I'm writing my autobiography

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

No, I don’t expect it’ll ever make the NYT Best Sellers List. I don’t even expect any more than a half dozen people will probably ever read it. But this past weekend, at the Lendervedder extended family Christmas party, my uncle brought several copies of the Lendervedder genealogy (that he wrote about 30 years ago) for cousins to take home. It contains a few stories from Lendervedders in the 1800s, mostly taken from historical books on west Michigan history, where our family first settled in this country. Not too many details, but a decent taste of the how and who.

There’s also a section where my uncle interviewed his father in the 70s. Now *this *was some interesting shit! And it got me thinking, my descendants just might be interested in me and my wife and kids (and parents, etc). Sure, the life I’ve lived is pretty darn mundane and pointless, but 50 or 100 years from now, the story of my life might be interesting to my great-grandkids. Or not. But I’d rather have the info down on paper and have them ignore it than not have it down and have people wonder.

So I’m writing my autobiography. And the whole thing will be addressed to my two kids, sort of like How I Met Your Mother, but from birth on, without all the stories about banging chicks.

Anyone else do anything like this before?

2

I haven’t done it, but I think it is a great idea. :slight_smile:

I have a reasonably famous, relatively close relative, so I’ve been contacted by the odd graduate student looking into family history (and the occasional tourist showing up to the family cottage).

3

I am in the middle of writing my memoirs. More of a collection of stories to pass along to my kids.

4

Jebus, don’t leave out the stories about banging chicks!

5

That’ll be in the special “Publisher’s Cut.” :wink:

And largely a work of fiction. :frowning:

6

Congratulations!

You’re the ideal person to be writing it!

I wrote up an account of my undergraduate years. It was cathartic, plus it was good exercise in writing. It’s also interesting to read afterwards, not only to recall events, but to see how you felt at the time you wrote them down (and how much you’ve changed since).

7

I wrote mine, then selected a portion of it to use as the basis of a memoir (as of yet no luck getting the latter published).

It’s a good way to review your life thus far and the decision you’ve made and the trajectory that took you to where you are.