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Memories of Me: A Complete Guide to Telling and Sharing the Stories of Your Life
We all have stories to share with our children and grandchildren. Whether it’s a proud moment, memories of grandparents, or a lesson you’ve learned, Memories of A Complete Guide to Telling and Sharing the Stories of Your Life helps you put the episodes of your past onto paper share them with loved ones.
Inside you'll find
- Simple, down-to-earth instructions to get you started
- Worksheets with in-depth brainstorming exercises
- Plenty of examples to spark your creativity
- Writing advice to make your memories shine
Preserve your stories and share them with the important people in your life using the tips and advice found in this comprehensive guide.
Inside you'll find
- Simple, down-to-earth instructions to get you started
- Worksheets with in-depth brainstorming exercises
- Plenty of examples to spark your creativity
- Writing advice to make your memories shine
Preserve your stories and share them with the important people in your life using the tips and advice found in this comprehensive guide.
- GenresNonfiction
319 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 30, 2014
19 people are currently reading
38 people want to read
About the author
Laura Hedgecock
2 books11 followersLAURA HEDGECOCK is passionate about telling stories and connecting with others. She comes by that passion honestly; her grandmother, Hazel Crymes, wrote throughout her life. However, her grandmother wrote in secret; Laura believes in sharing.
When she’s not writing, Mrs. Hedgecock enjoys spending time with her husband and two nearly grown sons (and her Springer spaniel), playing soccer, nature photography, and finding her roots. Learn more about Laura at LauraHedgecock.com.
When she’s not writing, Mrs. Hedgecock enjoys spending time with her husband and two nearly grown sons (and her Springer spaniel), playing soccer, nature photography, and finding her roots. Learn more about Laura at LauraHedgecock.com.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 30, 2014
The first thing that grabbed my attention with the book was the cover. I was drawn to it and actually sat there studying it for a few minutes. The author talks about a treasure chest of memories and the story, or how to, begins with the cover. There is a treasure box of old post cards and letters, and a computer.
As you open the book and begin reading about how to compile your own "Memories", the items will take on a new meaning for you. They are history in the making, with a little help from us and this book.
The book is set up to make topics very easy to find and the author gives good advice on how to get started from recording your stories to choosing a medium to finding the time to write. You may prefer writing a journal. Some may prefer going digital (computer), while still others may share their stories by blogging. Whatever medium you choose needs to be something you enjoy, helping you continue your process of recording your history. The author generously offers the printable worksheets used throughout the book on a website.
"My family tree looks nothing like the iconic oak with its rounded top and balanced, far-reaching branches. That archetype conjures images of the entire family gathered together, sharing its cooling and protective shade, drinking lemonade or other beverages while the kids climb around above. When you're trying to trace your ancestors' stories, though, the experience just doesn't seem as symmetrical or accessible as the oak's branches. Roots seem more applicable - hidden, fragile, tangled, and often more than just a little bit dirty."
If you are thinking about compiling your memories, your stories, MEMORIES OF ME, is a good place to begin. It is an easy book to read with clear and precise avenues of beginning your journey. I only read the first two chapters, but I'm impressed with what I see. I can definitely recommend the book.
"These connections are the marrow of our lives, sustaining and nourishing us from within. This life-giving marrow of stories and memories should be shared and passed on so that we can fortify our connections to each other and springboard conversations in the here and now. They also allow us to continue to connect, teach, support, and console after we're gone.
This guide not only provides an outline for you to construct a legacy of written memories to be treasured, but it should also motivate, challenge, encourage, and cajole you as you create a treasure of incalculable value for your loved ones."
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Leave a comment on my blog for a chance to win a copy of the book. www.mylifeonestoryatatime.com
As you open the book and begin reading about how to compile your own "Memories", the items will take on a new meaning for you. They are history in the making, with a little help from us and this book.
