Having the Last Say: Capturing Your Legacy in One Small Story

Renowned writing coach Alan Gelb shows baby boomers how to create “last says”—short personal narratives that serve as a powerful form of life review.
 
As the baby-boomer generation ages, its members are looking ahead to the biggest challenge of all: making sense of life in its third act. Having the Last Say takes life review out of the realm of memoir writing and journaling—making the rich and timeless tradition of authentic storytelling accessible to those who have never considered themselves “writers.” In creating “legacies” in the form of short personal narratives, you will have the opportunity to reflect on the people, actions, and events that have shaped your life and your values, and to share these stories with those who matter most. Gelb's reassuring and straightforward advice will help you every step of the way, from identifying an engaging topic to employing creative writing techniques to construct a compelling story.

• Handling the Truth: On the Writing of Memoir
• Old Friend from Far Away: The Practice of Writing Memoir
• Writing Your Legacy: The Step-by-Step Guide to Crafting Your Life Story
• You Can't Make This Stuff Up: The Complete Guide to Writing Creative Nonfiction--from Memoir to Literary Journalism and Everything in Between
• The Memoir Project: A Thoroughly Non-Standardized Text for Writing & Life
• Writing About Your Life: A Journey into the Past
• Writing as a Way of Healing: How Telling Our Stories Transforms Our Lives
• Writing Life Stories: How To Make Memories Into Memoirs, Ideas Into Essays And Life Into Literature
• On the Brink of Everything: Grace, Gravity, and Getting Old
• Writing the Memoir: From Truth to Art, Second Edit