Life Story
Life Story Service
Ian Handricks is introducing a new service – Personal assistance in helping you document your life story.
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Are you someone who has led an interesting life, but you're not sure how to tell your story? Perhaps you've always wanted to share your experiences with your loved ones, but you never had the time or the writing skills to do so. Maybe you have boxes of old photos and mementos gathering dust that you'd like to revisit and turn into a cherished memoir. Have you ever wished you could capture and preserve your memories and experiences for future generations to read and learn from? Whatever your reason, Ian’s new life story writing service is here to help.
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Introducing a new enterprise that will help you write your life story - a service that will type your document, scan and restore photos and memorabilia, and provide prompts and structure to your story. This is an opportunity to have your life story written with the utmost care and attention to detail, ensuring that your legacy is preserved for future generations.
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At a modest fee per hour, Ian will work with you to create a beautifully written and visually stunning document that captures the essence of your life. He understands that each person's story is unique.
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The process is simple and straightforward. First, Ian will meet with you to discuss your vision and objectives for your life story. He will then help you gather any relevant photos, documents, and memorabilia that you would like to include in your story. From there, Ian will work with you to organize and structure your story, providing prompts and guidance to help you recall important details and memories.
Ian also offers photo restoration services, ensuring that your cherished items are preserved for years to come. He has years of experience in photo restoration, and he will bring new life to old photographs.
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At the end of the process, you will have a beautiful document that tells the story of your life - one that you can share with your family and loved ones for years to come. Your story is a gift to those who come after you.
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Don't let your life story go untold. Contact Ian today to schedule a consultation and learn more about his services. He can't wait to help you create a legacy that will last for generations to come.
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An example of a life story created by Ian (his own!) can be found at:
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Bring to light the magic of your story
There are several reasons why it can be important to write your life story:
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Re-connection: Writing your life story will bring back memories, re-connect you with long lost family and friends, bring happiness when recalling the wonderful moments of joy in your life and inspire you to discuss the pivotal moments in your life that made a difference.
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Self-reflection and personal growth: Writing your life story can be a way to reflect on your experiences, both positive and negative. This process can help you gain insight into who you are, where you come from, and where you want to go in life.
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Legacy and family history: Your life story can be a valuable record of your family history and a way to pass on your legacy to future generations. Your descendants may be interested in learning about your life and the experiences that shaped you and shaped them.
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Healing and closure: Writing about difficult or traumatic experiences can be a way to process your emotions and find closure. It can also be a way to share your story with others who may be going through similar struggles.
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Inspiration and connection: Your life story may inspire others who are facing similar challenges or who have similar backgrounds. Sharing your story can also create connections with others who have had similar experiences.
Overall, writing your life story can be a powerful and meaningful way to reflect on your life, connect with others, and leave a legacy for future generations.
Getting help to write your life story can have several benefits:
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Professional Guidance: Working with a professional writer or editor, like Ian, who specializes in life stories can provide you with guidance and support in organizing your memories, developing a narrative structure, and shaping your story.
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Clarity: Writing about your life can be a daunting task, especially if you're trying to capture a lot of details and memories. Getting help can give you clarity and help you articulate your thoughts and experiences in a clear and concise way.
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Preservation: By getting help to write your life story, you are ensuring that your memories and experiences are preserved for future generations. Your story will serve as a legacy for your loved ones, giving them a glimpse into your life and the events that shaped you.
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Objectivity: Writing about your own life can be challenging because you may be too close to the subject matter to be objective. Working with a professional writer or editor can provide a fresh perspective and help you gain insights into your own experiences.
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Catharsis: Writing about your life can be a therapeutic process that can help you come to terms with past events, gain closure, and move forward. Getting help can facilitate this process and help you express your emotions and thoughts in a safe and supportive environment.
Overall, getting help to write your life story can be a valuable investment in your own personal growth and the preservation of your legacy.
Pauline Rundle
022 340 7311
The Story Teller, A testimonial
Everyone has a story; your life and experiences are unique. They are special and worth remembering. You have done things in your life that are of great interest to others even if you didn’t think so before. You are you and your story is important. Our world and our lives are changing more and more rapidly. Children’s lives today bear little resemblance to your childhood. What did you do before TV and the internet? Did you walk to school or ride a horse? In the past most families spent time on a relative’s family farm, did you? How were holidays spent? Did you run free? Or climb a tree in the backyard? How was the shopping done? What were your favourite games? Who were your best friends? How is it all so different from our busy lives today? What about those old photos, what memories do they bring back? What about your teenage years - where did you hang out, who with? Do you have family pictures? Do you want your old, damaged photos brought to life, and coloured, if you want? Getting your story down can be a hugely rewarding experience as well as a lot of fun. Many people have said it’s the best thing they’ve done as it renewed connections with friends and maybe relatives and even teachers they had lost track of over the years.
But maybe you hadn’t thought to write it down? Maybe you don’t know where to start? Let me assure you, help is at hand. Ian Handricks, Webmaster at North Shore SeniorNet wants to help you get your story done. You think you don’t have time? Ian is prepared to sit with you, work with you and get all those fragmented memories, bits of paper, old letters and notes – and photos – into a cohesive whole that you will be thrilled with. Ian is an amazing researcher. In a few minutes, with the sketchiest of information from you, Ian can give you details of your forebears and their lives that you would never have discovered on your own. He can probably find photos of your old school, where you were born, where you grew up. So many possibilities. You owe it to yourself to give it a try now before details become harder and harder to find.
I speak from experience. Ian collated an enormous amount of material for my husband’s family history, and his autobiography, and prepared them for publication online. He added many photos to the narrative which already included details of the family surviving the Great Depression. The social lives of the seven children and their parents make fascinating reading and his story, like yours will be, is a very important part of the history of our country or the country you came from. Having your story in print is an option you can choose or not. I cannot recommend Ian’s helpfulness and his work too highly.
Ian is helpful, accessible, available, extraordinarily capable in research, photo restoration and has a host of other skills. He has already helped many hundreds of families tell their own stories and many of those have proudly printed their finished work. The proof of the pudding is in the eating and I believe you should take up this offer, look at some of the books that have been printed and grab a chat with Ian as soon as you can. He works out of the SeniorNet room by the Sushi place In Shea Terrace, Takapuna.