The book is set up to make topics very easy to find and the author gives good advice on how to get started from recording your stories to choosing a medium to finding the time to write. You may prefer writing a journal. Some may prefer going digital (computer), while still others may share their stories by blogging. Whatever medium you choose needs to be something you enjoy, helping you continue your process of recording your history. The author generously offers the printable worksheets used throughout the book on a website.
"My family tree looks nothing like the iconic oak with its rounded top and balanced, far-reaching branches. That archetype conjures images of the entire family gathered together, sharing its cooling and protective shade, drinking lemonade or other beverages while the kids climb around above. When you're trying to trace your ancestors' stories, though, the experience just doesn't seem as symmetrical or accessible as the oak's branches. Roots seem more applicable - hidden, fragile, tangled, and often more than just a little bit dirty."
If you are thinking about compiling your memories, your stories, MEMORIES OF ME, is a good place to begin. It is an easy book to read with clear and precise avenues of beginning your journey. I only read the first two chapters, but I'm impressed with what I see. I can definitely recommend the book.
"These connections are the marrow of our lives, sustaining and nourishing us from within. This life-giving marrow of stories and memories should be shared and passed on so that we can fortify our connections to each other and springboard conversations in the here and now. They also allow us to continue to connect, teach, support, and console after we're gone.
This guide not only provides an outline for you to construct a legacy of written memories to be treasured, but it should also motivate, challenge, encourage, and cajole you as you create a treasure of incalculable value for your loved ones."
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Leave a comment on my blog for a chance to win a copy of the book. www.mylifeonestoryatatime.com
June 12, 2014
So, quite a few years ago, I was given a helpful guide which helped me get started on recording my personal history. I've taken it out from time to time and thought it was quite extensive. However, times have changed since I first got that guide and reading this book opened my eyes to how much better my personal history can be!
I started getting ideas just from reading the Introduction, so I knew that there were many more treasures to be uncovered in this book. There are five sections: (1) Getting Started, (2) Keeping Track of Ideas, (3) The Finer Points, (4) Deeper Reflections and (5) Final Considerations. Each section contains a wealth of ideas, along with worksheets to help you brainstorm (she also tells you where you can download them as a free pdf file--it's 84 pages and quite impressive!). Then, Ms. Hedgecock takes a turn sharing what she's written, which I enjoyed reading, and I loved that she included lots of pictures!
In the Introduction, Ms. Hedgecock talks about the importance of creating a legacy. She received a Treasure Chest of Memories from her grandmother which was valuable since her grandmother died when she was still quite young so she was able to connect with her through her writings. She discusses the importance of creating a personal treasure chest. "A Treasure Chest is simply a mechanism for collecting, preserving, and sharing the stories of our pasts, our personalities, and our affection for our loved ones." (p. 3)
One of the areas I've struggled with is writing about situations that weren't very pleasant. I got some great ideas from "The Good and the Bad--What About the Ugly?" (pp. 163-170) After reading this section, I feel like I now know how to go about recording those experiences so they will add meaning to my life story.
While writing your personal history can seem like an overwhelming task, I think Ms. Hedgecock does a great job of breaking it down into bite size bits which makes it very doable. This is the best resource book I have seen to help with recording memories and writing my personal history and I will definitely refer to it many times in the years to come! I highly recommend this to everyone!
I received a copy of this book to review. My opinion is 100% my own.
Mel's Shelves
I started getting ideas just from reading the Introduction, so I knew that there were many more treasures to be uncovered in this book. There are five sections: (1) Getting Started, (2) Keeping Track of Ideas, (3) The Finer Points, (4) Deeper Reflections and (5) Final Considerations. Each section contains a wealth of ideas, along with worksheets to help you brainstorm (she also tells you where you can download them as a free pdf file--it's 84 pages and quite impressive!). Then, Ms. Hedgecock takes a turn sharing what she's written, which I enjoyed reading, and I loved that she included lots of pictures!
