As the holiday season begins, we are reminded of something truly meaningful: the most powerful gifts are the ones that last. This time of year is about connection, reflection, and celebrating the people who shape our lives. At StoryTerrace, we see that magic come alive every day through the stories our clients choose to preserve and share.

For many families, that journey begins with a simple moment: opening their StoryTerrace Welcome Gift Box for the first time. More than a beautifully presented package, it is the beginning of a storytelling experience.

Inside, clients find everything they need to get started, including a thoughtfully designed notebook, a tailored message, and the inspiring feeling that something meaningful is about to unfold. Many describe the Welcome Gift Box as the moment their book truly begins.

We are delighted to highlight one of our storytellers whose journey from idea to finished book began in just the same way!

Interview with Earl Knauss

We are delighted to share an interview with Earl Knauss, whose inspiring memoir The Ugly Vegetables: One Man’s Passion to Feed Families was published on Amazon. Earl’s story is a true testament to compassion, purpose, and the power of community.

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What first inspired you to turn your journey with Farm to Family into a book, and what made you choose StoryTerrace?

Bill Zittel, a farmer and friend whose family plays a huge role in my story, said to me last year, “Earl, you should write all this down!” When I shared Bill’s comment with my family during my 93rd birthday dinner, it gave my son the idea to investigate a ghostwriting company. He chose StoryTerrace because they were willing and able to do all the interviews with me in person.

Were there moments or memories that surprised you along the way?

The Ugly Vegetables takes place over 18 years. Although I knew many people contributed to the program’s success, it was not until I identified them all in the book that I realized how many there had been. I was humbled. I have given personalized copies to everyone mentioned.

What key message or lesson do you hope readers take away from Farm to Family?

You are never too old to benefit the lives of others. And do not overlook simple solutions. Sometimes the best answers to big problems start with noticing a need and taking the first step.

For anyone considering writing their own book with StoryTerrace, what would you tell them about the experience?

StoryTerrace has a well-defined process and timeline for developing your book. Their website is interactive and easy to use, and your editor is always available, prompt, and supportive throughout the process.

A Gift That Becomes a Legacy

This season is filled with celebrations, gatherings, and meaningful moments. A StoryTerrace book captures the stories behind those moments and preserves them for generations.

Want to begin your own story or gift one to someone you love?

Start here and discover the magic of a StoryTerrace book.

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From a childhood in Taiwan to a thriving life in the heart of America, Benny Lee’s story is a remarkable testament to resilience, entrepreneurship, and the power of giving back. In A Taiwanese Immigrant’s Journey to Kansas City, Benny shares the path that took him from an electrical engineering graduate to a celebrated business leader, philanthropist, and musician in his adopted home of Kansas City.

Driven by curiosity and courage, Benny left behind a successful career in Taiwan to pursue new opportunities in the U.S. What followed was a journey filled with reinvention, risk-taking, and deep personal growth. Whether launching companies, performing on his clarinet, or serving on nonprofit boards, Benny approaches life with passion and purpose. His journey highlights:

• How change, challenge, and chance shaped his path
• The mindset behind entrepreneurial success
• The importance of philanthropy and civic service
• His inspiring late-in-life journey into music performance
• The pursuit of meaning through family, faith, and community

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Uplifting, wise, and deeply personal, A Taiwanese Immigrant’s Journey to Kansas City is a shining example of how a single story can resonate far beyond its pages and even become a bestseller.

Discover Benny Lee’s inspiring story on Amazon!

November is National Novel Writing Month

What better time to celebrate storytelling and our newest bestseller!

Every November, thousands of writers around the world take part in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), a global event that celebrates creativity, discipline, and the simple joy of putting words on the page.

Since it began in 1999, more than 500,000 people have joined each year, collectively writing billions of words. It is a reminder that everyone has a story to tell, and that sometimes all it takes is a little structure and support to turn those memories or ideas into a finished book.

At StoryTerrace, that is exactly what we help our clients do!

With the guidance of a professional writer, we turn life stories, lessons, and legacies into beautifully crafted books.

And this month, we are thrilled to celebrate another remarkable example of that magic in action!

This Month’s Takeaway

National Novel Writing Month reminds us that every story starts with a blank page.

Each journey is unique, but the most important step is simply beginning.

At StoryTerrace, one of the most cherished parts of the book-making journey is the interview process. Clients often tell us it’s their favorite stage because of the unique connection that forms between them and their writer. Those conversations create space for laughter, reflection, and sometimes revelations they didn’t even know they wanted to share.

Interviews are at the heart of what we do. They’re where memories surface, details come alive, and the threads of a life story start weaving together. In fact, psychologists note that people recall more vivid and emotional details when speaking in conversation than when writing alone, a reminder of just how powerful this stage can be.

