Memories Matter

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The Blog - Write Your Life, Preserve Your Memories

July 28, 2025

Life Story Links: September 22, 2026

July 28, 2025

Dawn Roode’s curated roundup for the week of Sept. 23, 2026, is overflowing with recent reads on memoir, life story writing, and family history preservation.

July 28, 2025

November 25, 2024

“Write Your Life” delivers weekly memory & writing prompts via email

November 25, 2024

Learn about our Write Your Life course, providing memory prompts, writing guidance and a dose of inspiration to anyone who wants to preserve their stories now.

November 25, 2024

March 8, 2021

Meaningful conversation when your loved one is on hospice—here’s help

March 8, 2021

How to have meaningful conversation with your loved one on hospice, including the best life review questions & 4 things we all should say when someone is dying.

March 8, 2021

READ THE LATEST POSTS

Dawn M. Roode 10/12/21 Dawn M. Roode 10/12/21

Three writers use vignettes to craft moving memoirs

Memoirs by Sarah Manguso, Beth Ann Fennelly, and Beth Kephart each weave together short narratives to create evocative, textured self-portraits of the writers.

Dawn M. Roode 7/8/19 Dawn M. Roode 7/8/19

The vignette: What to read to be inspired

Memoir reading suggestions to inspire your own vignette-style life story writing, from Annie Dillard and Kelly Corrigan to Robert Fulghum and Sandra Cisneros.

Dawn M. Roode 6/17/19 Dawn M. Roode 6/17/19

Writing prompts for life story vignettes: 300 words in 30 minutes

By limiting oneself in word count and time allotted for writing, undertaking any life story project becomes both more urgent and more relaxed. Ready, set, write!

Dawn M. Roode 6/3/19 Dawn M. Roode 6/3/19

Writing prompts for life story vignettes: self interview

In Part Two of our Life Story Vignettes Writing Prompts series, guidance on conducting a probing self interview as an entry point to your stories and memories.

Dawn M. Roode 5/6/19 Dawn M. Roode 5/6/19

Writing prompts for life story vignettes: Using the senses

In Part One of our Life Story Vignettes Writing Prompts series, we offer five specific exercises for writing about your memories by engaging all your senses.

Dawn M. Roode 4/23/19 Dawn M. Roode 4/23/19

How to use short vignettes to create a mosaic of your life

How the best life story vignettes are powerful ways to capture your past, and why writing short pieces from your memories is a smart way to begin your memoir.