In the Introduction, Ms. Hedgecock talks about the importance of creating a legacy. She received a Treasure Chest of Memories from her grandmother which was valuable since her grandmother died when she was still quite young so she was able to connect with her through her writings. She discusses the importance of creating a personal treasure chest. "A Treasure Chest is simply a mechanism for collecting, preserving, and sharing the stories of our pasts, our personalities, and our affection for our loved ones." (p. 3)
One of the areas I've struggled with is writing about situations that weren't very pleasant. I got some great ideas from "The Good and the Bad--What About the Ugly?" (pp. 163-170) After reading this section, I feel like I now know how to go about recording those experiences so they will add meaning to my life story.
While writing your personal history can seem like an overwhelming task, I think Ms. Hedgecock does a great job of breaking it down into bite size bits which makes it very doable. This is the best resource book I have seen to help with recording memories and writing my personal history and I will definitely refer to it many times in the years to come! I highly recommend this to everyone!
I received a copy of this book to review. My opinion is 100% my own.
Mel's Shelves
June 8, 2014
In the introduction, the author hopes that the reader does not read this book all at once but to put it down often, experimenting as you go. Unfortunately, I started to read this book only a couple of days before my scheduled review so I didn’t have the luxury of time to stop often. I believe that hurt my experience with the read because I found myself skimming through the worksheets. Not actually taking the time to “work” on it. Therefore, I lost the experience of gaining the full beauty of the tutorial. That aside, this guide book was truly comprehensive. It broke down a myriad of potential writing scenarios and walked you through them. In each section, the author stated a topic, described it, illustrated its importance and effectiveness, provided you with questionnaire worksheet, and concluded with “My Turn” moments where she wrote a personal example of what that portion of discussion might look like. What’s even more remarkable was that throughout the read, I felt the sincerity and care in her words to help me, the reader, be successful in accomplishing that certain objective. It felt as if she was behind me whispering encouragements. That’s a mark of an exceptional non-fiction writer because too much concentration on facts leads to a boring read. This was far from boring but rather quite a helpful tool in aiding me see the beauty of capturing my own “treasure chest of memories”. She helped me see that although I have a blog, a journal, and take pictures, there are many cues that I never thought of that I can utilize to enhance my treasures. Many memories worth preserving and she put it all in the book for me to contemplate on. Sweet!
My ultimate take out from this book was the support and confidence to keep writing. Continue to write and write and write because practically everything I write gives my reader a fuller picture of who I am which in turns gives me a tangible mark in this world and later a “treasure chest of memories” for my posterity to enjoy. Thank you, Ms Hedgecock for this great counsel.
Jinky is Reading
My ultimate take out from this book was the support and confidence to keep writing. Continue to write and write and write because practically everything I write gives my reader a fuller picture of who I am which in turns gives me a tangible mark in this world and later a “treasure chest of memories” for my posterity to enjoy. Thank you, Ms Hedgecock for this great counsel.
Jinky is Reading
June 11, 2014
When most people think about family history, they focus mostly on filling in the branches of their family tree. Names and dates are great, but I'm more of a story kind of girl. That is what I loved about this book. This is a book that will not only help you write your own history but it will help you compile those of your ancestors and family. And, what if your motivation is to simply make a record for your personal use? Well, that's okay too. As Hedgecock points out in the very first chapter, "You don't have to feel compelled to share your memories to be motivated to preserve them. You may want to preserve your stories while memory serves or while health still permits you to write and enjoy them. You might write to work through your feelings about your past, to reconnect yourself with your roots, process your grief at the loss of a loved one, or simply for the joy of writing."
Hedgecock has put together a very informative, step-by-step guide to help you preserve your memories. What I liked most was the worksheets that help get you moving in the right direction. She poses questions to get you thinking. For example:
Who are the most important people in your life?
Moments in which I felt especially proud... or I knew what I was doing mattered.
What was a typical happy moment?