To give you a peek behind the curtain, we sat down with Stefanie Fox, one of our Premium Writers, who has completed more than 25 projects with StoryTerrace. Stefanie shared her perspective on what makes an interview not just informative, but transformative.

Writer’s Perspective: Stefanie Fox

What’s one interview question you often ask that consistently sparks interesting or unexpected stories?

I wouldn’t say there’s one magic question, because it really depends on the individual and their story. What makes the difference is truly listening, noticing what’s said and what’s left unsaid, and then being brave enough to follow up. It’s often those follow-up questions, based on something they’ve just mentioned in passing, that lead to the most surprising and powerful stories.

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Thinking back on your interviews, what is one detail, story, or moment that has really stuck with you over time? Why do you think that moment was so powerful or memorable?

One that stands out is from an interview with a man who had an illustrious medical career. He was very unassuming, and I didn’t expect him to reveal much about his younger years. But once we started talking, he began sharing wild adventures from his student days.

One story was about being so hungry on a cross-country trip to Pakistan that he and his friends ate in a restaurant knowing they couldn’t pay, and ended up being chased by the police. For someone now so law-abiding and dignified, it was completely unexpected. It was powerful because it showed such a contrast between the person he is today and the person he once was (and still is, really). He seemed a bit bashful but also very happy to talk about it.

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If you could give just one tip for asking better questions in everyday life (e.g., with family or friends), what would it be?

Listen. Don’t go in with a rigid list of questions. Have a real conversation. Be curious and follow up on the things that catch your ear. Often, it’s not the obvious question but the small detail someone mentions that opens the door to a much deeper story.

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Is there a particular phrasing or type of question you’ve found that almost always helps people open up?

Yes, open questions. Instead of asking something that can be answered with a yes or no, I ask things like:

“How did that make you feel?”

“Why do you think that happened?”

“What do you think that led to?”

These encourage reflection. And just as important, I always reassure people that they don’t have to answer anything they’re uncomfortable with, and that they’ll have control over how their story is presented. That sense of safety often allows them to open up far more than they expected.

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Quick Tip: One Unexpected Question

Want to spark meaningful stories in your own conversations with loved ones? Try asking:

“What’s something you’ve never told me about this chapter of your life?”

Simple, open, and endlessly revealing, it’s a question that often leads to unforgettable stories!

Whether it's for the holidays or an upcoming birthday, the best gifts are the ones that show how much you care about someone. And when it comes to truly thoughtful gifts, there's nothing like an experience.

Could This Be the Perfect Gift?

Here are some unique experiences that anyone on your list would love:

Learning a New Skill: Whether it’s art lessons, museum memberships, or online courses, learning gifts are engaging and rewarding.

Trying Something New: Gift an adventure! From outdoor activities to wine tastings, these experiences are perfect for sensory seekers.

Self-Indulgence: Give the gift of relaxation with a massage, spa day, or wellness session.

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Looking for something special that will last a lifetime?

Do your loved ones have such busy lives with family, work, and travel that they barely have time to enjoy the moment?

StoryTerrace can help them capture their unique experiences, so they can relive those memories for years to come.

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What About Our Signature Gift of a Lifetime?

The chance to turn one's life story into a book based on interviews with a professional biographer truly is the gift of a lifetime. Not only will your loved one receive beautifully hardbound books, they will experience a priceless journey through their own memories and stories.

It’s the ultimate way to say,

“You matter, and your story is worth preserving."

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Here’s Why They’ll Love It!

It Honours Them - A biography dedicated to your parent or loved one is a powerful way to show they’re valued.

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It Preserves Heritage: This gift is about family and heritage—something they’ll be proud to share with future generations.

It’s More Than Just a Book: The interviews and storytelling sessions become experiences in themselves, filled with laughter, nostalgia, and reflection.

⏳ Capture Precious Stories Before It’s Too Late

Don’t let time slip away. Life is full of changes, and memories can fade, taking precious stories with them.

Explore our book packages here

At StoryTerrace, we create books that elegantly capture the unique narratives of individuals, families, and businesses. This month, we’re celebrating a story that’s inspiring thousands and has just hit #1 in multiple Amazon categories!

White Coat, Blue Gown by the late Dr. Barbara Tatham

Dr. Tatham was a gifted physician, educator, and passionate advocate for compassionate care. A brilliant young doctor with a dream to teach medicine, her life was tragically cut short when she passed away from metastatic sarcoma cancer in 2019. Yet, in the face of illness, she lived with extraordinary purpose, joy, and love.

