Yes – Write a Biography!

Posted on Aug 23, 2016
 
“Can an autobiography, or even a biography, be more than just vanity?”  This could have been a question lurking behind the fascinating talk by Gillian Ednie from the Your Biography enterprise.  And, through her examples, she says “Absolutely YES”.  She told stories of clients whom she had interviewed at length, as she wrote their biography. 
 
Sometimes a biography project can give an older person a renewed zest for living.  Sometimes, indeed, it was the biography project that gave them the reason to fight to stay alive. 
 
Gillian pointed out the many modern alternatives to simple print, like audio recordings, video recordings, picture books, websites, ebooks, legacy letters to offspring (in which one sets out the guidance that you wish to pass on).
 
Gillian assured us that the process of preparing whatever form of biography, for example,
  • is enjoyable;
  • provides an opportunity to set down your views on your terms; and
  • provides opportunities for (mainly pleasurable) reliving of joys and challenges from yesteryear.
 
Gillian drew us in with well-pitched relevant questions such as
  • What were the defining moments in our lives?
  • Who had already started research that could lead to some form of biography?
It seems that many of us are involved in some way already.
 
We all greatly enjoyed her talk.  Some of us may even join her biography-writing course!