From Memory to Memoir – UPDATE! My Personal Experience with MyStories by MyHeritage

From Memory to Memoir: I was honored to be one of the first to experience creating a family history book using the new MyStories platform by MyHeritage.

I was very pleased with the process from start to finish: ordering my book was easy and I loved the flexibility in answering any, some, or all of the story prompt questions on my own schedule. The finished product arrived quickly and is a quality, hard-cover book that my family will cherish for generations. Click the image below for a short video.

From Memory to Memoir: My Story – A Life Interrupted

I have to admit that the process of answering each question in written form was easy since I had maintained a genealogy blog from 2006 to 2017. I already had written stories about my birth, my mother’s early onset-Alzheimer’s, living through the Loma Prieta Earthquake in 1989, and other life events.  Basically, I reviewed the content I had already written and made some minor changes before pasting the text into the story prompt area of MyStories.

There were some story topics that I had not covered and I took the time to do so since I felt the resulting stories would make for a better and accurate accounting of my life.

Here is the Introduction portion of my book:

I’m Thomas MacEntee and I’ve led a life interrupted. A life interrupted by poor decisions made by myself and others. By difficult relationships. By poverty and financial issues. By health issues, my own and those of others. And by significant losses.

Some may say that everyone lives such a life, a life that doesn’t go “as planned.” A life marked by events similar to what I’ve experienced are commonplace for most people. The people, places, and circumstances may be different and unique to my life, but each of us and those who have ever walked this Earth, have experienced similar interruptions.

Some interruptions are like cuts to the skin. Over time there is healing due to the amazing properties of the human body. And some cuts leave scars that are visible, acting as a constant reminder of the hurt as well as the healing. And some scars cannot be seen, except when described and shared with others.

It is only through these interruptions that I’ve found a successful life. Thanks to the values instilled by my family as I was growing up, I have always found opportunities in those interruptions. It takes a keen mind to recognize the opportunities and to follow them, even if they require sacrifice.

I’m Thomas MacEntee. Come and see my scars and interruptions laid out through a series of questions and my responses. Hopefully some of these situations will hold up a mirror to your own interruptions and help you better understand their potential for success.

From Memory to Memoir: Some Helpful Tips

• If you have trouble typing or find it easier to “tell” your story verbally, consider using the Dictate feature in Microsoft Word or the Voice Typing feature in Google Docs to compose a first draft of your story. Then you can review the text and add or remove text to build a compelling story.

• Also consider using an AI platform such as ChatGPT to help improve your writing. Once you’ve set up a free account, simply type a prompt such as “Rewrite in engaging style” or “Rewrite in sentimental style” and paste your text. ChatGPT will generate new text that may be an improvement on your original text.
• In addition, you can use ChatGPT to check your spelling and grammar. Simply type the prompt “Check spelling and grammar” and paste your text. Then use the resulting text to answer your story prompt.

From Memory to Memoir: Just Do It

One of the biggest problems with the concept of getting my memories down into writing is just getting started. Here’s where I ask you: “After years of genealogy research, what are you waiting for?”

For me, genealogy is a way to build a legacy … not just some game I play on a website where I find stuff and add it to my tree.  And I’m not getting any younger so I need to do this NOW rather than later.

MyStories by  MyHeritage makes the process easy and enjoyable. You can tailor the process to your needs, or you can wait to receive an email each week and slowly build that family history book you’ve always wanted in just one year. I guarantee you won’t regret the process or the end result.

MyStories by MyHeritage – Capture and Treasure the Stories of Your Loved Ones

MyStories by MyHeritage: Reminisce now, treasure forever. Capture your loved ones’ memories in a timeless keepsake book. As each layer of the story unfolds, long-forgotten moments will come to life and deepen the connection you share. Click HERE for more information.

Turn cherished memories into a beautiful keepsake book, crafted with care and designed to stand the test of time.

MyStories by MyHeritage: How it Works

1. Every week, you’ll receive an email with a question to inspire the writing.
2. You or your loved one will reply by email with the story and add relevant photos.
3. Review the stories, and when you’re ready, turn them into a beautiful printed book.

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