What are memorable physical attributes of those in your family? What about situations or manners?
One of the highlights of the book are Hedgecock's personal stories. I love how she teaches a concept then shows you an example from her own life.
This is seriously a book I believe everyone should take the time to read. If you take it one chapter at a time, following the direction she gives, by the time you finish reading, you will be well on your way to having your history recorded.
Hedgecock has put together a very informative, step-by-step guide to help you preserve your memories. What I liked most was the worksheets that help get you moving in the right direction. She poses questions to get you thinking. For example:
Who are the most important people in your life?
Moments in which I felt especially proud... or I knew what I was doing mattered.
What was a typical happy moment?
What are memorable physical attributes of those in your family? What about situations or manners?
One of the highlights of the book are Hedgecock's personal stories. I love how she teaches a concept then shows you an example from her own life.
This is seriously a book I believe everyone should take the time to read. If you take it one chapter at a time, following the direction she gives, by the time you finish reading, you will be well on your way to having your history recorded.
December 13, 2014
A few years before my mother died I gave her a journal and asked her to write down the stories and memories of her family and childhood that she had told me as I was growing up. Unfortunately, she only jotted down two of them before giving up on the project. With the birth of my grandchildren I realized that they would never know those stories, or the ones of my own childhood and that of their parents, unless I preserved them, but I was at a loss as to how to begin. Then I was given the opportunity to read and review Memories of Me: A Complete Guide to Telling and Sharing the Stories of Your Life by Laura Hedgecock, and realized that this is the perfect guide for creating one's own "Treasure Chest."
Whether you are a writer or not, this book will enable you to preserve your family's memories and stories, either as an exercise for yourself or as a gift for family and friends. As Laura says in the introduction, "Ultimately, what matters most in life are our connections to family and loved ones... These connections are the marrow of our lives, sustaining and nourishing us from within... They also allow us to continue to connect, teach, support, and console after we're gone."
Each section of the book begins with discussion of a topic, contains a list of questions, thoughts or writing prompts to stimulate your own memories, and concludes with a story from the author's life that illustrates the topic of the chapter. There are also worksheets included to guide you to record your own information. Printable PDF copies of them are available for free download at cedarfort.com/memories.
Whether you have questions about what medium to use (for example: a paper and ink journal, digital journal, scrapbook, blog, etc.), how to find the time to record your memories, what to include or omit, or are concerned about the writing process itself, Laura addresses all of these issues in a way that will help you make your journey down memory lane an enjoyable and productive one. She also discusses the technical aspects of creating your "Treasure Chest," being as accurate as possible without over-stressing about conflicting memories (for example, when siblings recall some things differently), and not being afraid to admit if we don't have specific times, dates, or other details.
Laura gives excellent guidance on dealing with painful memories: how to decide whether or not to include them and how much to include. She encourages us to include stories that are humorous, like the time her son decided to try popping corn by filling a thermos with kernels and placing it in the microwave.
She points out that writing memories is different from writing a biography. As Laura says, "What we remember is our truth." We are not necessarily writing a memoir: memories don't have to be written in a cohesive fashion, nor do they have to be chronological. We don't have to try to write like our favorite author or use special language. What the author emphasizes most is to "Be yourself."
Laura Hedgecock has crafted an excellent guide to recalling and preserving memories, demystifying the process, making it fun, and something anyone can do. The worksheet questions unleashed a floodgate of my own memories and I found myself frequently interrupting the reading to jot them down. With each chapter excitement mounted as I began to look forward to creating my own family's "Treasure Chest." I highly recommend this excellent book.
by Donna B. Russell
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women
Whether you are a writer or not, this book will enable you to preserve your family's memories and stories, either as an exercise for yourself or as a gift for family and friends. As Laura says in the introduction, "Ultimately, what matters most in life are our connections to family and loved ones... These connections are the marrow of our lives, sustaining and nourishing us from within... They also allow us to continue to connect, teach, support, and console after we're gone."
