A number of years ago, I ran across a website where writers and non-writers could post their stories and thoughts free of charge. Our Echo had a slogan that said "Everyone has a story." I posted regularly and found new writing friends over the several years I spent there. Like many things, we drift away. There is no longer a website manager, but people are still posting stories. It's an interesting place to visit. You'll find it at www.ourecho.com Like many sites, you do need to create an account, but it's easy and painless. If you put my name in the search box, a list of my stories will pop up.
The quote for today adds to the idea of everyone having their own story. "Everyone has gone through something that has changed them." That change can be for the better or for worse. Nearly every experience we have in life changes us in some way.
When we write a personal essay, one of the key ingredients is to show your readers how whatever you experienced affected you. How did it make you a different person than you were prior to what happened? It need not be an earthshaking change. Even a change in your attitude is fine or how you came to a new understanding.
For a writing exercise, make a list of five of your friends whom you've known for at least several years. Write a paragraph or two (or more) about each one. What is their story? How have they changed in the years you've known them? You can use family members for this exercise, too.
Famous folk have biographies written detailing their lives. Everyday people have life stories that could be of interest, too. How many of us have written about one of our parents with emotion and telling a great deal about him/her? Every member of our family has a story--your grandparents, your own parents, your siblings, cousins, and more. It's why we encourage writers and non-writers to pen those family stories.
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