725: Tell Your Story and Leave a Lasting Literary Legacy Through Memoir Books with Jan Bear

Jan Bear is a writer, editor, and book designer who is passionate about helping people share their stories through memoir books. She has a website called Bear Web Content and a Facebook group called "Book Genie" where she supports aspiring authors. Today, Jan shares the concept of "family legacy books," which are memoirs written by older family members to preserve their life stories and experiences for future generations. She explains the process of creating these books, including recording conversations, refining the content, and designing a professional-looking final product.

Quotes

“We don't really know what our parents and grandparents went through. They're from another country, and the past is so different from what we have now, so it's really hard to imagine what their lives were like.” - Jan Bear

“The most important thing is to build up this library of what happened in the past, why it happened, and why we are who we are now.” - Jan Bear

“I just don't want you to lose the opportunity to know who your elders are. We've lost so many of them through all these generations. Let's take the opportunities we've got now to find out who they really are and what their lives were like before it's too late.” - Jan Bear

Takeaways

01:16 Family legacy books can preserve the stories and experiences of older generations, providing valuable insights for future family members.

09:24 The process of creating a family legacy book involves recording conversations, refining the content, and ensuring professional-quality design.

14:03 Involving multiple family members in the review and editing process can help catch errors and ensure accuracy.

18:00 Self-publishing through platforms like Amazon allows for flexibility in ownership and distribution of the family legacy book.

23:16 Starting the project sooner rather than later is important, as health and energy levels of older individuals can be a consideration.

Resources

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:23 — 26.2MB) | Embed

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Filed in: Archive 3: 2018-2020 • Interview • Podcast

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