Family tales to tell …

How many of us have thought how nice it would be to write our family history, but don’t know where to start? There are so many interesting stories out there and I truly feel they should be written down, even if they don’t get published. My mother was one of these people but had no idea where to begin. Finally after nagging her to give it a go I wondered how I might be able to help her get started.

I have little experience of writing family stories. My knowledge extends to writing about our experiences breeding horses and promotional articles about our stud. Even when I wrote my books I started at the beginning and kept writing until the end. Such a simple statement don’t you think? But it wasn’t simple at all. The only simple part is if you think it’s simple.

So I suggested my mother start where the whim takes her, beginning with some of her most recent or most loved memories. Write about what she thinks about most and what makes her smile. I know life is not always about smiles and good times but it’s a perfect way to begin. Open up and allow your memories to flow.

What’s that saying? ‘He who hesitates is lost.’

You  don’t have to hesitate and you don’t need to feel lost. Who cares if what you write begins awkwardly. Who’s going to know? It can easily be fixed later. I often said to new Arabian horse breeders, who spent time with us at our Arabian stud www.pearsonsviewarabians.com there is really no right way or wrong way to breed horses, there’s only your way, the way that suits you, the way that gives you the most pleasure. It’s the same with writing.

Another point for your memoir writing, use whatever you feel comfortable writing on. It might be an A4 notebook like me or you might like a smaller journal that you can carry with you or your phone or ipad. Again whatever suits you and makes you feel the most comfortable, motivated and inspired.

Work out a routine with no pressure and maybe these simple prompts might help you to get started or jog your memory.

Why not give it a try. Happy writing.

I remember when ?

My mother once said ?

My father worked as a ?

I grew up in ? during ?

I was ? old when my brother annoyed me for the first time, he ?

My sister decided she needed to ?

Every Christmas my grandparents ?

Every year we travelled to ? for the Christmas holidays and we often ?

School, the word gives me a ?

I wondered where my love of ? came from ?

Life back in the ? was far easier than today. Or was it? Mum said ?