Each section of the book begins with discussion of a topic, contains a list of questions, thoughts or writing prompts to stimulate your own memories, and concludes with a story from the author's life that illustrates the topic of the chapter. There are also worksheets included to guide you to record your own information. Printable PDF copies of them are available for free download at cedarfort.com/memories.
Whether you have questions about what medium to use (for example: a paper and ink journal, digital journal, scrapbook, blog, etc.), how to find the time to record your memories, what to include or omit, or are concerned about the writing process itself, Laura addresses all of these issues in a way that will help you make your journey down memory lane an enjoyable and productive one. She also discusses the technical aspects of creating your "Treasure Chest," being as accurate as possible without over-stressing about conflicting memories (for example, when siblings recall some things differently), and not being afraid to admit if we don't have specific times, dates, or other details.
Laura gives excellent guidance on dealing with painful memories: how to decide whether or not to include them and how much to include. She encourages us to include stories that are humorous, like the time her son decided to try popping corn by filling a thermos with kernels and placing it in the microwave.
She points out that writing memories is different from writing a biography. As Laura says, "What we remember is our truth." We are not necessarily writing a memoir: memories don't have to be written in a cohesive fashion, nor do they have to be chronological. We don't have to try to write like our favorite author or use special language. What the author emphasizes most is to "Be yourself."
Laura Hedgecock has crafted an excellent guide to recalling and preserving memories, demystifying the process, making it fun, and something anyone can do. The worksheet questions unleashed a floodgate of my own memories and I found myself frequently interrupting the reading to jot them down. With each chapter excitement mounted as I began to look forward to creating my own family's "Treasure Chest." I highly recommend this excellent book.
by Donna B. Russell
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women
June 14, 2014
As an avid genealogist I have learned to LOVE the hyphen (-) between the birth and death dates.
That little mark represents all the experiences and stories that shape our lives.
As I read stories about someone else they become more real to me.
I love learning about their struggles, their triumphs, their passions, their life.
Now with the help of this WONDERFUL book you can write your own stories to leave for your posterity.
OR...
You can write about someone else you know to leave a record of their life.
This book has:
*General writing tips
*Ideas on how to find the time to write
*Worksheets to help you know what to write about and to spark creativity.
*Examples of written and illustrated excerpts to explain what works and what might be too hard for your intended readers to follow.
This book will help you bring your family history or personal history alive.
It will allow you to leave a "treasure chest of memories ...for the important people in your life."
"WE ALL HAVE STORIES TO SHARE!"
Phenomenal guidance!
Fantastic help!
Incredible worksheets!
That little mark represents all the experiences and stories that shape our lives.
As I read stories about someone else they become more real to me.
I love learning about their struggles, their triumphs, their passions, their life.
Now with the help of this WONDERFUL book you can write your own stories to leave for your posterity.
OR...
You can write about someone else you know to leave a record of their life.
This book has:
*General writing tips
*Ideas on how to find the time to write
*Worksheets to help you know what to write about and to spark creativity.
*Examples of written and illustrated excerpts to explain what works and what might be too hard for your intended readers to follow.
This book will help you bring your family history or personal history alive.
It will allow you to leave a "treasure chest of memories ...for the important people in your life."
"WE ALL HAVE STORIES TO SHARE!"
Phenomenal guidance!
Fantastic help!
Incredible worksheets!
June 2, 2014
This book is a great resource for those like me who want to create a personal history but don't really know how to get started. The author starts by talking about what got her into memory keeping and reasons the rest of us might want to do so as well. She goes on to talk about the importance of making writing a part of the routine, otherwise it may never happen. She also shares lots of ideas for different methods and strategies to use in putting together one's own Treasure Chest. There are lots of ideas here that I plan to use in putting together my own memory book, starting with the brainstorming activities. There are worksheets that have been created to go with the book that can be accessed at cedarfort.com/memories.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews