course, ordinary people do extraordinary things every day. You know who these people are: the grandmother who serves funeral luncheons at church, the single mother who raised seven children while also earning a college degree, the office clerk who reads books to children during her lunch break, the bank executive who takes a sabbatical to volunteer at a Third World hospital. Every community – every family – has members who humbly go about the day quietly performing extraordinary acts. Their stories, once preserved, can inspire generations.

But a personal history can do more than simply honor civic-minded loved ones. Life stories allow us to connect to other people, to learn from their struggles, or to find courage in their ability to overcome, especially if we’ve encountered similar obstacles.

“The Year of Magical Thinking,” the critically-acclaimed memoir by Joan Didion, recounts the events that precede and follow her husband’s sudden death from a heart attack. Here is a story that explores as universal a topic that ever existed: death. Who among us hasn’t lost a loved one unexpectedly? Didion’s story resonates because when we read her account, we’re able to put our own experience with death into context. Her story isn’t so much about her family as it is about our family, about us.

Other people’s insight into a universal experience can lead us to a place we hadn’t before encountered, a new perspective. In this way, when we read a life story, we do so not so much to learn about them, but to learn something about ourselves. And therein lies the value of telling our stories.

The stories that resonate with us best are the ones where we recognize parts of our self in the narrative. The stories of ordinary citizens can be wonderfully unique. No one holds the same perspective on history, family, community, or birth, life and death, as do you. When you share your insight, you engage us in your uniqueness. We learn about you, yes, but we also learn about us. And this is how we connect.

Get Mom talking about her past

Collaborating with publishing experts

Oftentimes, the task of compiling an organizational history falls on an employee or volunteer. The reasoning: who better than an insider to explain the intricate workings of his or her company? But the opportunity cost of assigning corporate history to a novice who is not trained in the genre can be great.

An experienced publisher of history products will listen to and relies on its client’s expertise and collaborates with in-house experts to effectively communicate stories. Writers of corporate or personal history also understand modern readers, including how to meld narrative, typography, photography and page design to capture readers’ attention in order to communicate its client’s goals.

Confidentiality is always a client concern when bringing in an "outsider" to conduct research into a company’s or family's past. Histories in the Making guarantees that all research findings and interview transcripts will be held confidential; furthermore, its employees and contractors always conduct themselves with courtesy and professionalism as they interact with client representatives (current or retired), community leaders, industry professionals and others.

Corporate Histories, Part II

Corporate histories are different from traditional historical narratives. Because corporate histories are public relations vehicles, expect to find stories that are current or even forward-looking included alongside stories of the past. This juxtaposition of past and future allows the reader of a corporate history to insert him or herself right into the narrative, right into the story with which he or she is most familiar: the company of today.

Who is the audience for a corporate history? The answer depends upon the company producing the history and what goals are trying to be achieved through publication. One of the first things management needs to determine once it decides to produce a corporate history is audience. For whom will the history be produced?

Nearly as important to the process as defining audience, is for management to determine the goal of the history. Should the corporate history generate “buy-in” among stakeholders for a strategic shift? Should the corporate history inform new communities who aren’t yet familiar with the company? Should the corporate history thank employees for faithful service or for enduring difficult challenges? Should the corporate history build brand awareness? Should it build unity among diverse employee groups or markets? A corporate history, an effective one, will serve a greater role than merely celebrating the past. Each company will define its goals differently.