At just 31 years old, Barbara went from beginning her career as an ER doctor in her white coat to becoming a terminally ill patient within the space of a year. Choosing to share her journey openly, she blogged throughout her illness, inspiring thousands with her honesty, courage, and resilience.

After her passing, her sisters lovingly completed her book, ensuring that her voice and story could continue to touch lives.

In White Coat, Blue Gown, Barbara offers a deeply human, dual perspective on medicine, first through her eyes as a dedicated doctor, and later as a patient navigating the brutal realities of cancer.

This moving memoir is a testament to resilience, empathy, and the profound beauty of life, even in its fleeting moments.

Amazon Bestseller

‍Readers agree: White Coat, Blue Gown has soared to the top of the charts, reaching the #1 Bestseller position in not just one but multiple Amazon book categories:

Reviews

What readers are saying:

Barbara’s story speaks to doctors, to anyone seeking inspiration, and to readers who cherish powerful memoirs, reminding us all of the strength of the human spirit and the enduring impact of sharing one’s truth.👉Learn More About White Coat, Blue Gown

Julia Ortiz grew up wearing hand-me-downs and learning how to mend clothing at a young age. She did what she needed to do to help her financially struggling family, discovering how to creatively enhance pants, shirts, dresses, and more to the degree that others began to admire her unique style. 

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Julia received a scholarship to go to college, earned a business degree, and formed a business that took castaway garments and turned them into fashionable, in-demand items. Through this venture, she has met fascinating people, traveled, and lived a lifestyle that, as a child, she never would have imagined.

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Now she wants to write a business book to help her stand out as she shares her unique expertise. The reality is that highly successful authors of business books can reap significant rewards as they share what they know. 

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One of the most successful has been Tim Ferriss. His book in 2007, The 4-Hour Workweek, became a New York Times bestseller, earning him national attention. He leveraged this fame to launch a successful podcast with hundreds of millions of downloads and become an angel investor.

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Although not all authors, obviously, reach this pinnacle of success, they’ll each want to write the best book possible. So, what essential elements are needed to craft successful business books? Here are ten of them.

#1 Why Do You Want to Write a Business Book? Gain Clarity on Your Goals

In Julia’s case, she hopes that her business book will position her as a thought leader in the sustainability space; draw attention to her company, Restyled Elegance; and inspire other people through her success story to think big when forming their own companies.  

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People in the earlier stages of business development might want to establish credibility by writing about their expertise in their chosen fields, add an income stream to their company, and get media attention. Each author will have their own combination of reasons to write business books—what is yours? It’s important to gain clarity and craft a book that will help you to achieve these goals.

#2 What Will You Share? Brainstorm Ideas. 

Julia might decide, for example, to detail how she obtained financing for her business: From personal investments to bank financing to a crowdsourcing campaign. 

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In another section of her business book, she might explain how she found the right piece of real estate for her company, what equipment she decided to purchase, and so forth—with yet another section on hiring the best people. 

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Although, in and of itself, this wouldn’t differentiate Julia’s project from other business books, she would describe each section through the lens of her company and the fashion industry, making it a uniquely useful resource. You might decide to go a totally different route—and that’s okay.

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What pictures, images, and charts would you include? Checklists? Would you ask your readers to answer certain questions about their own visions at the end of each chapter? Include a list of more resources for them to consult? It’s your book! Dream big.

#3 Imagine a Specific Person Reading Your Book 

There’s a saying in the publishing industry that when you write a book for everyone, you’re really not writing it for anyone. 

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So, it’s important to envision specific audiences for your business books, which can include aspiring entrepreneurs, people in business who want to grow their companies, and so forth. 

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Your audience choices will have an impact on the type of information they’ll need, the language and amount of detail that you’ll use to explain concepts, the examples you’ll use, and more.

#4 You’re Different! You’re Better! Show How and Why.

Julia’s business book won’t be the first one to share insights about financing a company, buying equipment, hiring people, and so forth. So, she’ll want to highlight aspects that make her book unique. 

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For example, many business books in the past haven’t emphasized sustainability to the degree that Julia would, and her real world examples from her childhood couldn’t come from anyone but her. Julia’s journey is unique, which is what makes her business book different from others. Highlight that in yours!

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So, emphasize your book’s differentiators while still providing the foundational material that your selected audiences will need to benefit from the essentials shared in your book.

#5 Opening Up to Readers: How Much?

When authors open up their lives to readers, this helps them to build connections, and business books that include memoir details can inspire readers to reach their own goals. Even when writing about “regular” business topics, each story has a struggle. Each struggle is different. So, be honest when sharing relevant details.

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How much to share (and what, specifically, to share) will depend upon your specific scenario. With Julia, she might be perfectly willing to discuss how her parents struggled financially, which caused her to learn to repair and enhance clothing from a young age. That’s an important part of her story. 

