Last week, after a conversation with a friend about her interest in writing her life story, I thought a lot about this idea – of recording life’s experiences. I don’t really have a wish to write my own biography, but I suppose I write aspects of my life here. I teach creative writing as part of the U3A, the organization for people who no longer work but wish to pursue studies and interests; the teachers are just ordinary members with things to offer such as my writing and my husband’s practical modern art course. I also attend French and Anglo-Saxon, and he goes to music…
I am wondering whether to start a new group, for people who are interesting in writing life stories, their own, their ancestors, using imagination and creativity to bring their own tales to life. I’ve thought a lot about this, and have been wondering whether I have enough to run a class… and I came up with a list of possible topics; each might be one two-hour class, or maybe each might extend over several sessions…
- Life story
- My story
- My life in music/sport/theatre etc
- My travels
- School story/ college/university/training/forces
- Work story
- Romances/adventures/interesting tales
- My life and my belief
- My fantasy life
- My hero/heroine someone I admire
- spooky experiences
- My childrens’ story
- My family’s story
- My genealogical research story
- Story of a place
- Story of a person, a character from history or a person who’s alive today
- Tales my parents/grandparents/uncles and aunties told me
- Imaginary person’s life story
- How things have changed
- Birthdays
- Christmas/Easter/ Whitsun/harvest/bonfire night/Halloween/advent
- School
- Children… ‘when I was young…’
- Families
- Food, recipes, meals
- Travel writing
- Particular events –personal/national/historic… I remember where I was when…
Lois Elsden 