Are you too busy to write?

 

Life has been busy, busy, busy for the past few weeks, and I suspect you haven’t had time to write your stories.

 

But that’s not a problem.

 

Why not?

 

Because your brain and heart

are working even when you don’t have time

to sit down and get serious about

working on your memoir.

 

Christmas is a time of remembering. So many memories pop into our heads at this time of the year. If your memoir will include a vignette about Christmas, you’ll like today’s post.

 

What memories came to mind when you put decorations on your Christmas tree? Do you have ornaments that used to be your grandmother’s? Decorations you made as a child? Or that your kids made when they were little?

 

What memories came to mind when you sang Christmas songs at church, or when you watched your favorite old Christmas movie, baked a recipe from your childhood, or watched kids or grandkids perform in a Christmas pageant?

 

When you have a spare moment,

jot down a few key words and images

that will help you remember

those details later.

As George W. Carver said, "Do what you can, with what you have, and do it now."

 

For now, don’t worry about

composing a well-written vignette

for your memoir.

A few hurried notes to yourself

will be a big help later

when you compose

your detailed, polished stories.

Happy New Year!

 

 

Too busy to write? No worries.

Life is busy, busy, busy for most of us this week. We just don’t have time to write our stories.

But that’s not a problem. Really.

Why not?

Because your brain and your heart are working even when you don’t have time to sit down and get serious about working on your memoir.

Christmas is a time of remembering. So many memories pop into our heads as we set out Christmas decorations.

Our daughter invited us to help decorate their tree recently and—oh, what memories those decorations stirred up! We sorted through a big box of decorations that had belonged to her great-grandma, her grandma, and even decorations I’d made when she was an infant. As we placed each on their tree, we shared so many snippets of memories.

No doubt the same happened to you when you decorated your tree—or when you sang Christmas songs at church, or when you watched your favorite old Christmas movie, or baked a special recipe from your childhood, or watched kids or grandkids perform in a Christmas play. Such precious memories!

When you have a spare moment, jot down a few key words that will help you remember those stories later.

For now, don’t worry about 

composing a well-written vignette for your memoir. 

A few hurried notes to yourself is all you need.

Later you can use those notes 

to compose your detailed, polished stories. 

For now, enjoy yourself, your family, friends, 

and the Real Reason for This Season.

Illustration in public domain

Tuesday Tidbit: A must for your memoir—Christmas details

You want people to read your memoir, right? But how do you motivate them to keep reading all the way to the end?  

One way is to include plenty of sensory details—details readers can relate to—the smells, sounds, textures, sights, and tastes that were part of your story.

Let’s think about stories that took place during the Christmas season.

If you lived on the equator, your sensory details will be different from those of someone who lived in the Yukon Territory.

If your family is Scandinavian, your sensory details will be different from those of someone whose family is Italian.

So ask yourself:

What smells and fragrances do you associate with Christmas?

What sounds remind you of Christmas?

What feels and textures signify Christmas to you?

What sights do you connect with Christmas?

What tastes go along with Christmas?

When you write your stories, include specific sensory details—because they will add depth, fullness, and vibrancy. They’ll make your stories come alive.

If you’ll include sensory details, your readers will thank you!

Let your readers experience

what you smelled, heard, felt, saw, and tasted.

That way they can relive your story with you.

Readers love that!

There you have it, your Tuesday Tidbit.