Discover The Stories StoryTerrace Help Share.

Critically Acclaimed Writer

Kelly Boyer Sagert is a full-time writer who has published 18 books and scripted numerous plays. She’s also the author of the script for Trail Magic: The Grandma Gatewood Story, which was nominated for a Regional Emmy Award (Best Documentary, Historical) and just won a prestigious Chagrin Documentary Film Festival Award. The Trail Magic team is now working on a film about Victoria Woodhull, the first woman to run for president of the United States—in 1872. She lives in Lorain, Ohio.

ST: When did you first realise you wanted to be a writer?

Kelly: As a child, I was always writing stories and sharing them with friends. My first masterpiece was a play I wrote in Year 7 titled “Haunted House Mystery” that was a rip-off of every Scooby-Doo episode ever written, featuring kids from our neighbourhood. When I was in my twenties and pregnant with our first son, I realised, like a bolt of lightning, that I wanted to write for a living.

ST: Why do you enjoy writing for StoryTerrace?

Kelly: I love meeting the people whose memoirs I’ll craft, hearing the stories of their lives. Often, they don’t realise how amazing they—meaning the people and their life stories—really are.

ST: What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Kelly: Being cosy at home with my family. We’ve got a big sports game on television and I’m reading a mystery novel during the adverts.

ST: What trait do you admire most in others?

Kelly: Empathy.

ST: If you hadn't become a writer, what career would you have right now?

Kelly: Archaeologist, as long as I would always have access to flush toilets.

ST: What is your most treasured possession?

Kelly: My books!

ST: Who are your favorite writers?

Kelly: Agatha Christie and Drew Gilpin Faust.

ST: What fictional character do you most identify with?

Kelly: Growing up, it was Trixie Belden, who bravely solved mysteries with her siblings and friends.

ST: If you were writing a StoryTerrace book of your life, what would be the title and why?

Kelly: Funeral Home Girl Picks Up Her Pen. As a young child, I lived in the funeral home where my father worked, which had a significant influence on me. During that time—and ever since—I spent plenty of time quietly reading. So, it was a natural transition that I began wanting to write my own stories.

ST: Who is your hero?

Kelly: The person who is kind to people without expecting those acts to be known or praised. It’s all about paying it forward.

ST: What is your motto?

Kelly: This is more a mantra: grace, peace, light, love, forgiveness, and joy.

ST: What is at the heart of what matters most to you about writing?

Kelly: Speaking the name! I believe that names are important, and so is the process of naming. I even titled my first poetry chapbook Speak the Name to honour the names of people whose lives are in danger of being lost in the mists of time.

Lightning Round!

ST: Dogs or cats?

Kelly: Both!

ST: Salty or sweet?

Kelly: Sweet

ST: Truth or dare?

Kelly: Truth

ST: Paperback or e-reader?

Kelly: Paperback

ST: X-ray vision or time travel?

Kelly: Time travel, as long as I can take motion sickness medicine first.

If you've been inspired to write your story, get in touch to schedule a free consultation, or sign up for our newsletter to hear more personal stories from our customers and writers alike.

We were happy to see the recent news that physical books continue to be more popular than e-books. The Association of American Publishers has announced that print books accounted for $22.6 billion in sales last year, while e-books came in second place with $2.04 billion. Despite living in a digital age where many people — ourselves included! — seem unable to put down all those phones and devices, the reliable old book continues to stand the test of time.

Why might that be? It turns out that physical books have several benefits that e-readers just can’t match.

Physical Books: A Better Reading Experience

Norway's Stavanger University found that the act of reading physical books actually allows for a deeper reading journey. The study’s "paper readers" reported higher empathy and immersion into their books than iPad readers did. The research also suggests that using an e-reader like a Kindle "does not provide the same support for mental reconstruction of a story as a print pocket book does."

The type of book you read also affects how your brain processes the information, according to Maryanne Wolf. In her book Reader, Come Home: The Reading Brain in a Digital World, she explains that when parents choose to read e-books to young children, "their interactions frequently center on the more mechanical and more game-like aspects of e-books, rather than the content and the words and ideas in the stories." Physical books keep the focus on concepts and language development, making them a better choice for children — and probably for adults, too!

The benefits of reading a physical book over an e-book also extend to your health: choosing the paper version can improve your sleep. Looking at digital devices at nighttime can potentially prevent you from drifting off. This is due to the blue light the screens emit, which affects the body’s production of the sleep hormone melatonin. To avoid feeling groggy in the morning, put down the screen and pick up the paperback.

