27 May Adding narrative to a life book
We understand how hard it can be to write the narratives that go with a ‘this is your life’ themed (or any theme) photo book. So today we are giving you some inspiration for extracting those wonderful rich stories from your memory bank so that you can get them into words.
Like any overwhelming task the best way to tackle it is in bite size chunks (read about eating the elephant here). Today we are breaking down the task of writing narrative for your photo book into five chunks, using your five senses as your guide.
As you know the five senses are – sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch. Right about now you are thinking I am a crazy person because how on earth can you include hearing, smell, taste or touch in a PHOTO book?! Patience Obi-Wan.
Let’s start with the Captain Obvious sense you’d use when matching stories to images – sight!
SIGHT
You can use your sense of sight to LOOK at photos and start writing down the memories that are prompted.
HEARING
The power of audio is amazing. Recall the sound of your grandfather’s voice. Notice how that can transport you to a different time. Describe the scenes that come up and how they make you feel. Play one of your daughter’s favourite childhood nursery rhymes or better still sing it yourself! When hearing different pieces of music, where does your memory take you? What do the lyrics remind you of? Again, describe the scenes that emerge and how you feel. What is the significance of certain songs in relation to your life story?
SMELL
Did your mother or grandmother have a signature scent? Hit the shops and get yourself a sample card with that perfume and bring it home for a meander down memory lane. What are the first things that come to mind when you smell it, her hair? Her smile? Describe those things in detail. Does the smell of fresh brewed coffee make you remember a certain friend or outing? Does the smell of rain make you recall a holiday or other location? For me the smell of hay makes me think of many a visit to Sydney’s Royal Easter Show and there is plenty I could write about those annual trips!
TASTE
Were Sunday pancakes a tradition in your home? Thinking of the taste of those pancakes will help bring those family meals to the forefront of your mind so that you can write about them. I still remember vividly after living overseas for a few years the first meal I wanted on my return was mum’s homemade rissoles! If you close your eyes you should be able to summon the aroma and taste to prod your memory muscles into action.
TOUCH
A quick scan around the room could reveal an object in your home that you can pick up and hold. A vase or trophy, a tapestry hanging or the mosaic tile pot stand. What memories do they evoke? Now you are getting good at this, try simply imagining you are holding an object from your past. What was the meaning or importance of this object in your life? Be specific and include lots of detail to make your narrative rich and emotionally evocative.
If you need more inspiration, try using one of the following prompts to get the stories flowing
- My earliest memory…
- My favourite toys as a child…
- I couldn’t live without…
- My favourite holiday destination…
- I’m no good at it, but I love…
- The craziest thing I’ve ever done…
- Quality of life means…
- If I could go back in time…
- How I got my first job…
- If I chose a different career…
- My signature dish…
- I am still friends with these people from my childhood…
- Weekends are for…
- I was most proud when…
- I’ve never laughed as much as when…
- People that have been kindest to me in life…
- My favourite season is…
- I can never get enough of…
- The best gift I’ve ever received…
- My first romantic interest was…
- Advice from my parents I wish I had taken…
- I prefer the book or the movie…
- A go-to story I tell, over and over…
If you already have all your stories written down and have found photos to match but need help with your design, we are more than happy to help.
Book in a no obligation free consult to see if our bespoke design services are a good match for your needs or perhaps you would like some coaching so you can learn how to put together a design on your own?
Until next time, have a magical day!
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