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But, depending upon the details, Julia may decide not to get into the reasons why her family experienced financial troubles. She may realize that it isn’t necessary information to tell the story she wants to impart and that she prefers to keep certain parts of her life private.

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Boundaries are important! Choose yours wisely.

#6 Writing Begins!

Now that you’ve decided what information to include, how much of your personal story to share, and your audience and goals, you can craft your book’s structure. An outline just contains the broad essentials of the book, and it can be as formal or informal as you’d like. It’s your outline!

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This outline just helps you to write your book—much like a car’s headlights will tell you where to turn next when it’s dark outside. You don’t necessarily have to stick to your outline, either, if a better structure of your business book comes to mind.

#7 Wide World of Choices

As you fill in your outline for your business book with more details, some of the essentials will come naturally to you while others may require you to brainstorm more about which of your experiences will be helpful to your readers and in how much detail. 

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You may decide to interview other people for your book, cite helpful information that you’ve read elsewhere, and so forth. You’ll need to make plenty of these types of choices as you actually write your book. At this point, you should consider tip #8 as an option.

#8 Time to Hire a Ghostwriter! Or Not? 

As you continue to develop your business book plan, it may become more time consuming than you’d hoped—and, in a case like Julia’s, it could take her attention away from growing her business further. You may feel the same way—so now, it’s time to decide if it makes sense to hire a ghostwriter. 

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Using an experienced ghostwriter for your business book can be ideal when you're too busy or want a sounding board for your ideas. Sometimes, you can know too much about your topic or be too close to your story to know what precisely to include or how to structure the book. 

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A skilled ghostwriter can also help with pacing, tone, point of view, and much more. Forbes notes how top entrepreneurs are hiring ghostwriters because they recognize the importance of publishing quality material but can struggle to find the time away from running their successful business. 

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The article shares how “With a ghostwriter as your secret weapon, you’ll build your brand and have a steady flow of content that establishes your expertise and elevates your profile”—which dovetails with Julia’s desires for her business book.

#9 Tell Your Unique Story to Your Specific Audience 

Whether you’re writing your own book or using a ghostwriter, the next step would be to create a draft that would satisfy your target audience and allow you to meet your goals for the book. 

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In your first draft, you’ll want to get the gist of your book in writing so that you can decide where to polish the text, add more images, and so forth. 

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In Julia’s case, she could go two routes in her first draft when it comes to deciding how much personal information to share:

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• She could get a brief overview of her childhood challenges in draft one and, during revisions, decide whether adding more details would be helpful.
• She could describe her childhood in significant detail and, during revisions, decide if anything should be cut out for privacy or other reasons.

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Briefly putting your draft away before polishing it can be helpful because it allows you to see the text with fresh eyes.

#10 Sharing Your Creation With the World

Getting your book published the right way is essential for the writer to maximize the benefits: exposure, credibility, and boosted social standing. 

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Traditional publishing is one route, one that involves researching publishing companies to see what types of material they’re seeking. Typically, you’d craft a book proposal to submit to them or to a literary agent that you’d want to negotiate on your behalf. If your book gets accepted, then you’d go through the editing, design, and publishing processes with them. 

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Julia, being busy at work, decided that she didn’t want to go through this often-long process before getting her book to market. 

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But, if you’d like complete control over the finished product, you might prefer self publishing where you’d hire your own professionals to edit and format your book, design your book cover, and print the business books. 

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With this route, you’d obtain your own ISBN and barcode, develop your own distribution plan, and otherwise oversee the whole process. Even though this sounded better to Julia, she also wanted help in streamlining the process in a highly professional way. 

StoryTerrace Handles Everything Under One Umbrella

At StoryTerrace, we simplify the entire book writing, editing, designing, and publishing process. Here’s how it works. You’ll meet virtually with a seasoned project manager who will explain the entire process to you, answering all of your questions. 

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You’ll then get matched with one of our 600-plus talented writers to craft a stellar business book. If this sounds like what you’re looking for or if you’d like to explore your options, please reach out today!

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Writing a family history can allow you to preserve the stories of your ancestors, giving you further insights into your roots and, by extension, providing you with a better understanding of yourself. It also preserves these crucial stories for future generations to enjoy and cherish (as well as future historians eager for quality material). Once you decide to take on this intriguing project, though, what’s next? What should you do first? Here are pro tips on logical steps to take.

Gathering Ancestry Information

First, gather together and organize the genealogical material that you already have or have ready access to. This can include material that’s already written down and writing down what’s in your memory. Also check in with various family members to see what they can contribute. Many times, families have a “keeper of the stories,” which is often a person from an older generation but can be a family member of any age who shares an interest in your shared ancestry. Ask if you can have copies of anything they possess about your family history with items like family letters and photos (especially with captions) serving as cherished resources.