Beyond the Science: Why Physical Books Matter

Physical books represent something substantial and solid in a fast-moving world. Many people are addicted to their phones, and especially to social media, where they are bombarded with information from the moment they wake up to the time they rest their heads at night. Yet there’s nothing quite like the joy of holding a book between your hands, delving deep into a new world between its pages and soaking up its words. Reading a traditional book becomes almost a ritual, a sacred act that helps shut out the noise of technology.

Journalist Williams Giraldi puts it beautifully in his defense of physical books:

"For many of us, our book collections are, in at least one major way, tantamount to our children — they are manifestations of our identity, embodiments of our selfhood; they are a dynamic interior heftily externalised, a sensibility, a worldview defined and objectified. For readers, what they read is where they’ve been, and their collections are evidence of the trek."

With this in mind, can a file on a computer ever really compare to a beautiful, book-laden coffee table or a lovingly curated bookshelf taking pride of place? Can browsing through websites for the next great read ever live up to spending hours pouring over pages in a bookshop? Can reading a child their bedtime story from a phone ever match the feeling of flicking of their fingers through a book of their very own?

There is something so comforting about the smell of the pages of a book and about writing notes or underlining passages that mean something to you. It's one of those simple pleasures in life that help to keep you grounded. Passing an e-book on to a friend just doesn’t match up to the significance of lending a much-loved physical book that has been read and enjoyed again and again. And let's not forget the joy of the holiday book: sand and e-readers do not mix so well.

Books to Last a Lifetime

At StoryTerrace, we specialise in creating books to capture your life story. In fact, we’re on a mission to turn 1 million people’s lives into books. You can see more about how we do it here.

Why do we do it?

Because we believe in the inherent value of books as tangible objects that can be passed down as cherished heirlooms for years to come. The book represents something solid and reassuringly analog that can be relied upon in an ever-changing digital world. And when those books are filled with your one-of-a-kind story, it’s magical.

As the pace of life continues to accelerate thanks to technology, you can always rely on the trusty book to represent something timeless. After all, you never have to worry about your book running out of battery!

For more information on how to gift StoryTerrace to your loved one, click here to schedule a free consultation, or sign up for our newsletter so you don't miss a thing.

"A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots." — Marcus Garvey, Jamaican-born activist, journalist, and orator

How well do you know your family history? Have you ever explored where you came from, beyond your immediate nearest and dearest? Now could be the perfect time to begin your journey. Getting to know your ancestors can help you understand where you came from and give context to your life.

But those aren't the only benefits — here are six more reasons why you should explore your family history.

1. It Brings You Closer to Family

When you begin your family history journey, you may end up discovering new family members all over the world. This moving video tells the story of a 102-year-old Holocaust survivor who believed his entire family had died in the war, only to discover he had a nephew who was alive and well.

2. It Boosts Emotional Health

Did you know that having a strong family narrative positively impacts emotional health? Research from psychologists at Emory University in Atlanta asked 48 families 20 questions about their family history. They found that the more children knew about their families, the stronger their sense of control over their lives. They also had higher self-esteem and believed their families functioned more successfully.

“Hearing these stories gave the children a sense of their history and a strong ‘intergenerational self’. Even if they were only nine, their identity stretched back 100 years, giving them connection, strength, and resilience,” said psychologists Marshall Duke and Robyn Fivush.

3. It Increases Compassion

When we understand where we come from, we can understand our place in the world. By learning about the hardships our ancestors encountered, we can become more understanding of the inevitable ups and downs we all face and encouraged to keep the faith when times are hard. Knowing our family history can also help us to appreciate different cultures and open our minds. If you discovered you were related to someone from a different part of the world, what better excuse to go explore and get in touch with your roots?

4. It Empowers Decisions About Your Health

Knowing your family health history can help raise awareness about your risks of developing the same problems. This will empower you to look after your own health to prevent issues — whether that means changes to your diet or speaking to a family doctor about your next steps.

5. It Provides a Deeper Understanding of Cultures and Traditions

It can be fun to discover how your ancestors and wider family celebrated different events. Whether they were from a different cultural background or religion, your newfound knowledge can help expand your horizons and strengthen your understanding of your own beliefs. Delving into your family history can help you discover what exactly makes you you.

6. It Can be Passed Down to Future Generations

Once you learn about your ancestors, a StoryTerrace book is the perfect way to preserve your family history for generations to come. We have hand-picked our team of experienced writers — many of whom are award-winning and critically acclaimed — who will dedicate themselves to telling your story. From arranging interviews to collating your photos, we manage the whole experience to be 100% stress-free for you. You’ll be able to preserve your life story in a beautiful way that will be treasured by future generations. Find out more here.

