What will you leave behind when you pass? Your tangible belongings, social media accounts, and memories will fade, destined to be forgotten. Future generations of your family will have nothing that traces back to you. There is one thing that can preserve your voice and existence before your departure. It’s through the powerful and permanent form of expression– words. Not only on digital platforms, but in print. Everything dies down, gets deleted, hacked, or forgotten, except for a physical manuscript that remains in your loved ones’ homes to pass on to future generations. Writing a book is not as intimidating as it seems. There is no need to get it published with a major publisher or follow specific guidelines. You can document it like a diary or memoir. Handwritten notebooks or journals will do. What’s important is your authenticity and story that can inspire hope and courage. 

What to Write About

Your book doesn’t have to be perfect, and it’s unnecessary to consider yourself a writer to start. In fact, the draft version with all the raw emotions, run-on sentences, and side notes is best. It can be an autobiography, describing events in chronological order with your reflections, or a memoir, focusing on a theme or specific time period. If you have journal entries, you can compile them into a published work. Whatever format you choose, it should include lessons, values, advice, mistakes, challenges, successes, and specific letters to people. Don’t edit or filter any details; speak your truth without leaving anything unsaid. These pages should provide some comfort and closure for yourself and your loved ones.

How to Start Writing

Begin with small goals to complete this valuable project. If you pressure yourself to accomplish everything at once without a plan, you’ll fail to finish or end up with something inauthentic. If you set aside 15 minutes a day to work on it, that will suffice. If you prefer setting word limit goals, they shouldn’t pass 500 so that you avoid doing it only for the sake of reaching the amount. After setting this goal, brainstorm what you want to include by gathering and organizing major events, memories, achievements, etc. Remember to be honest and vulnerable as you reflect on these and add any relevant notes, details, thoughts, and feelings. Write as if you’re speaking to yourself first, with no hesitation, imagining no one will read it. It’s essential to tell everything from your perspective with no outside influence or research. You don’t need to prove your ideas or claims because they’re personal to you and your life. The purpose is to uphold your voice as you tell your account of events. If you’re stuck, you can try free-writing or answering questions to explore a potential focal point of your narrative. Keep a handwritten journal or notebook in a safe place, like a drawer. If you type it out, you can take your manuscript and self-publish it for free on platforms like Amazon KDP and keep copies for yourself. 

You never know who needs to hear your words. Books can change outlooks and perspectives, acting as a guide to living a meaningful life. Don’t let intimidation or perfectionism hold you back. Your voice deserves to be heard. Time is valuable, and you can’t regain it once it’s gone. You won’t know when you will pass, so begin today. Share your story before it’s left up to someone else.

Editor: Shannon Hensley