The Heart and Craft of Lifestory Writing

Lifestory writing is the process of transforming your own essence into words on paper for other people to know — daring to expose not only your actions and experiences, but your thoughts, your choices, your perceptions and your feelings. It takes courage to bare your soul for the examination of future generations and making the effort to share yourself with them is an act of great love. This love and courage is the heart of lifestory writing.

The craft involves sorting, polishing and refining the raw ore of the words that flow from your heart until they gain their maximum power to touch the hearts of your readers and inform, amaze, or inspire them. You may fear contempt or ridicule, but rest assured that if you feel the urge to share, someone out there needs to hear what you have to say. Some may be indifferent to your words, but many more in times and places you may not be able to foresee will be grateful for the knowledge and wisdom you’ve shared. You may spare somebody grief, comfort those who have shared your experience, or inspire a person to heights they’d never dare attempt without your example of quiet courage.

Write on,

Sharon Lippincott, aka Ritergal