“StoryTerrace made my dream become a reality. I really enjoyed the whole experience, and the book is absolutely fantastic. It's wonderful that my late parent's story is finally in print and that the books will be passed down to future generations so that they will get to know their family history. A big thank you to Emily, Louise, Alice, David and everyone that helped work on the book.” - Audrey, StoryTerrace customer

For more details, sign up for our newsletter or contact us today to talk about how we can help capture your life story.

"The Bunny" - An Unconventional Autobiography

You can't pick up a copy of "The Bunny" without immediately wanting to know more. If a picture's worth a thousand words, then the ones here are all questions. At the top of the list: Who is Father William Fulco, and why is he wearing a bunny suit?

It was recently my pleasure to get to know The Bunny himself. Father Fulco spoke to me over the phone from his home in California to talk about his experience writing his autobiography and to share some stories from the finished book.

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The cover of Father Fulco’s Story Terrace autobiography.

A Gift From Many Brothers

Father Fulco is a professor of archaeology at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. For the past two decades, he has also served as the faculty moderator for the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity there. The brothers, including Father Fulco, are all incredibly close, maintaining their bonds long after members graduate and head off to jobs, marriages, and fatherhood.

Father Fulco studying archaeology and ancient near-eastern languages, 1965

Fraternity members wanted to honour their "Renaissance Brother," so they got together and raised money for the Story Terrace project through crowdfunding website GoFundMe. Though originally intended as a gift, the book quickly grew into a project meant for the whole fraternity to enjoy. "They knew that the autobiography would be very much intertwined with who they are and their own experiences," Father Fulco explained.

Father Fulco spent hours with Story Terrace's Critically Acclaimed Writer Connor Hanney, a relationship he enjoyed immensely:

"I was very fortunate that he and I very quickly became good friends. His approach was so empathetic that it made me very willing to be honest."

"The Bunny" is written in Father Fulco's own voice as a first-person autobiography. When I asked what it was like to trust someone else to speak for him, Father Fulco replied, "He understood me so well that in rereading the book, I can't tell the difference between the parts that are direct quotations or his interpretation of what I said."

In addition to Father Fulco's wit and wisdom, the book is also filled with incredible photographs. Here are some of my favourites — and the stories behind them.

Stuck in the Middle

Father Fulco (center), with his sister Yvonne and brother Armand, circa 1938.

Father Fulco is the youngest of three siblings, but he has sympathy for his sister Yvonne, who grew up wedged between two mischievous brothers. "Any sister in that kind of circumstance is going to suffer," he chuckled. Once, he and his brother Armand tied her to the basketball post like Joan of Arc, gathered some brush, and lit a fire at her feet. A friendly neighbor put out the fire with a hose. "I think she secretly loved the attention," he said, after assuring me that Yvonne was never in any real danger.

_Click below to LISTEN to Father Fulco read more about his sister from his book._On the Town

Father Fulco and his date at the Mocambo Nightclub in Hollywood, California, 1953.

A self-described troublemaker, Father Fulco loved high school and was active in drama and athletics. When he was in his junior years, he was called upon to escort the daughter of one of his father's colleagues on a date. She was a sophisticated junior in school, so he posed as a UCLA student and took her to the Mocambo Nightclub in Hollywood. "I think I pulled it off," he laughed.

Leader of (Young) Men

Father Fulco teaching at Bellarmine College Prep in San Jose, California, 1962.

Jesuit tradition requires new priests to teach high school for two to three years before enrolling in graduate studies. Father Fulco taught at Bellarmine Prep in San José, where he was also the moderator for the school newspaper. "I still keep in contact with three of the four boys in this picture, even 60 years later."

Passion for Travel

Father Fulco’s first trip to Egypt, 1968

In his academic work, Father Fulco has been back and forth to Jordan, Israel, Egypt, Syria, and Lebanon over 100 times. An expert on near-eastern languages, he is particularly fascinated by the dialect spoken in Cairo. "This was my first trip to Egypt," he said. "Imagine being on a camel in the desert in clerical clothes! Things were so much more formal in 1968."

Old Languages, New Friends

Father Fulco and Mel Gibson

Academic life has led to many interesting projects for Father Fulco. In addition to his extensive travels, he also received a request to work on the 2004 film "The Passion of the Christ." After Yale professors turned the project down, the production crew found that Father Fulco was a local expert on Aramaic.