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Next, identify the gaps that you’d like to fill in, including going back further in time than the information you’ve gathered provides. Do you want to go back to when family members immigrated to the United States? After you identify a scope of information desired for your book, you can then work on filling in the ancestry-related gaps.

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A great way to find resources to fill in those gaps is Cyndi’s List. This is a rock star level of compiled websites and databases that allow you to search for information, including by country, state, religion, and by time period among other methods. Note that, although Cyndi’s List is free, some of the resources she lists may come with a fee. 

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One of the resources listed is quite familiar to most people conducting genealogical research—and that’s Ancestry.com. Besides conducting your own research, you may quickly discover that other people have already been building family trees that intersect with yours, allowing you to glean more relevant information from Ancestry. This website comes with a free basic version and a much more robust paid version that allows you to obtain scans of important documents. Note that many libraries offer access to Ancestry.com when you’re a card holder; you may, however, need to conduct the research within one of the library’s branches. Perhaps you could meet other people from your family at the library to make it a fun research-related day out.

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Depending upon your feelings about DNA testing, if you do so with the Ancestry product, you will receive notifications about people who share your DNA (often labeled as second, third, or fourth cousins), and a true treasure trove of information can open up to you that way. 

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FamilySearch.org is a massive collection of genealogical records compiled by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and it doesn’t just focus on people who belonged to the Mormon Church. The material is provided, free of charge, to people of any religious affiliation. 

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Also interview family members with memories of people from previous generations, recording what they have to say. If they don’t live near you, arrange a call with them via FreeConferenceCall.com. This site offers numerous services that really are free with add-on ones coming with only small fees. You can receive recordings of the calls that can be easily turned into transcripts, which can serve as time-saving rough draft text for your book (more about rough drafts later in this post). To find good questions to ask, The Oral History Workshop: Collect and Celebrate the Life Stories of Your Family and Friends by Cynthia Hart and Lisa Samson is an excellent resource.

Going Beyond the Basics

Use resources like Newspapers.com and NewspaperArchive.com to see what ancestors of yours made the news. You can search by their names, filtering it appropriately by the geographical areas and dates. Find-A-Grave.com can help you to gather more information, typically showing photos of the gravestones and related data. Sometimes, only bare bones information exists at this site while, other times, people have supplemented it in richly useful ways. 

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If members who will be included in your family history served in the military, check NationalArchives.gov and gather what information you can. For a fee, you can order your ancestors’ military records and pension records. Another site with quality military information: Fold3.com. 

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Look at where each of your ancestors were born and lived. Then, contact historical societies and libraries in those areas to see if they have helpful information for your family history project. If your ancestors attended a college or university, you could also check with their libraries and archival departments. 

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When researching ancestors that lived in another time and place, read about the setting where they lived to ground their stories into their reality. Even if no one from your ancestry is specifically mentioned in these resources, you may gain additional ideas for your research.

Factual Information Versus Family History Lore

To create a structure for your family history for future generations, information found at genealogy sites and documents like birth certificates, marriage certificates, and death certificates can help to outline the story for you. Family bibles can serve the same purpose if you have access to them. Important as factual information is, though, you can go beyond this data to enrich the book for today’s readers and for those of future generations through the inclusion of family lore. 

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So, also ask your relatives for family stories that have been shared and passed down. For example, maybe Great-Aunt Melissa shocked the neighborhood when she went outside without putting on her shoes or Great-Grandpa Sam loved to take his grandchildren fishing and share tall tales of his youth that could rival ones told by Mark Twain. Although the specifics remembered by family members may not be hard and fast data, they will allow future generations to know what their ancestors were like, personality-wise, and flesh out the dry bones of the data you’ve gathered. When sharing family lore, you could always say, “Sam was legendary for his larger-than-life stories,” indicating that, even if the details of his tales weren’t always strictly factual, this demonstrates how he related with others.

When to Move Forward With Your Family’s History

As anyone who likes to research or browse the internet for intriguing stories knows, it’s easy to go down plenty of rabbit holes on the web. At some point, though, you’ve got to start the actual writing process. When it begins to get difficult to gather new information or you just see the same details, over and over, it’s likely to be time. Then, if you do find new data about your ancestors while writing your book, you can always add it to your manuscript. Plus, the reality is that, even if you think you’re done with your research, questions can come up during the writing process that you’ll really want to try to answer.

