Ever Thought About Writing Your Memoir?

April, 2026 — If someone asked me last year if I was going to be writing a memoir I would have chuckled. What have I ever done that was that interesting. Memoirs are for luminaries like movie stars, inventors, military heroes, and athletes.

That all changed after I received an unusual Christmas present from my daughter Molly. Yes, the only memoirs that anyone would be willing to pay for are those about famous people. But, a memoir can be interesting for a much more limited audience – yourself and possibly your descendants some time in the distant future. I know I wish I knew more about the daily lives of my ancestors.

Her present was a subscription to Storyworth.com Every week it sends me an email asking me to write about a specific topic. Molly chose them from the exhaustive and extensive list the service provides. I have the option to accept that subject, modify it, or ignore it and pick one out myself. The piece I write can be as brief or long as I want.

The most interesting thing about writing a memoir this way is the range of subjects that bring out who you are, where you’ve been in life, and the relationships to the people you are closest to in life.

April is almost here now, and I’ve written 12 “chapters.” They’ve been easy to write because the subject is so familiar to me—myself. Here are some of the topics I’ve enjoyed the most:

• My favorite Christmas memories
• What my mom was like when I was a child
• The most beautiful place I’ve ever visited
• A small decision that had a big impact on my life
• Memorable moments with my kids and grandkids
• You’re in the Army now!

The chapters listed above were all “assignments” from Storyworth. I’ve also written a few based on my own ideas, or by modifying their suggested topics.

One of my own topics was “A Cold War Childhood.” I’m willing to bet that almost every baby boomer has stories on that subject. You can read my version here:
I Grew Up in the Cold War

I’ve found Storyworth to be both interesting and easy to use. It includes a helpful proofreading function and conveniently collects your work for eventual publication. At the end of the year, you have the option to purchase a printed book of your stories, complete with photos.

There are several competing services that offer similar features, including Meminto, Remento, and MyLifeinaBook. Some companies even allow you to record your stories instead of writing them, which is a great option if you’re not comfortable with writing.