As AI gets better and more accessible, will there still be a need for in-person story sharing services offered by personal biographers and historians? Yes!

dawn's musings, the art of listeningDawn M. RoodeJanuary 27, 2025is ai taking over family history storytelling, there will always be a need for human artists even after ai, should i use ai to help write my memoir, how to use ai in my family history preservationComment

Life Story Links: January 21, 2025

From upcoming memoirs of note to guidance on the craft of personal history, this week’s curated roundup is filled with reads of interest to family historians.

curated roundupsDawn M. RoodeJanuary 21, 2025curated list of stories for family historians, family history in the news, personal history in the newsComment

Do you keep a writing ideas notebook?

Writer’s block can happen to the best of us. This simple idea—keeping a notebook of self-generated writing prompts—will keep your memoir ideas flowing.

memoir & writingDawn M. RoodeJanuary 14, 2025how to keep a notebook of writing ideas, keeping track of things you want to write about from your life, how to make a notebook of personalized writing promptsComment

Life Story Links: January 7, 2025

Kick off 2025 with three weeks’ worth of goodies about family history, memoir, legacy preservation, and journaling curated by personal historian Dawn Roode.

curated roundupsDawn M. RoodeJanuary 7, 2025personal history in the news, family history in the news, curated list of stories for family historiansComment

Missing a loved one this holiday season?

Dawn Roode offers up four suggestions for further reading (and listening) for anyone who, like her, is missing a friend or family member during the holidays.

dawn's musings, remember lost loved onesDawn M. RoodeDecember 19, 2024holiday grief, remembering lost loved ones, sharing stories about lost loved onesComment

Life Story Links: December 17, 2024

Just in time for your holiday break, a roundup overflowing with good reads—there’s family history, memoir, and writing (both guidance and recommendations).

curated roundupsDawn M. RoodeDecember 17, 2024recent news about personal history, curated list of stories for family historians, curated roundup for modern memory keepersComment

Before you gift someone our Write Your Life prompts (or, “Who this gift is NOT for?”)

Looking for a meaningful gift for your parents? An annual subscription to our Write Your Life memory and writing prompts may be just the thing—or, maybe not.

memoir & writing, reviewsDawn M. RoodeDecember 7, 2024best sentimental gift for parents or grandparents, a year of memory prompts and writing guidance, memoir writing course for average personComment

Life Story Links: December 3, 2024

Maybe we’re leaning into sentiment during the holiday season, or maybe it’s just a good week: This roundup is bursting at the seam with stories worth your time.

curated roundupsDawn M. RoodeDecember 3, 2024recent news about personal history, family history in the news, curated list of stories for family historiansComment