Storytelling Hub
Blog articles to Help You Tell the Stories of the Past
How to Write about Culture Clashes
Culture Clashes. They happen among nations, ethnic groups, and generations. Sadly, culture clashes also occur among families. Heritages or upbringings collide. Differing values splinter relationships. Personal memory collectors, memoirists, and family storytellers all...
Writing Prompt: Things I Never Wanted to Know
We all have lessons that we want to pass on. However, we have also learned things that we never wanted to know. For instance, in the midst of a family tragedy, a friend texted me today with details on why some autopsies are done in the state capital rather than in her...
Fears Our Ancestors Faced
Understanding the fears our ancestors faced can help us understand their lives. That, in turn, can help us tell their stories. Although it’s hard to know from the meager records we unearth whether an ancestor was an introvert or adventurer, we can form some theories...
Reunions: Why You Should Write About Them
Until last weekend, I had forgotten how poignant reunions can be. Whether it’s family, school, or something else, reunions allow you to reconnect with the past. Not only are they great places to re-color some of those faded memories, they refresh the soul. Reunions,...
Invisible Illnesses: How to Tell your Story in a Monday Morning QB Society
If you’re like me, chronic and invisible illnesses come towards the bottom of the list of things you’d like to write about yourself. It’s not just immersing yourself in the negativity. Although the term “invisible illness” applies “to any medical...
Silver Linings in Our Stories: How to Find Them
Last week, a friend showed me how to look for silver linings. The news is often disturbing, but in the last couple of weeks the horrors that some people will inflict on others makes me want to run and hide. Only I don’t know where I’d go. The Brandon Vandenburg and...
Truth and Accuracy and Your Role as a Storyteller
How do you deal with the elusiveness of truth and accuracy in memories and family stories? Truth versus Accuracy Let’s first look at how truth and accuracy can differ. I have two friends, Ann and Sandy. (Actually I have more, but my point is only relevant to two of...
Animal Stories Reveal Character
My neighbor Frank likes to say that the way people act around dogs shows what type of person they really are. He’s right. Animal stories reveal character. Frank has never gone so far as to say that if someone doesn’t like dogs, they have questionable friendship...
How to Write About Loss
When grief rears its dark, draining head, few of us think about writing. However when you write about loss, that putting pain and fears to paper can be therapeutic and can help others understand our journey. Loss isn’t limited to the death of a loved one. The onset of...
More Fathers’ Day Ideas to Bring Memories to Life
Is it just me, or are fathers more difficult to buy for than mothers? I’m always short of fathers’ day ideas. My husband has a box in the bedroom with yet-to-be-used gifts he’s received. He claims he appreciates all of them, but I’m always searching for more...
Writing your Lost and Found Story
“How could we have lost something so precious?” my friend lamented to her husband. Dusk approached. She, her husband, and various friends had searched throughout much of the previous night and all that day for their elderly little dog that had wandered off. Her grief...
Writing about a Time for Change
A time for change often hits us from behind. The change is either inevitable or beyond our control. I’ll confront such a time on Mother’s Day when I watch my eldest son walk across the stage at his college commencement ceremony. A lot of things will be commencing,...
How to Make Family Stories Relevant
There’s a point to sharing ancestors’ stories—or at least there should be. Educate. Connect. Inspire. That happens best when you’re able to make family stories relevant. I could share a detailed tale about my grandmother, one that includes every bit of historical...
Bumper Sticker Writing & Sharing Prompt
How do you tell people who you are? How would you give them a bumper sticker synopsis of yourself? (Of course, you could ask why you’d want to do that as well. As Rob Walker argues, “…bumper stickers are about declaration, not dialogue.” But let’s put that aside and...
When It’s Time to Take a Stand
We want our memories and family stories to be warm and inviting. We want to welcome family into our lives—into our past—through our narratives. Which is as it should be. But (you knew there was a but coming) that can mute us when it comes to issues that weigh heavily...
Why Thinking about Your Audience Matters to Storytelling
Thinking about your audience can make you a better storyteller. Whether you’re writing your own memories or writing your ancestors’ stories, thinking about your audience matters. Who you are writing for will affect the way you write. For instance, thinking about your...
Let’s connect!
Affiliations
Don’t Wait.
Put the episodes of the past to paper.
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 Me: A Complete Guide to Telling and Sharing the Stories of Your Life helps you put the episodes of your past onto paper and share them with loved ones.
Disclosure
TreasureChestofMemories.com
Share a Story; Share a Treasure!