Some people object to memoirs or autobiographies on various grounds: too much egotism and self-promotion by “nobodies” not worth reading about, stories often less interesting than fiction, etc. Writers often point out that unless you’re a known author or a media star or have led a very unusual life, you’re unlikely to achieve fame and fortune by writing a memoir. True. But your children, grandchildren, and friends probably don’t think of you as a “nobody.” Share with them.

Consider this: most of us aren’t famous, and are unlikely to be. None of us will be here forever. Shouldn’t we leave something behind? Don’t we all deserve to have our voices heard? Don=t we all deserve to be remembered? Isn’t the knowledge we’ve acquired worth sharing in the hope that we can help others? That’s our legacy. Isn’t our diversity worth sharing? And besides, writing can be fun!

If you’re reluctant to write about your life or don’t know where to start, here are some suggestions and possible starting points. Your memoir doesn’t have to be exclusively about you. It’s about your special world, too.

1. Start with a favorite possession or one aspect of your life. How about the cars you=ve owned? An 86-year-old man wrote to Chicago Tribune columnist Amy Dickinson that he’s owned thirty-one cars during his lifetime, from a 1927 Buick Sport Roadster to a 1993 Jeep Cherokee Sport. He writes, AI am in the process of listing the cars and writing a brief history of each. My sons and grandchildren are looking forward to this segment of family history.@

A book about automotive history, yes, but if, as is very likely, he adds details of his life while he owned each car, explains why he bought each car, tells what eventually happened to the car, and/or explains what he liked and disliked about each, he has a memoir. I wish my late husband had written about the motorcycles he owned and rode and loved.

2. How about your personal styles or tastes over the years?  Women, have you gone from revealing to covered-up fashions, from four-inch heels to New Balance walking shoes? Have you embraced changing hair colors and/or styles or changing child-rearing styles? Think of the possibilities! How about the ways you’ve celebrated and felt about holiday weekends over the years? Have your tastes in music changed?

3. Do you like a touch of humor? Focus on the mistakes you’ve made or the funny things you’ve observed; write down those funny stories you’ve been telling for years. You may reveal a lot about yourself through your sense of humor, and you’ll entertain your readers.

4. Do you have any family photographs? Pick a few interesting photos and relate them to what was going on in your life at the time. What do the pictures of you reveal? You may be surprised once you begin to think about a picture. You’ll also have some instant illustrations for your memoir. Start by picking one photo and writing about it. For an example, read my “Show and Tell” in the July 2006 archives of my personal blog, “Never too Late!” at http://seniorwriter.blogspot.com/2006/07/show-and-tell.html.

5. Need more examples and some writing exercises to get started? Go to my “Writing your Life!” blog at http://seniormemoirs.blogspot.com.

6. Still reluctant? Participate in a Memoir Writing or Lifewriting course or workshop in your community or on line. Face-to-face discussions of your writing can be enjoyable and informative, as can formal on-line classes with shared writings. Check out local libraries and senior centers, college or university continuing education or lifelong learning programs, or independent writing schools. Costs range from free to minimal to fairly expensive. You’ll find a bit more on this on “Never too Late!” in the March 3, 2007, archives: http://seniorwriter.blogspot.com/2007/03/writing-classes-and-workshops.html.

7. Need still more ideas? Consider a suggestion I made earlier in an eGenerations forum: think up a catchy opening sentence for your life story. Don=t begin with the trite “I was born in . . . .” or the slightly better, “The place was a little town in Alabama.” Get right into the “action,” just as you’d probably do if you were writing fiction. Make the reader want to read more. Setting and background information can come later. How about something like, “My life was ending, or so I thought at the time,” or “I felt nearly unbearable pain as the frowning stranger suddenly grabbed my right arm and twisted it behind my back”? By the way, the catchy opening sentence need not be written first, but if you have a good idea, try it out! You can always change your story beginning later.

Share part of your story when you’re ready; meanwhile, happy remembering and writing!

Next: Writing to Discover