How to Tell Your Life Story
Everybody has a unique life with unique experiences. You don't have to be a celebrity to tell people your story. In fact, your story would probably mean more to your family and friends than that of a star they don't even know. But it's best if you put some thought into telling your story rather than just starting chronologically and including every detail you can think of. Follow a just few steps to make telling your life story a manageable activity.
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Instructions
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How to Begin
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Pick a medium to tell it in. You don't have to actually write an autobiography. It might be better in some cases---if you have arthritis and have trouble writing, for example---to videotape or audiotape your story.
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Come up with a theme or focus. You might think your little league baseball days were wonderful and deserve several pages. But those anecdotes may not fit if most of your book is about serving in World War II. Try to come up with a thesis sentence about the main thing you want your book to be about. It could be about overcoming a drug addiction or your life as a firefighter. Just stay focused and don't ramble.
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Start small. It could be intimidating thinking of telling your life story. The dread of writing hundreds of pages could overwhelm someone and cause him to give up. Instead, begin with very short pieces that could range from a journal entry to a page, recommends Linda Joy Myers, the president and founder of the National Association of Memoir Writers. Myers also notes that you don't have to start at the beginning of the story. Just jot down memories and take it from there.
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Choose your style. Are you going for a humorous approach or a more serious tone? Are you trying to push a political viewpoint? Your tone should be consistent throughout.
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Get visual. If possible, include photos of yourself, documents and heirlooms like the family's Bible.
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Have someone edit it. It sounds strange to have someone edit your story. But someone detached from the story could look at it with a professional eye and suggest changes. It's possible you might have rambled on too much about one subject, while neglecting to expand on an interesting tidbit later in the book. An editor is beneficial in any medium.
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Tips & Warnings
Share your story with organizations that might be interested. For example, if you're a Holocaust survivor, call representatives from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. They might be collecting stories for an exhibit, or you could add new information to their records.
Look into self-publishing your story. It could be as simple as printing out your story and having it bound at the local printer. It could become a treasured family keepsake and passed on from generation to generation.
Your memory fails. If you want to be accurate, look up dates and all facts. If you get some well-known facts wrong, it will cut into your credibility.
You might be revealing personal information. Remember, if you publish a story or produce an audio CD, the information is on a permanent record. Ask yourself if you really want people to know that embarrassing tidbit about yourself.