Father Fulco was in Jerusalem when his phone lit up with a call from the States. Curious, he picked up right away.

"Hey, Padre. It's Mel," came the rugged voice from the other side of the world.

"Mel who?" Father Fulco was definitely not expecting Gibson. But once the actor explained the project, Father Fulco couldn't resist. He helped with the Aramaic and Latin and also served as the biblical advisor for the film.

Father Fulco now counts Mel Gibson as a friend, and they are working on prospective projects together.

A Life Well Lived

Though he often jokes about his quest for fame, it's clear that Father Fulco's great passion is teaching. His beloved fraternity brothers have "The Bunny" to keep the words of their mentor close to their hearts, and a 12-step recovery program in Arizona has asked to distribute copies to group members for inspiration. Father Fulco is very pleased to know that his words could help others on their personal journeys.

And about that bunny suit? "I am somewhat notorious for having my power animal. My totem is the bunny," Father Fulco laughed. "The picture itself was from another book done by a senior student at the university. He did biographies of Jesuit priests on faculty and did beautiful photography. When I got there for my interview, he said, 'Here, put this on.' It was a surprise, but everyone loved it."

Want a sneak peek inside Father Fulco's book? Download our sample chapter.

If you’re ready to capture your story, Story Terrace can help. Contact us to schedule a free consultation, or sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date on the power of storytelling.

"Stories are our primary tools of learning and teaching, the repositories of our lore and legends. They bring order into our confusing world." – Edward Miller, British Historian

Our ability to tell stories is what makes us human. Since the dawn of time, we've used these weaving narratives to teach, communicate, and connect across cultures, countries, eras, and civilizations. So tightly has storytelling entrenched itself in our humanity that a study by University College London argues that it is a powerful means of fostering social cooperation and teaching social norms, and pays valuable dividends to the storytellers themselves, improving their chances of being chosen as social partners, receiving community support, and even having healthy offspring.

The Ancient Storytellers

The art of storytelling — or passing down information, knowledge, and wisdom in creative ways — helps construct and shape our worlds, going as far back as our ancestors’ cave drawings and weaving its way into our present, digitally-dominated day. It acts as a vehicle through which to preserve what is relevant, precious, and sacred from generation to generation.

Let's take it back 30,000 years ago, when our cave-dwelling homo sapiens forefathers were painting on the walls of the Chavet Caves in southern France. Depictions of predatory animals reflect how hunting and gathering were the central focus of daily life while providing vital information for that society in the form of a visual cautionary tale.

The Ancient Egyptians, however, used stories to channel their spirituality, often drawing intricate paintings and hieroglyphics on papyrus paper and inside temples to transmit mythologies. Because maintaining a strong connection with the divine was so integral to Egyptians' daily life, it's no surprise that their storytelling reflected the core values of their culture.

Stories have also been used to pass on philosophical knowledge and advice on how to live a better life. The Mahabharata, one of two major Sanskrit epics at the core of the Hindu faith, is one such example.

Printing the Past

Moving further towards modern times, the invention of the printing press in the 15th century by Johannes Gutenberg was a powerful shift that led to an increase in literacy. Storytelling took a more informational turn through the proliferation of newspapers, the first of which was recorded in 1690. But they also began to appeal to our sense of entertainment — one of the first examples of this was the European novel "Don Quixote," which was printed in 1605.

Digital Diaries

In the 21st century world we inhabit, storytelling has been transformed by social media. The rapid rise of digital platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram over the last decade has marked a global cultural shift that has democratized storytelling. With a basic internet connection, we have the ability to self-publish any story we like at the touch of the button — with a potential viewing audience in the billions. Instagram’s ‘Stories’ tool — which allows users to share temporary video updates of their day — has over 500 million daily users, clearly proving our modern day culture's appetite for both posting our own mini-stories as well as consuming those of others.

Whether it’s documenting the ice cream we’re about to eat or discovering stories around business, fashion, or self-help from 'influencers', we can’t get enough. Storytelling functions as a way to connect, entertain, inform, and spread ideas (à la the widely popular TED Talks) — and the internet has only rapidly advanced this process.

What’s certain is that the power and potential of storytelling isn’t set to diminish anytime soon. At Story Terrace, we believe in the power of telling your story — it’s our mission to help as many people as possible tell their life stories by matching them with a professional ghostwriter. In doing so, we’re making sure that future generations can read their parents' and grandparents' stories, helping those memories and tales survive the boundaries of time.

