Contemplating beginnings and endings can help provoke memories and create fascinating stories when writing about our own lives or the lives of those who came before us. Here’s a few prompts to get you started … 1. Leaving Write about a time you or an ancestor left one place and moved to another, whether that […]
Have you thought about compiling a family history but don’t know where to start? Writers are often advised to write what they know or are curious about. Not everyone agrees with this, but perhaps there’s some wisdom in it, or in the case of family history, start with yourself (the person in your family tree […]
How do you feel about Christmas? For some people, Christmas beings great joy and anticipation. They can’t wait to decorate the tree, string the lights and hit play on the Christmas music. For others, it stirs up painful memories, perhaps of family conflict, or loss and grief. And for some, Christmas is just not part […]
I recently read an interesting article about the way that constantly taking photographs “diminishes our ability to recall our experiences, diverts our attention, and takes us out of the moment” but that “at the same time, new research suggests that cameras can also be used to enhance our memories of certain experiences”. I guess, for […]
Have you ever thought about the legacy you might leave for others, or the legacies passed down to you by previous generations? Whether or not we have direct descendants, or know our ancestors, our lives and stories have the power to connect with and impact others in numerous ways. Last week, I had the opportunity […]
Although these prompts could be done any time, the beginning of the year seems a great time to reconnect with your memoir or family history project. You may still be in holiday mode, or just trying to motivate yourself to get going again after the Christmas break. None of these involve much writing, but all […]