Happy Thanksgiving! I am thankful for you. I am thankful for my family and the stories we create together. And I am thankful for my clients, the stories they live every day, and the opportunity to preserve their stories in a form that does them justice and that they are proud to share.
In today’s newsletter, I want to express my gratitude by giving you something I hope you will find of value: a tip sheet for how you can begin capturing your story. Writing your own memoir, or your own book of any kind, is certainly a daunting task. But, as with anything, if you break it down into small components, set realistic goals, and celebrate the small wins along the way, you will get there.
You will find a link to the downloadable tip sheet below. I hope you’ll use it to get started on your LifeStory. I am happy to help.
What are you up to this Thanksgiving? In my family, it’s such a special time to have the multiple generations together: our children and their cousins, our siblings and parents. This Thanksgiving, my family is celebrating at my brother’s new apartment in Manhattan. He lives just off 6th Avenue near Central Park, so we’ll be able to enjoy the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade as it rollicks by. I’m excited to experience this classic tradition for the first time with all the kids.
Our view of the parade may look something like this, but in color.
A Thanksgiving Gift
Please enjoy this LifeStory Memoir Tip Sheet to help you begin your own writing project. Just click on the link to read it. You can also download and print it.
Reach out to me if you have any questions or would like any help.
How Do We Begin?
People often ask me: how do we begin a LifeStory Memoir project, especially when it’s around the holidays? If you give a memoir as a gift during the holiday season or for a birthday, the book obviously won’t be finished in time. Writing a book takes months. For the really big, three-to-five-hundred page memoirs, they can take a fun, interactive year.
So, how do we begin? With a Gift Certificate. If you want to give the ultimate gift this holiday season, I will provide you with a personalized gift certificate—a symbol of what’s to come—that will make your loved one erupt with joy.
Also, in order to make LifeStory Memoirs even more accessible this season, I’ve come up with a starter memoir at a price everyone can afford. Reach out to me to learn about the Starter Memoir.
Memoir Spotlight
I recently published the LifeStory Memoir of my client Joe, who is a veteran of the United States Air Force, serving during the Korean War. I was so excited to deliver Joe’s memoir to him in Long Island on Veteran’s Day. Finally meeting his daughter, as well as his grandson and great-grandson, all whom I learned about while writing the book, was awesome. Joe and I had a lot of fun together creating his book, and he is very pleased with the outcome, which you can see in the Book Reveal Video below.
Joe is an all-around impressive guy. Born in 1932, he was raised in an immigrant family of modest means in 1930s and ‘40s Brooklyn, New York. Joe’s father’s influence as a loving family man who set high standards and expectations taught Joe the values of honesty, humility, and hard work. Talking about his Depression-era childhood, Joe says:
We never went hungry and we were always clothed, but we also never received toys for Christmas. My parents said, ‘We can’t afford toys, but we can afford clothes for school and church.’ So we had everything we needed. Life was simpler, and for the most part, we were happy. I remember thinking that I would be content with my life if I made $10,000 per year and had my own house and car. My father had none of those things.
At age eighteen when the Korean War broke out, Joe, compelled by a feeling of patriotic duty, enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. While stationed in England, he met and married June, the love of his life, with whom he raised three loving daughters.
Joe enjoyed an enviable and high stakes career as a cost engineer and project manager, responsible for multi-million dollar construction projects around the globe. Respected for his insight and clarity of vision, his reputation spread throughout the industry. He was continually in demand and at the forefront of his field, which earned him acknowledgement in Who’s Who in Science and Engineering and Who’s Who in America for many years.
Joe enjoys equal success as a family man who loves to spend time with his daughters, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He is a great American whose kindness, work ethic, and love of country, family, and life led him to achieve the American Dream.
Joe with his multi-generation family. He is blessed and he knows it!
Joe and me on Book Reveal Day. It is always a special and meaningful experience!
Joe's LifeStory Memoir Book Reveal Video
My Latest Blog: A Guide to Crafting Your Autobiography
Embarking on the journey of writing your autobiography is a profound and introspective endeavor. It's a chance to reflect on your life's most meaningful events and personal experiences, as well as the rich relationships that have shaped you. In this guide to crafting your autobiography, we will explore the art of composing an autobiography and the significance of publishing your life story.
LifeStory's mission is to make sure you do not lose your family's stories forever. The stories of your life or a loved one’s are legacies that belong in a cherished memoir for following generations to learn from. For more information visit LifeStoryMemoir.com. If you would like to see these results for yourself or a loved one, fill out this contact form, or reach out to me directly at Richard@LifeStoryMemoir.com or 973-903-1487.
Yours truly,
Richard Squires, MFA, MA
Author & Publisher
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