January 2021 - Forever Young Autobiographies

What is theme? Get theme definition and theme examples without the work

“What is a theme? Why do I need one,” you may ask when starting an autobiography, memoir, biography or other life-story project.

Indeed themes can sound like a writing technique for ‘fancy’ authors or blockbuster movies.

But pause and think before you sit down to write …

Certainly we encounter themes almost every day.

For example, at parties, restaurants and in advertising.

And believe it or not we tell stories to ourselves and others based around themes.

So let’s take a look at theme definition, why we need writing themes, theme examples, and much more.

First published September 27, 2018: This article has been updated and improved.

Memory recall is at the heart of all life-story writing.

Certainly the brain is an amazing piece of engineering.

However, it is common for our memories to fade over time.

For example, I like to think of each memory as a sandy path to the beach.

And every time we remember a memory, the track gets a little more defined.

But if we stop recalling a memory, the track gets overgrown or blown away.

So today I go over four of the easiest ways to bring old memories back to the surface.

First published August 23, 2018: This article has been updated and improved.

Penmanship could be considered a dying art in this internet-filled world.

But think how good it would be to receive a loved one’s life story written by hand?

And to know they touched the pages and wrote every word with you in mind.

Indeed this happened to a friend of mine.

After her grandmother’s death, the family found a life story written in an exercise book hidden in a top cupboard box.

Certainly a surprise find to be treasured!

So let’s find out why the magic of penmanship can be good for you and how to improve handwriting …

First published 20 September, 2018: This article has been updated and improved.

How does memory work?

And it is a good query for many reasons.

Firstly, how can we talk or write about others, times and places if we have trouble remembering?

So in this article I’ve waded through scientific information to answer in plain English how does memory work.

Secondly, should we trust our memories when two people remember the same event differently?