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.

Bear encourages starting the process early, particularly while elders still have the energy and clarity to contribute. She also emphasizes that creating a memoir can be a collaborative family activity and a bonding experience. Interested individuals can connect with her via her website bearwebcontent.com or the Facebook group Book Genie to explore starting a legacy book project.

Quotes

“After you're gone, maybe nothing remains—but books can preserve your story for future generations.”

“You don’t have to be a New York Times bestseller. The point is to capture your history and preserve it for those who care.”

“All you have to do is record conversations, transcribe them, and then refine the text so it reads like a book.”

“Creating a memoir lets you know your elders, understand their perspectives, and preserve their legacy before it’s too late.”

Resources

Filed in: Archive 3: 2018-2020InterviewPodcast

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