Introduction; STEP ONE HOW TO BEGIN; 1. Who do you think you are?; Introducing yourself to your future readership; What exactly should you say?; Why you are writing this; Summary; STEP TWO USING THE POWER OF MEMORY; 2. Do you remember when?; Using memories to write your life story; Your first memory; Triggers to help release early memories; Triggers for later memories; How to use your memories in your life story; Summary; STEP THREE HOW TO START YOUR RESEARCH; 3. Researching the spoken word; Talking to living relatives; What to put in - and what leave out; If your parents have died...; How to find relatives and friends to talk to; Summary; 4. Researching written records; Tracing your ancestors; Not forgetting these written sources...; How to use this material; Summary; STEP FOUR DIFFERENT WAYS OF STRUCTURING YOUR LIFE STORY; 5. How to structure your life story: chronologically; Using the simple chronological approach; How to start; The early years; Getting bigger; The teenage years; Young adult; Middle years; Later years; Conclusion of your life story; Summary; 6. How to structure your life story by using specific timespans; Advantages of this method; Disadvantages of this method; I'll never forget the day/week/month/year/when...;Summary; 7. Where were you when...? The Death of Diana, Princess of Wales, 1997; 9/11; The Queen's Coronation 1953; 7/7; Summary; 8. Desert Island Discs method; How to start...; Piece of music; Advantages of the Desert Island Discs format; Disadvantages of the Desert Island Discs format; Summary; 9. You've got a first!; How to start; My first...; Summary; 10. Places I have lived in...; Guidelines; Case studies; Summary; 11. Quirky ways of telling your life story that you might not have thought about; Recording on tape; Telling your life story in the third person; Summary; STEP FIVE HOW TO MAKE YOUR LIFE STORY STAND OUT WITH PICTURES, COLOURS AND SMELLS, ETC.; 12. Pictures; Using pictures to add interest; Summary; 13. Noises, smells, colours; Bringing the senses alive; How to use this; Summary; STEP SIX HOW TO PROVIDE A CONTEMPORARY FEEL TO YOUR LIFE STORY; 14. Fads, gadgets and innovations; Fads; Gadgets and innovations; Traditions; What we didn't have - and how we managed without!; Summary; 15. Making a song and dance!; How to use them; Dance/theatre; Television programmes; My favourite book was...; Summary; 16. How much did that cost?; Old and new money; STEP SEVEN BRINGING THE REST OF THE WORLD INTO YOUR LIFE STORY; 17. Writing a timeline; How to start; How to find out the answers; Summary; STEP EIGHT HOW TO END YOUR LIFE STORY - AND MAKE SURE THAT IT DOESN'T HURT ANYONE (INCLUDING YOURSELF); 18. How to end your story when you're still alive!; A summing-up; A profile; A spiritual summing-up; Lessons in life; Sayings; Poems; Message for future generations; My hopes for the future; It's your funeral!; Good advice; 19. Ouch! The importance of thinking about other people's feelings; 20. Writing a life story for someone else; How to go about it; Writing a life story as a commission; Cost; Summary; STEP NINE HOW TO PRESENT YOUR LIFE STORY AND GET IT PUBLISHED; 21. Presentation and getting it printed; Presentation; Bound copies; Is my life story good enough to be sold in a bookshop?; How to contact an agent and/or publisher; Self-publishing Magazines; 22. Problems and solutions when writing your life story; STEP TEN STILL STUCK? TRIED AND TESTED REMEDIES; 23. Writer's block; Still stuck? More tips to help you write your life story; Stories to inspire you; Useful contacts.