Consider the Tone

Some people envision their family history books as ones filled strictly with factual information while others imagine a more creative telling where family lore is included. Depending upon your purpose, there’s no right or wrong answer. If you simply want to preserve the information for future generations, then a “just-the-facts” family history story may be just fine. If you’d like for others to engage with the stories and bring your ancestors’ lives to people’s attention, then you’ll want to write a book with material that allows this to happen. Some people like to include humor while others want to incorporate moments of high drama—or both. It’s your ancestors’ story, so do what makes sense to you.

Incorporate the Setting

Fascinating as the people in your ancestry line can be, you’ll want to ground them within real-world settings that allow readers to envision them interacting with their surroundings. Did they, for example, own a bucolic farm where white, woolly sheep foraged on bluegrass and Grandma Louise picked plump blackberries for her blue ribbon pies? Or, did they work hard in a smoky urban environment to support their large family, which allowed future generations to go to college and live out their dreams? Setting really matters.

Understand Your Audience

How you write the book, in some respects, depends upon whom you envision as readers. If you’re writing for family members only, for example, you might want to include specific addresses where members of your shared ancestry lived and describe the homes’ layouts in detail. If you’re writing for a broader audience, you may not want to share such particulars for privacy reasons and/or because it’s important—for a wider audience—to keep the action moving along.

POV Character(s): Who is Sharing the Family History?

A point of view character (or POV character) tells the family history from their perspective, which is something important to consider if you’re going beyond a simple gathering and retelling of facts. That person provides context; using our examples from above, they’d refer to Sam as their great-grandfather, Louise as their grandmother, and Melissa as their great aunt.

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Think about your favorite movie that contains numerous characters. You typically “see” the film through the perspective of a POV character or think about the unfolding of the story in ways that would impact that specific character. When that doesn’t happen (in a book or film), the story can lack a strong focus. 

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Let’s say that the POV character in your life history book is a family member named Robert. This doesn’t mean that only Robert’s stories are included in this book. Far from it! Stories included can be about ancestors who are no longer living and from other family members who helped to contribute material for or are featured in the book. Robert is, instead, the lens through which the entire family’s life history can be shared in a structured, easily understood manner.

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Perhaps the POV character stays the same throughout the book. Or, maybe each section of the family history is told through the lens of a different POV character—or it could change by chapter. These are the decisions that need to be made. You could experiment with different ones to see which setup works best, or perhaps the choice is obvious.

Structure of the Family History

Many family history books are organized chronologically, which makes logical sense. Even when structured chronologically, though, it’s often best to start with an “inciting incident”—an engaging event that grabs readers’ attention and sets the stage for what happens next. Let’s say, for example, that members of your ancestry escaped from a war-torn country in a dramatic fashion. You could start the book with this event and then continue from there or go back in time to let us know how their story developed before this crisis point—and then chronologically tell us what happened after the thrilling escape throughout the generations.

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Other times, books intended for both current and future generations organize the book thematically. You might, for example, group together family stories of military service across generations in one section of the book and focus on the family’s entrepreneurs in another, philanthropy work in yet another section, and so forth. Each family history book will be unique and can provide variations on the themes accordingly. 

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It’s typically helpful to outline your book before writing it, but that doesn’t mean you need to remember or reuse the outline type using Roman numerals taught in school. If that system works for you, then, great! If not, it’s okay to jot notes about various elements of your book, moving them around until they fit into an order that works well for your family history. In other words, you can be as formal or informal as you’d like. This isn’t an outline that you need to show outsiders. It’s to help you and your family get organized with the wealth of material that you’ve collected. 

Writing Your First Draft

With your first draft, also called a “rough draft,” it’s important to get the gist of the story down. If you’re someone who can write more polished material from the start, that’s wonderful—but that’s not how it typically works in most instances. If you get to a section where you find that you’re missing information, you could write FILL IN MORE HERE before continuing. The point of a first draft is to transform the often-intimidating blank page into the beginnings of a family history that you can revise and polish. It’s to get you past the stumbling block of simply getting started.

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If you’re working with another family member on this project, you might want to get feedback from them when the first draft is finished. Or, you may prefer to wait until it’s more refined before sharing the text.

Revise Your Family History Manuscript

If it fits your timeline, put your first draft away for a while. This will allow you to review and revise it with fresh eyes once you return to the project. When you pull the text up again, you might realize that you’ve discovered new information in the interim that can be added, and you might find ways to refine anecdotes to make them more humorous or more compelling. You might decide that too much word count exists in one part of the book while another part needs more bulk. Even experienced professional writers go through this stage. It’s just a natural part of producing the best book possible. 

