"Your past is your story up to now. The future is the story yet to come. The present is where you live with that experience, your hopes and your dreams."

Opening Remarks: Daily Writing

Another thing I do is some writing. It is not every day that I am writing about my life, or even someone else’s, although much of my writing work is of this kind. Sometimes I am writing web content, or articles, essays – even a letter. But rarely does a day go by that I don’t do some writing of a more personal nature. I have kept a journal for many years and I am not writing it for any particular audience. It is for me. I find it important to put down in writing my thoughts, plans, activities, insights and experiences. Some of my most honest writing is to be found in my journal.

I was struck by today’s entry in one of those “daily reflection” books. The opening paragraph included, “I am writing my life story with every single today.” That’s true. And as I write and live my life story I need to be an active participate in contributing to life and the world around me. Maybe you feel the same way. I hope so. Part of contributing to the world is to pass on your experience, lessons and values. In this first edition of 2009 I share with you some timely New Year Resources I believe can be valuable to the telling of your life story.

Happy New Year to you. Thank you for reading this newsletter and welcome to any new subscribers.

You are receiving this e-zine because you signed up for it or someone who is subscribed passed it along to you. If a friend DID forward this to you consider subscribing by visiting our signup page . Also, let me know what you’d like to see more of in this newsletter – simply reply to this email e-zine.

While the main focus of this newsletter is to share thoughts, ideas, and insights on life story writing you should know that I offer various services and also mention some products and services that can be helpful. You are under no obligation to purchase anything, but if any of these products or services are helpful and you decide to utilize them then I am most grateful.

Thanks for reading. – Tom

Featured Article: New Year Resources

Despite our challenges we always have opportunity. It is popular this time of year to make some New Year resolutions. That is often a very good thing to do, but it also requires a plan to keep those resolutions.

In the field of personal history and life story preservation we are continuing to see advancement in services and technology. If you’ve yet to make a commitment to your life story I encourage you to do so with some valuable New Year Resources.

Keeping a journal is a great way to begin preserving your story. It is also a way to monitor your life and record your experiences and insights. Over time you will find it a useful exercise on many levels and when you decide to write a memoir or autobiography your journal will be invaluable.

There are lots of types of journals. Some people prefer to hand write it and you can use a blank notebook or order something more creative (see some ideas here). I like using my computer. This way I can write faster, my entries are more readable, I can search for information more easily and I can store it in a way that can last longer and take less space.

My favorite computer software for journaling is the DavidRM Personal Journaling Software. It is a robust program with great tools, security and writing prompts. It’s very versatile, so much more than just “diary software”. It’s affordable (less than $40), has a money-back guarantee and you can try it free for 45 days. It took a lot less time than that to convince me. More information here.

Creating a book, preserving oral history and having a digital presentation of pictures are all fine ways to present your life story. The Priceless Legacy Company does all three in one high quality LifeStory Package. It’s not unusual to spend $5,000 to $10,000 or more for a life story book written by a professional personal historian. Hiring a good pro can result in a beautiful legacy story. But many people can’t afford that size of an investment. The introductory offer from the Priceless Legacy Company is less than $1,500. This makes a life story package affordable for many more people. More information here.

Once you have a life story preserved you may want to promote it to others. The Internet makes that possible, but it takes more than just a pretty web site to do it right, or be found by others. Many families also like to preserve their history on a site and maybe even have services or a business using a web presence. To have a web site that produces lots of quality traffic requires strong content. It can be profitable, but take it from someone who spent thousands of dollars unsuccessfully before I found the solution that has personally been effective for over five years. I’m proud of my investment in Site Build It. It was, and continues to be, the best $299 I ever spent. Right now is the best time of the year to try Site Build It (backed by a money-back guarantee and really great service and directions) – the annual buy one and get one free sale has been extended. Give one to a friend or use both your self. You don’t even have to start the second site for a few months. You can buy two SBI’s for the price of one, but you must act now because the sale ends at midnight on Monday, January 5, 2009. More here.

There are many resources you can use to further your life story work, but I hope that you seriously consider the value of the three New Year Resources I’ve just alerted you to. Make a resolution to do something constructive and positive in preserving your personal history.

You can read other articles on life-story writing here.

Resources You Can Use

A complete online web building resource that works! More than hosting. More than building just a web site. Thousands of small business owners, stay at home moms, retirees, and people passionate about their hobby or vocation (including several personal historians like myself) have discovered the value of Site Build It. It’s proven to work if you will follow directions of the Action Guide. It’s worth way more than the asking price (less than $300) and it is backed by a risk-free money back guarantee. This is the best time to try SBI, because of the annual buy one and get one free sale. But hurry, the sale ends at midnight on Monday, January 5, 2009. Go here for more.

Priceless Legacy

The Priceless Legacy Company is an exciting new company that has created a high-quality / high-tech / high-touch service to preserve life stories.

The LifeStory Package includes the audio from the interviews and a digital slide show of photographs, preserved on DVD, along with a beautiful hard cover book with pictures and the life story presented in an engaging first person written narrative. A Legacy Consultant works personally with you every step of the way. And there are opportunities right now to be part of the Priceless Legacy Team and help preserve people’s stories and earn good income. It is work you can be both passionate about and proud of. You can find out more here.

Journal Software

The Journal Software is so much more than just "diary software". Great tools, templates, writing prompts and organized with so many wonderful features, all for less than $40! I use it and highly recommend it. Find out more here.

Closing Information

Any comments, ideas or feedback is greatly appreciated. Just reply to this ‘zine and tell me what you think!

Until next time, – keep your story alive!

Tom Gilbert