For more information on how to gift Story Terrace to your loved one, click here or sign up for our newsletter

The Little Shop of Memory: A Journey Through Time

The Little Shop of Memory is no ordinary museum. Step through its doors and you’ll find a treasure trove of antiques, ranging from jubilee silverware and military uniforms to vintage outfits and well-loved toys.

It’s a place dedicated to preserving memories of years gone by. Many of these items are decades old, some of them fragile and well-worn.

The Power of Interaction

You’d be forgiven for assuming that the signs mounted on the walls bear the usual polite request found in museums everywhere: “Please don’t touch the exhibits.”

But that’s not the case here. Far from it. In fact, every visitor is encouraged to touch whatever they like in the Little Shop of Memory. You can try on the clothes, play with the toys, and even tap out a few lines on a manual typewriter.

But that's not the only way in which the Little Shop of Memory defies expectations. There are also very few labels. If you’re curious about any of the many artifacts on display, you’ll have to actually talk to a member of the staff! They’ll be able to tell you not only what the object is, but the story behind it.

And there are a lot of stories here. This narrow unit tucked away in the corner of a shopping mall is crowded with everything, from an original Teasmade to a globe-shaped Royal Bank of Scotland piggy bank (an item which one visitor reports still smells exactly the same as the one she had as a child).

It’s all collected here for one very important reason: to help people reminisce.

Ordinary Objects, Extraordinary Stories

In that respect, the Little Shop of Memory is a resounding success. It welcomes more than 40,000 visitors a year, all of whom examine, handle, and play with the various treasures on display. The Shop's employees have discovered that when visitors interact with the objects in this way, it can often spark memories that people thought were lost forever. For one visitor, it might be the smell of a plastic money box that brings something back. For another, it might be the feel of a wooden doll or the tinkling notes of a music box. The weight and realness of these objects play an important role in preserving memories and bringing back ones you thought were lost.

Most of the items here have been donated by the general public. They are ordinary objects, but often come accompanied by extraordinary stories. There are tools that are worn from decades of use or toys that have been played with until threadbare. In one glass case, there’s even a time capsule — a glass bottle found under the floor of an old co-op with a yellowed piece of paper tucked inside bearing a cluster of signatures. A Shop worker recalls how, one day, a visitor recognized one of the names on the paper; it was his uncle, who had indeed worked for the co-op many years before.

Improving Happiness and Health

When preserving memories in a place like this, coincidences are a regular occurrence. Indeed, one wall is dedicated to identifying people in decades-old class photographs.

Of course, the Little Shop of Memory is about more than just looking back fondly. It’s also an excellent tool for improving health and memory. Preserving your memories and sharing stories from your past has long been known to have dozens of beneficial effects. A study in the British Journal of Clinical Psychology noted that reminiscing can improve memory, increase happiness, and help mitigate conditions such as dementia. The Little Shop of Memory provides the perfect setting for such reminiscing — a circle of comfortable chairs set among the ranks of artifacts.

The Legacy of a Lifetime

As well as promoting the health benefits associated with reminiscing, the Shop also serves another vital function — helping people preserve memories and pass them on to the next generation. Volunteer leader Miles Tubb talks of seeing many people come in with their children. “Because you can pick things up and because so many things in the past were mechanical, they get a lot from interacting with things. Especially if they’re in with their parents or grandparents, who can then tell their stories about what the object was.”

Perhaps that’s why the Shop has been so successful. It began as a five-month pop-up, run by The Living Memory Association, a long-standing reminiscence charity. Five years later, it’s still here. There’s even a second outlet in Livingston. It’s completely free to visit, and people wander in and out all day long.

“We never thought we’d be going so long,” says Miles. But the public has really taken to the Little Shop, with some tourists even sneaking away from their group visit to the nearby Royal Yacht Britannia to take a look around. It’s not hard to see why it’s so popular. The joy visitors feel while connecting with their past can be seen in the expression on their faces and in the fond way they handle the objects on display. Children examine hefty antique typewriters with a sense of wonder, while parents and grandparents tell them first-hand tales of how these strange machines were once used.

That is, after all, what the Little Shop of Memory is all about — stories. They’re a starting point for reminiscence, and they have the power to connect separate generations, bringing people together and preserving their memories by making them feel real – something which seems to make a lot of people very happy. As one customer remarked while browsing the items on display, “All these things! You must really see a lot of smiles in this place.”

Not everyone is fortunate enough to live just down the road from The Little Shop of Memory. If you want to preserve your memories for future generations, a Story Terrace biography could be the perfect way to do so. Sign up for our newsletter or contact us to get started right away.

How to Write Your Biography in Four Simple Steps

There are dozens of reasons to start writing your biography. You might wish to share your experiences with friends and family, publish a memoir for the general public to read, or preserve the heritage of your family for future generations. You might even find the process therapeutic! Your life story is unique, and there are plenty of reasons to want to record it in writing. But… how do you go about actually doing that?

When you first think about writing your life story, it can feel like a daunting job. How will you turn a life full of thoughts, memories, connections, and events into a paper and ink book? Here’s a simple, four-step approach that should help get you started on the road to a personal biography that you can be proud of…

1. Decide to Write Your Life Story

When setting out on any big project, it’s easy to let doubts get in the way. In the case of writing your biography, for example, you might find yourself wondering if it’s really worthwhile. After all, aren’t memoirs really only for celebrities? Who will want to read the story of your life?

These worries are understandable, but shouldn’t hold you back. Your story is certainly worth telling! After all, many of the most fascinating stories are found in the most unassuming places. As for who will read your story… you might be surprised at just how interesting and important your memories are to your children, grandchildren, friends, and family.

And, for that matter, you might also be surprised by just how important writing your biography is to you.

The first step to getting your biography written is to conquer your doubts, decide that you will write your biography, and start taking action. Need a little more inspiration to do just that? Take a look at our blog post Four Inspirational Reasons to Write Your Biography.

2. Gather Information

A memoir is a true life story. It’s told from your perspective, and composed from your memories, thoughts, opinions, and feelings. That’s not to say, however, that it can’t be bolstered with information from other sources. These can be anything from photographs, diaries, and journals, to conversations with the people closest to your life.

Your friends and family are a good place to start. Tell them that you’re writing your biography, and ask them about key life events. You may be stunned by the insight which they have into your life, and which events they remember even more clearly than you do. Better yet, some of your relations might be able to provide you with diaries, photo albums, or other materials to jog your memory.

3. Plan Your Story

There’s more than one way to tell your story. A good biography isn’t just a list of memories from your oldest to your most recent. Instead, your memoirs should be selective, focusing on a theme that runs throughout your life, or picking a number of notable anecdotes to build your story around.

Of course, it’s up to you to decide what that theme or those anecdotes will be! Should you focus on your friends and family? The things you’ve achieved? Places you’ve been and people you’ve met? Trying to cram everything in is a recipe for disaster, so focus on getting what matters the most to you down on paper.

It can be helpful to make a list of all the anecdotes and points of interest that you’d like to include. Once you have them all in front of you, you can begin to shuffle, edit, and prioritize. You might end up picking one incident (such as a trip to a single country) to represent a whole swathe of time in your life (such as a round-the-world trip).

4. Write

Once you’ve decided to write your life story, gathered information about your history, and made a plan, there’s only one thing left to do: write! Whether you’re a seasoned scribbler or you’ve never put pen to paper before, there are a few things to keep in mind as you finally start writing your biography.

Writing a book is a big job, so don’t rush it! Do try to be consistent, though. It’s a good idea to work on writing your biography a little each day. By making it a regular habit like this you’ll keep your biography fresh in your mind, and start to build up your word count faster than you might think.

Don’t be afraid to rewrite! Your story doesn’t have to be perfect the first time around, so don’t let worries about whether the finished thing will be any good stop you from writing it in the first place. It’s much easier to edit something that’s been written than to write fresh, so focus on putting your thoughts on paper, and worry about tidying up your work later on!

And when it does come to editing and polishing your work, your friends and family are once again extremely valuable. Consider asking someone who knows you well to read your draft and tell you what they think. As well as picking out typos and stray commas, they might also be able to tell you what memories need more detail, or what anecdotes they'd like to hear more of.

Of course, not everyone enjoys writing. If you find it difficult to get your memories in order, you might want to consider working with StoryTerrace. Our experienced ghostwriters and editorial team can handle the planning, writing, and printing of your biography for you from start to finish.

Final Thoughts…

Congratulations! You’re well on your way to having written your life story. But the journey doesn’t end once your manuscript is complete. As you approach that final chapter, it’s time to start thinking about what you want to do when your masterpiece is complete.

Will you offer a copy to a local bookshop? Give out copies to your friends and family? Keep a volume safe for children, grandchildren, and future generations? Share your biography with colleagues and other people in your field? It’s your life story, so it’s up to you what you do next.