Consider Publishing Options

Once you’ve completed the book, you’ll want to share it with your audience—whether that means friends or family members or a broader audience. One option is traditional publishing where you research the market trends and find out which publishing houses want certain kinds of material; craft a book proposal to entice an agent to represent you or a publishing house to consider your manuscript; and go through this process. On the far other end of the scale, you can self publish, hiring people to edit your book, format it, and create a book cover; buy your own ISBN and barcode; choose a printer; and come up with a distribution plan. 

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If that sounds like a lot of work, well, it can be. There are also hybrid choices, though, like StoryTerrace that can handle everything under one umbrella, including to provide you with a skilled, experienced ghostwriter who knows how to navigate questions of tone, setting, audience, POV characters, book structure, and more.

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At StoryTerrace, we work right alongside you so that your unique vision for future generations comes to fruition. We leverage cutting edge technology, Bookmaker, to ensure clear communications and ease of process. Interested? Reach out today!

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Once you recognize the story in you, it is time to put it down in words. It is a powerful way to connect with readers who may resonate with your journey. Sharing your personal experiences is not just cathartic; it can give hope to someone or inspire another.

Yes, there are many things to consider. What to say and what to hold back? But it's all worth it. Jenny Fagan, the novelist who wrote her memoir, said, "This book kept me alive." Though a personal revelation, her memoir was a therapeutic experience for her. Many people feel recalling their life story gives them the necessary closure.

It can be a document chronicling an entire generation's journey of coming into being and how it shapes the next generation. It can also be a celebration of how much has been endured, lost, and gained—a true legacy for generations to cherish.

Why should I write my memoir?

Ask yourself why not? Granted, many people feel writing a book about themselves is unnecessary. But if you have experienced tremendous personal growth or overcame insurmountable barriers that seemed impossible, you have a story.  If you are met with random praises for simply being yourself, though you feel there is nothing special about you, there are lessons in your life.

Would you like to trace your family history? Understand your ancestors better.  Maybe you want to share your perspective and offer change. If you have answered yes to any of these questions, an incredible story has been brewing all your life.

If you are wondering if anyone will read my story even though I am not a celebrity, then let us tell you this: there is a genuine curiosity to know how to live better, and it does not come only from celebrities. People want to see the extraordinary in ordinary lives. That's where inspiration strikes.  Teachers, doctors, and nurses are all coming up with their stories; it's time you did the same.

How to start writing a book about your life?

Having so much information and penning it down with a purpose may seem challenging. Even Cher had been in the throes of giving up writing her memoir many times.

To make writing your memoir enjoyable and achievable, we have broken it down into doable, easy steps.

The seven easy steps for successfully writing your life story

Gather your thoughts

Before starting the actual writing, it is imperative that you prepare any information that you can use. You can do this by browsing old photo albums; it gives your memory a good kickstart. You can also try reading old journals or diary entries. When writing her memoir, Pamela Anderson relied heavily on her journals.

You may feel like an autobiography should include everything, right? Yes, technically, you are correct. But you should know it can be exhaustive. If you do not have a clear plan of what to include, key details can get lost. Have a pattern or theme been guiding your life, moulding your being? Would you like to develop it?

Reach out to people who can help you understand and connect with incidents and events in your life. Make an informed choice of what to leave out, include, and anticipate the outcome. Allow yourself as much grace as you need; this process can be agonising.

Map out your life for your memoir writing

Once you have a rough idea and have gathered most of the material for your memoir, you will have to organise the vast body of information. It is considered a best practice to write a memoir in chronological order. However, if you want to follow any particular genre of writing, feel free to ditch the time order.  For example, if you are writing essays about the events in your life, you do not need to categorise them according to a timeline.

You can start your story with your birth or maybe with an antidote that shaped your life the most. That will grasp the reader's attention for sure. There is no one fixed way to write a book about your life. Explore different possibilities, and start reading autobiographies and biographies. Is there a particular one that you resonate with? Try to understand why it speaks to you.

Write down your expectations from your story; it will give a purpose to your writing journey.

Create a structure

This step is perhaps crucial in every author's journey, especially for a beginner. The outline is your basic framework. You do not need to adhere strictly to the structure; it can serve as a general guideline.

If you doubt the flow of the story, the structure will come in handy. If there are events or people that you do not want to omit from your story, the outline will act as a reminder and let you highlight their importance.

Writing a book about your life

Your manuscript is everything. Needless to say, the first line of any book carries special significance. So, always start with a strong introduction. It will help lay the foundation for the story and evoke the reader's curiosity. Nelson Mandela's autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom, gives insight into his life and connects it to the meaning of his name in the first few paragraphs. The more details you would add to your story, the more depth it will have.

