On a daily basis, we make memories. We meet people, try new food, learn a few words in another language, get angry, seal deals, fall in love, and do so many other seemingly random things that we shove aside as ‘another day.’ However, we forget that these simple stories are the very things that make up the biggest masterpieces of all time – the memoirs. Memoirs are autobiographical pieces that document only short periods of our lives. Something like a diary – only it is an actual book. Memoirs are written with the author as the main protagonist and it usually captures the tone of the author and his or her actual experiences in the least formal way possible. One popular memoir was ‘Eat Pray Love’ by Elizabeth Gilbert. In it, she travelled to Italy, India, and Bali. The entire book simply showcased her experiences with the mouth-watering food of India, the serenity of her time in an Indian ashram, and how she found love in different dimensions in Bali, Indonesia. That book was such a hit, that a movie was even created out of it! There are so many reasons to pen down memoirs, and here are just a few of them.
1. For posterity
One major reason you have to write a memoir, is so that you leave something for posterity. Have some kind of legacy for your great grandkids! You don’t want to leave earth and fade into oblivion; a memoir can help you cement your name on the pages of history.
2. For reflection sakes
True beauty exists when you can step back and consciously find yourself in time and space. Writing about yourself generally helps you see life in a whole new way. It helps you connect the dots that led to your current state; it helps you count your blessings, and it even helps you look back and notice the memories you have missed. It offers a cathartic release.
3. Sharing knowledge
Of course, books have one form of knowledge or the other that they offer. You definitely have a few mistakes you had made in time past and things you believe others can learn from. Don’t die with all that knowledge, no. Share it with the world and you’ll be amazed at how beneficial it might be.
4. To tell your own story
If you are someone who happens to have gotten a level of popularity, then this is for you. Many times, tabloids can carry the wrong stories. People can create theories about what you did or didn’t do, why you did something, who you are, and so much more. Your memoir is a great way to tell your story in your own words. Basically, it is your truth.
5. Because you’ll never know how far it goes
Really, just write it because you can. You’ll never know whose life your story would change. Maybe you’ll make a whole lot of money from it too. Who knows who would get to read it? Maybe it’ll become a series for a big television station. It could even provoke change in your community because you highlighted certain pressing issues that had been overlooked. Just do it because who’ll never know if that’s the story the world has been waiting for.