Kia ora, how are you?
Today I’m writing to you from my cosy kitchen to encourage you to keep going, keep writing your memoir, life story or family history.
Think of the satisfaction of seeing your family reading it in the future, and of knowing you’re leaving them with the facts, and your perspective of your life and family history.
I know it’s not easy, working your way through writing your story, it can be lonely, and full of uncertainty. I know that my energy levels and mood can affect the way I feel about the quality of my work!
But believe me, this world needs your story. So write, one line at a time, one chapter at a time, one subject at a time, until you’re finished.
100 Words from people just like you, who are writing their memoirs.
Elizabeth Pilaar, who not only reads this newsletter, but is on my memoir course Write Your Memoir, sent in the last paragraph of the first chapter of a story she wrote. Here it is:
One strong principle that remains with me is that although we cannot stop the events that happen to us, we can choose how to respond; that every challenge is either a stepping-stone, or a stumbling block.
As difficulties come our way, once we’re over the initial shock, we must decide how we are going to proceed. Are we going to let this overwhelm us, or do we decide to find a way to cope with it?
A stepping stone provides a path through troubled waters, a stumbling block leaves us in the depths. It doesn’t matter how big the situation is, the process is always the same. There is always a way around it or through it: we must make decisions for ourselves; we have a choice how we respond.
How did that piece of writing make you feel? I felt inspired, and started thinking about stepping stones and stumbling blocks in my own life. What stood out to you?
If you’d like to share 100 words from your story with my memoir writing community, comment here.
Keep going lovely.
Charlotte x
PS If you’d like the guidelines, tools and support to write your own memoir, life story or family history check out my online course Write Your Memoir. I’ve just updated it with more lessons I’ve learned from writing books for people. And good news is I’ve just added a new payment option: you pay it off over 20 months here.
Charlotte Squire 