Chances are today you’ve been scattering bits of your life’s setting and scene out for friends to read in the form of status updates and tweets. You are writing, and sharing, but soon after you do, the pieces slip to the bottom of the newsfeed, like scraps of dinner funneled into the disposal.
Behind those snippets and snapshots, though, there is a story worth preserving. And to capture it in full flavor and substance, you’ve got to write on.
This October, I’m inviting you to join me for my series Preserving Your Story, part of The Nester’s annual 31 Days link-up. In my 31 posts, we will cover:
- Reasons to preserve: everything from writing in an attitude of self-reflection that nourishes your everyday life to penning down unforgettables for future generations
- What to preserve: pulling out a story from scribbles, snippets and snapshots of your everyday mercies and the rarer moments of wide-eyed wonder
- How to prepare: methods you can use in taking notes on the story unfolding around you
- Proper preserving: good techniques, tools and containers for bringing your story from first draft to publishable blog post, magazine article or even printed book
Even while we’re talking about preserving YOUR story, it’s a joy to know that writing doesn’t have to be a solitary activity. We get creative sparks as we observe and interact with the people around us. We carve out some time alone to write our thoughts. Then, we find opportunity to share the beginnings of a work with an inner circle of friends, hearing their feedback and relishing their stories as they respond and share. Finally, when the work is ready for a wider audience, new friends surface and find themselves all the more brave to share their story because you shared yours first. I hope you’ll join in the community here during this series and spur one another on in preserving worthy stories.
This is Day 1. See all posts in the series here.
{How are you doing with preserving your story? In what areas do you need the most help/encouragement?}
P.S. Thanks for bearing with me as I get going on my 31 Days series. My computer went kaput on October 1 and I’m coming in a little later than I expected. 🙂
I am really excited about this series. I keep scrapbooks for my two children and one family book (project life). I am constantly journaling in the books. I usually end up just stating the facts of the story without sharing the “feelings” part. I want my children to be able to look back in these books and be able to actually know me by what I write. I hope that makes sense? Anyway, I cannot wait to see what you post next in this series.
I admire (even envy?!!) your dedication. I’ve run across some Project Life keepers on other blogs and I find myself wishing I could be so consistent in documenting in that way. Instead, I haven’t gotten to my 3 year-old’s baby album (my second child) and I even have a less-than-half-finished scrapbook from my year in Asia a decade ago that’s waiting for me. Maybe it is because I’m on the opposite end of the teeter totter where instead of just getting the info down, I think too hard about everything I want to record. 😉 I thought it was interesting that on Day 2 in this series, my mom mentioned reading through my Grandpa’s autobiography and how it seemed he was just trying to get the thoughts and info down on paper. While we’d love to know even more, I think there can be value in the bones of a story for future generations even if you never get around to fleshing out the details and feeling and meaning behind it all. I’m glad you’re here. I’m looking forward to bouncing ideas off one another throughout the series.
This sounds like an amazing series!
Audrey
www,stuffaudreysays.com
Thanks, Audrey. Glad to “see” you again and hope you’ll be around often to share your thoughts. 🙂
Awesome, Darcy. My hubby and I gave story preserving items as Christmas gifts one year. Such a great thing to leave for the kids!
I’m really looking forward to this series.
I am so grateful you are doing this series. This is an area of weakness, that definitely needs improved in my endeavors as a writer. I have tried to keep personal updates and documenting out of my writing, unless I think it has relevance or application for the masses. But I love what you said about writing not being solitary. I gain so much inspiration and encouragement from reading and relating with other’s words (including yours), and I get the strongest response when others relate personally with my own story–it’s ridiculous that I wouldn’t share it. I guess my challenge/area of improvement is accepting that my story is one worth sharing.