Going to extraordinary lengths for events and feelings is a pivotal marker of a great story. ​Do not deem anything unnecessary if it is related to your story. Write it all down, the good and the bad. You will fail to show your vulnerability if you do not discuss your shortcomings. It would make you an unrealistic, perfect individual with whom no ordinary person can relate. We cannot but reiterate, to be honest, authenticity will add an endearing quality to your story.

You can use descriptive language.  Place yourself at the exact moment; it can help create a sensory effect on the readers. You can use dialogue to carry the narration. Dialogues are also very effective in building characters. Interactions keep the story interesting. However, forced dialogue can make the story dull or out of touch. Your dialogue should be written in the way you speak. Making a note of accent markers or any colloquial information will make the dialogue more natural than forced.

Read, rewrite, repeat

Drafting the memoir must have been a herculean task. Unfortunately, it is still not ready to be published. After finishing writing, consider revising it to give it a final polish. To make it publish-ready, you must ensure the copy is clean.

If you are considering editing yourself, here are some tips.

• Give it a good read. Look for inconsistencies and duplication. Address the issues and reread them.
• Run a fact check. You do not want to have any errors in your book.
• If you are unhappy with something, rephrase it. Sometimes, rewording can make it even better.

You may need a few edits until you are satisfied, and it is very reasonable to make changes as you read and edit the draft. It can be an exhaustive process, but this extra effort will bring wonderful results. After all it is your labour of love that makes the difference.

Feedback

Though you are the best judge for your book, enlisting a few trusted readers does not hurt. Ask your friends and family to read it and give their opinion. Maybe they will have a good idea that you can use. Do not take feedback as criticism or an insult; take it constructively. Try to see how you can incorporate the suggestions.

Publish

It will be exhilarating to have your manuscript ready for publishing. One last thing to do before sending off the draft for publication is to select a few photographs. Your memoir is a true story. The characters are all real, and what can be better than giving a glimpse of the life you are writing about through some snaps frozen in time?

Choose a publisher based on whether you want to make your book available to the public or as a keepsake for your family. If you want a wider audience, you must also market your book.

Bonus tip - Hire a ghostwriter

Writing down your life story is an achievement in itself. If you find it overwhelming, hire a ghostwriter to help you write your story.  At StoryTerrace, we match each storyteller with the best writer. You can choose from our different categories of writers with various expertise to write your story. You can take your mind off the writing bit and concentrate on the story.

Our expert writers and editors will draft your story your way. We understand that each story is unique and holds a special place in our narrator's life. It is more than a legacy or a motivational work; it is the story of your becoming, your life work.

If you need help with only publishing for the story that you have written down, then take advantage of our self-publishing packages. From marketing to promotions, we have you covered. Get in touch with us today to start writing your incredible story.

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Why should you read this guide?

• Use our free resources and templates to plan your memoir: gather your memories and figure out the right structure
• Learn how to develop a writing habit, overcome writer's block, and develop your own unique style
• Get inside information on book-production, from editing and proofreading to design and printing

Chapter 1: Organising your memories

In this chapter, we share two free resources to recall and organise your memories: a set of 65 Memory Prompts we use with our customers to kick-start the process, and a Timeline Template you can then use to organise all the information.

Read Chapter 1

Chapter 2: Structure your story

In this chapter, you’ll learn five different approaches professional authors take to structuring their stories, so you can choose the one most suited to your book.

Read Chapter 2

Chapter 3: Writing (the nitty gritty!)

Everything’s planned. Now you’ve actually got to start writing. But how will you find the time in your busy schedule? In this chapter, you’ll learn how to create a habit out of writing, as well as developing your own unique writing style.

Read Chapter 3

Chapter 4: Overcoming writer’s block

It happens even to the best of us. In Chapter 4, learn how to beat writer’s block, so you're fully equipped to fight it off when it comes along.

Read Chapter 4

Chapter 5: Editing and proofreading

Chances are, you don’t know the difference between editing and proofreading. In this chapter, you'll learn how to edit and proofread your life story, step-by-step.

Read Chapter 5

Chapter 6: How to digitise your photos

There are four different ways you can convert your old photographs into digital copies for your pages. In this chapter, you’ll learn the advantages and disadvantages of each method.

Read Chapter 6

Chapter 7: Designing and printing your book

Chapter 7 reveals all the best design practices to make your book look truly beautiful.

Read Chapter 7

Chapter 8: How to make your book cover stand out

Make potential readers stop in their tracks! From bold and eccentric, to romantic pastels, create an eye-catching book cover with these ideas.

Read Chapter 8

Chapter 9: An overview

A quick recap of Chapters 1-8 with all the most valuable bits of information you need. We’ll also give you more of an insight into how we can help!

Read Chapter 9

Start at the beginning

Read Chapter 1: Organising Your Memories