Are you ready to take that first step? Want to learn more about writing your biography? StoryTerrace is here to help. Get in touch for a free consultation, or sign up for our newsletter for more inspiring stories and useful advice.

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Leave a Lasting Legacy: Four Steps to a Purposeful Life

When you think about the kind of legacy you want to leave behind for your children, grandchildren, and loved ones, you might start by focusing on the practical items first. However, leaving behind a legacy can be even more meaningful, and last for generations to come. There are several paths you can consider to create such a legacy, like writing your own biography, building your own tribe, reflecting on your life experiences, and so much more!

Here are the top four things you can do to lead a purposeful life and leave a lasting legacy.

1. Check Off Your Bucket List

No matter your age, it’s a fantastic exercise to create a bucket list of items you wish to accomplish, places you want to visit, and experiences you’d like to have. Simply going through the exercise, and including loved ones in the process, can inject a sense of purpose in your day-to-day life. When crafting the items on your bucket list, it helps to include both attainable and aspirational goals. The items you write on your bucket list will serve as a catalyst for crafting the legacy you wish to leave behind.

For example, you might want to visit the mountaintops of Machu Picchu at least once in your lifetime. With this on your bucket list, you might feel inspired to join a local hiking group or eat at a local Peruvian restaurant to learn more about the Peruvian people and their culture. And after you finally visit Machu Picchu, you might even write about it in your biography and share the life lessons you learned from the trip.

2. Journal Your Life

When you think about your legacy, it’s incredibly helpful to reflect on your values and how they have served as a guiding light in your life—they can serve as an example for future generations. Take a proactive stance about your reflection process by writing in a journal; consider writing a separate journal entry for each question:

• How do I want to be remembered by family and friends?
• How can I make a difference in my community and in the world?
• What are the top five stories I want to make sure are never forgotten about my life?
• What kind of experiences can I have/create that will enrich my life this next year? The next five years? The next decade?
• What is working well for me in my life right now, and what can I do even better in the next year? In the next five years?
• If I had to write my biography today, is there anything that I haven’t done that I would like to include in my life story?
• What are my values, and what experiences have I had that reflect those values? How can I build on those experiences for a more meaningful life?

3. Write a Biography That Brings Your Personal Story to Life

Much like a treasured family heirloom, writing a biography about yourself is a wonderful gift for generations to come. Your biography can include important lessons you’ve learned at different stages in your life and the memorable experiences you’ve had thus far. It can also include important information about your family’s lineage and culture, and you can craft a rich tapestry of stories for curious family members and loved ones down the road.

If the idea of spending your time writing about your life is daunting, consider using a ghostwriter to help you with this process. Story Terrace is an innovative company that works with renowned professional writers across the world that help capture people’s life stories, such as yours. You’ll have the opportunity to work with both a writer and editor to craft an heirloom that perfectly encapsulates the multitudes you contain within, and share the stories that need to be remembered.

“Now that I have my completed book in hand, I am elated ... it is a beautiful legacy of my life stories and life lessons. My children appreciate having our family history recorded for future generations. They think it was an efficient way to create a quality product that will truly become a family heirloom.” - Barbara G. Matthews

4. Build and Nurture Your Tribe

Writer and thought leader Seth Godin defines a tribe as a group of people connected to one another, connected to a leader, and connected to an idea, in his book Tribes. Building a tribe, or community, is an incredibly enriching experience, and can help you and your tribe members create a lasting legacy. Your tribe can be a tight-knit group of friends or a large group of like-minded people drawn together by a common cause. You can choose to build and lead your tribe, or join one whose mission is in alignment with your own values and dreams.

One of the best ways to create or find a tribe is by volunteering in your community with a few organizations whose mission resonates with you. For example, you can become a mentor, teach a skill that’s important to learn, or provide a valuable service that’s in need (e.g., accounting, cooking meals, etc.). Living a more connected life is something that will serve you in countless ways—the tribe you build today can pave the way for future generations and help them find community and a place of belonging.

Regardless of who you are, or where your path has taken you, yours is a life worth remembering. Just as it is worth contemplating the kind of legacy you wish to leave behind, it is equally necessary to lead life with a joie de vivre mentality. When you love the life you’re living, you’ll be sure to leave behind captivating stories that will be shared with generations to come—now that’s a legacy worth creating!

For more details, sign up for our newsletter or contact us today to talk about how we can help capture your life story.

