On my Facebook page this week, I posted a comment about writing our stories of war and asked why more people are not writing. Here are some possible reasons I, and others believe causes stories to be lost.
- Most people are interested in skimming the basic facts and not digging deeper.
- The myth that records do not exist persists. Therefore, there is little to no story to tell if an individual has little information with which to begin.
- Research is done online only, almost nothing is discovered, and the researcher stops.
- The idea of writing a story is daunting.
- People have no idea where to begin writing.
There are many ways to tell a story and resources exist to help you do so. When I teach WWII research and writing programs, I tell everyone,
The most important part of research is the writing.
Why is this the most important part?
- The story is saved.
- As you write, you’ll see where there are gaps in your knowledge and research. You’ll also see where errors pop up due to transcription errors or errors in the military records.
- You will learn more about your family’s life and military service.
- Lessons of war, life, healing, and love can be passed through writing and the sharing of story.
Here are some resources to help you start putting your stories on paper. One word. One sentence at a time.
- Stories from the WWII Battlefield Volume 3: Writing the Stories of War
- Explore the Writing Resources I developed.
- Book me to speak in the U.S. or Europe for one or a full day of WWII research and writing programs.
- Hire me to write your story or book!
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© 2018 World War II Research and Writing Center
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