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Every family has unique stories to share, regardless of their background or experiences. Studies suggest that hearing about the challenges faced by family members can be a valuable learning experience for children and teenagers.
If you haven't started telling and recording your family stories, don't worry; this article has helpful encouragement.
Brenda Hudson from VoicedLife, an expert in helping families capture their stories, shared a motto that I love, "We're All Story Tellers." When we embrace our role in preserving family stories, that's when the magic happens.
A Joyful Approach to Writing and Storytelling
While writing the book Story by Story: 15 Projects To Write Your Family Legacy, Brenda honed her approach to writing and storytelling.
Again, Brenda believes that we are all storytellers, whether we recognize it or not. We naturally share stories around the dinner table or when we're out with friends.
According to Brenda, writing our stories is just like having a conversation with a loving relative who is eager to hear our tales.
Overcoming Writing Challenges: Embrace Your Inner Storyteller
Many people feel they can't write or struggle with their writing. Brenda encourages individuals to remember they are storytellers. We constantly share stories in various contexts.
She advises imagining oneself sitting around a table, telling stories to future generations eager to hear them. This perspective shifts the focus from writing for an intimidating English teacher to sharing with a receptive audience.
Scrap Writing: A Creative Approach to Family Storytelling
Brenda's approach to writing family stories follows the principle of "less is more." She encourages capturing small vignettes—short pieces as brief as a paragraph or two. These vignettes are the stories we naturally tell, and by writing them down, we can gradually build a collection of meaningful experiences.
Listening to Brenda describe these vignettes triggered an image in my mind of "scrap writing." In other words, writing little scraps of text that complement a scrapbook page filled with pictures and decorations.
It's a creative way to preserve memories without requiring lengthy narratives.
↪️ Do you want to write a family history book?
Grab your copy of this FREE Writing Guide:
Capture Your Family's Stories and Share the Magic
Now that you've discovered the joy and importance of writing family history, it's time to take action. Start by 'scrap writing' those snippets of family stories that resonate with you. Let your creativity flow and build up a collection of meaningful experiences.
By following Brenda Hudson's advice and embracing your role as a storyteller, you can easily capture your family's stories.
And it can all begin in under 30 minutes. Read this post next: Writing Family History Quickly: Unleash Your Creativity with Story Projects.
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