Trick yourself into writing a book of memoirs

Don't plan on writing a book.

Write a story or two every month. Send them to your family members, friends, local newspapers, and association newsletters.

Have fun with your story writing. That's the most important reason for doing it. Your enjoyment will infect your readers.

After a few years of fun, you'll discover you have enough material for a book.

Why not set out to write a book? You may be overwhelmed by the project before completing anything publishable.

That's not fun.

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Let us help

We can help you write your stories by sending you excerpts from our book, Heirloom Stories from the Harnessmaker's Son.

The stories are excellent memory triggers and examples of "family story" format.

Read some sample stories. They'll help you write your own similar ones. They're highlighted on our Table of Contents page.

Read our entire book for free, one chapter a month. Sign up for it after reading a sample story

...Or buy the book and read all 43 stories at once. (Many readers can't put it down)

We sell the 160-page book autographed, inscribed with a phrase you suggest, and delivered anywhere in the U.S. for only $11.95. Would you like us to send a copy tomorrow?

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Professional help

You may discover that you love telling stories, but can never get them onto paper. (That's normal.) We can do the work for you.

Let author Rick Kamen turn your tales into Heirloom Stories™. You can send them to your friends and family members, or we can do it for you by e-mail, fax, or postal mail.

We can put your stories on the Internet at no extra cost. Visitors will be able to read your completed stories and sign up for your New Story Newsletter.

We can send out your newsletter monthly, or whenever you complete your latest story.

We can even send business cards to you with your BookSite address on them. Giving the cards to friends is like giving them a copy of your book, except it costs you nothing!

Of course, if you want bound books of your stories, we can do that too.

All you do is tell the stories. We do all the work.

Visit our WritingHS page to find out how we can write your Heirloom Stories, put them on the Web, and distribute them by e-mail, fax, or postal mail.

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Ask for a free
Elderhood button with
your first story.

Story Writing made simple

Write the way you talk. Use the first person. Keep the sentences short, and end with a twist; try for a laugh.

For a really strong story, go back and delete everything that doesn't contribute to the twist at the end. Try to avoid clichés and repeated words, unless you're using them for emphasis.

When you remember a good story, or notice that you've just told one you're proud of, write it down. Often, just noting the last idea will be enough to remind you of the entire story for later writing.

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What's a good story?

Start with your oldest ones. Do you remember any stories your parents told you? How about your grandparents' stories?

Don't you wish you had stories about your grandparent's grandparents? You might not have any, but you can make sure your grandchildren do. They'll treasure them, and pass them on to future generations. Each generation will value them more.

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The way things were

You've seen a lot of changes. Write about the way things were; especially things that don't happen anymore.

Do your grandchildren take things for granted that were special when you were young?

	Flush toilets?
	Heaters with thermostats?
	Cars that start...without lots of cranking...by hand?
	Hot and cold running water?
	Cooking with gas...or electricity?
	Recorded music?
	Sheets of toilet paper that don't say "Sears?"
	Refrigerators? Radios?
	Privacy?
	Store-bought things?
	...and what did you do before TV??

Write about how much you appreciated those things when you were a child. Maybe you're glad that you didn't have some of the things people have today.

Did you like walking to school through the fields? Playing by the creek rather than on the computer? Or having so many relatives living nearby? Those stories feel wonderful because they teach classic values that we sometimes overlook these days.

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Why write about bad times?

Because you survived them. Your stories teach readers how you dealt with bad times.

Did you do something right? Were you lucky? Smart?

Maybe you were badly hurt by the experience, but you enjoy life now. Your descendants need to know it's possible and how you did it. After all, if you hadn't pulled through, they wouldn't be here.

When you look back on bad times, you're not complaining. You're not looking for pity or help. You're helping others deal with them. That feels good; you're good at it; and it helps humanity.

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Your stories are you

Your values, beliefs, personality, and attitude become part of your readers.

Because you're writing in the first person, your readers experience your thoughts. Your readers feel like they're in your head, learning to think like you.

That's a powerful teaching tool. Use it to demonstrate your survival skills, enjoyment skills, and loving skills.

You'll give your readers the benefits of your lifetime of experiences as well as your parents' culture. As an elder, this is your work. How do you know? It feels great!

And when you're not here anymore, you'll still be here...in the minds and actions of everyone who has read your stories.

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Whatever our age, fun is our job

As children, we enjoy developing skills. As adults, we like using those skills as we produce...and reproduce. As elders, we like telling stories. Developing children need stories; and the best come from elders. Even the kids know TV is a poor substitute.

There's no need for kids to be great storytellers, and elders don't need to be highly productive. Whatever our age, we help humanity most when we do what we most enjoy. For elders, it's storytelling.

It's not just fun, it's how elders contribute. We've been doing it since there's been language. - And keep an eye out for the side-effects of doing the right thing at any age: increased levels of mood and health.

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Have fun; and let us help

Use our stories as examples. Read Harnessmaker's Son for free, one chapter every month. If you want to get started quicker, we can send the book to you tomorrow.

The most enjoyable way to write your stories may be to let author and Heirloom Stories™ specialist, Rick Kamen, write them for you. He'll also create an on-line book and New Story Newsletter for you. All for just $95 per story.

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Author Rick Kamen specializes in
Heirloom Stories

Rick writes Heirloom Stories the way they're told: short, personal, and ending with a twist, usually a laugh.

Let Rick turn your life stories into Heirloom Stories. Your descendants will enjoy them for centuries.

Read more about Heirloom Stories here
Read sample stories here or here.
Read a book-in-progress here.
Contact Rick here.