De Levensveranderende Magie van Het Schrijven van Uw Biografie“Als je je spullen ordent, orden je ook je verleden." We zijn het volledig met Marie Kondo eens. De Japanse auteur en opruimgoeroe heeft een wereldwijde trend veroorzaakt met haar beroemde boek The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. Maar de koningin van het opruimen kan ons lessen leren die verder gaan dan slechts persoonlijke bezittingen ordenen. Haar wijsheden gaan over het organiseren en uitpluizen van het leven in al zijn aspecten, het leren loslaten en het leven versimpelen. Niet alleen in huis.Er is een fascinerende correlatie tussen het opruimen van de fysieke omgeving en de impact die dit heeft op het mentale welzijn. De KonMari-methode is feitelijk ook toepasbaar om het eigen verleden te ordenen. Uw biografie (laten) schrijven helpt u om vergeten herinneringen op te halen, uw ervaringen te categoriseren en, als resultaat daarvan, uw leven te vieren. Het doorspitten van avonturen uit het verleden is een Kondo-achtige methode om naar een schone lei terug te keren.À la Marie Kondo zijn hier zes manieren waarop het schrijven van uw biografie kan helpen om emotionele bagage te ordenen en los te laten.1. Krijg Inzicht in het Narratief van Uw LevenUw levensverhaal voelt wellicht als een grote mengelmoes van het goede, het minder goede en dat wat uw leven voorgoed veranderde. Als u met het opruimen van uw leven begint, kan uw levensverhaal ontwarren tot een heel goed verhaal. Iedereen heeft een uniek verhaal - u hoeft er alleen maar voor te gaan zitten en de betekenis van de onderdelen ervan boven te laten komen.2. Herontdek Herinneringen en ErvaringenZoals Marie Kondo zegt: “Vanaf het moment dat je gaat opruimen, zal je gedwongen worden je leven opnieuw in te delen. Gevolg hiervan is dat je leven zal veranderen." Het verleden uitpluizen is niet een bezigheid voor even tussendoor. Het is net als oude boeken doorbladeren; een trip down memory lane waardoor men vergeten gewaande herinneringen (her)ontdekt. Als u begint met het schrijven van uw biografie zullen ervaringen die in de vergetelheid waren geraakt naar de voorgrond komen. En vertrouw ons; ze zijn het waard om opgeschreven te worden.3. Categoriseer Uw HerinneringenWaarschijnlijk het belangrijkste onderdeel van opruimen is het categoriseren van spullen. Net als het bewust ordenen van alle diverse eigendommen kan het categoriseren van herinneringen harmonie in uw leven brengen. Door uw avonturen en herinneringen door te kammen, zal elk onderdeel van uw leven - en uiteindelijk uw boek - op zijn plek vallen.4. Ontwar Uw Verleden“Het proces van je bezittingen evalueren en een selectie erbinnen maken kan pijnlijk zijn. Het forceert ons om onze imperfecties en tekortkomingen en gemaakte keuzes onder ogen te komen.” Marie Kondo benadrukt dat het uitpluizen van persoonlijke bagage - letterlijk en emotioneel - confronterend kan zijn. Als u uw verhaal aan het schrijven bent, kunnen onbegrijpelijke en domme gebeurtenissen opkomen. Deze ervaringen evalueren kan u helpen om grip te krijgen op uw leven, voorgoed.5. Verbinding met Verleden en Toekomst“Vasthouden aan het verleden en angsten over de toekomst beheersen niet alleen hoe je een selectie maakt in de dingen die je bezit, maar representeren ook de criteria voor het maken van andere keuzes in je leven. Waaronder bijvoorbeeld je relaties met mensen en je werk.” De KonMari-methode focust op hechten en loslaten om ruimte te creëren voor huidige bezittingen. Uw verleden loslaten en accepteren kan op eenzelfde manier de weg vrijmaken voor uw huidige en toekomstige zelf.6. Vier Het Leven!“Niet alleen jij, maar ook je bezittingen zullen helder en opgefrist zijn als je klaar bent met opruimen.” Marie Kondo had het niet beter kunnen zeggen. Uw leven evalueren en erover schrijven kan een therapeutische uitwerking hebben. Door met iemand te praten over alles wat u meegemaakt hebt, die gebeurtenissen te ordenen en de minder leuke los te laten, zult u zich energiek en opgeladen voelen. Uw mentale welzijn zal u er dankbaar voor zijn.The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up kan ons helpen om ons hele leven op te ruimen. Klaar om dieper te gaan? Plan een gratis consult in voor uzelf of een dierbare om uw verleden op te ruimen en uw biografie te laten schrijven!Schrijf u in voor onze nieuwsbrief voor meer informatie of neem direct contact op.