Two of our favorite apps do all the work when it comes to connecting with loved ones. Check out these digital tools designed to share (and preserve) the joys of everyday life.
One of the most common concerns we hear from prospective clients is that first-person writing seems intimidating, maybe even overwhelming. And one of our most common responses is to break a project down into bite-size pieces. Think specific, and think small!
Many writing coaches recommend starting with single moments. Instead of thinking, How can I possibly write the whole history of my family? ask yourself, What’s my first memory of my grandmother? Instead of feeling paralyzed by the idea of writing a memoir, ask yourself, What do I remember about my childhood bedroom? How about the first date I went on with my husband? The key is to start small and build from there. Eventually, you’ll see the shape of a larger story emerging.
Want a quick taste of how the process works its magic? Just because Remarkable Life Memoirs is book-oriented doesn’t mean you have to write a book to tell your story! You should preserve memories in ways that work for you. To do that, you sometimes have to think outside the book!
Luckily, in today’s tech-obsessed age, there are tons of digital strategies for the reluctant personal historian. Here are two of our favorite smartphone apps to connect, preserve, and remember—and maybe get that memoir started after all.
1SE lets you take a video every day, then edits one second of each clip together to make a chronological video story just for you. We love this app, because it reflects our number one piece of advice—beginning with manageable pieces of storytelling. Document one second every day, and at the end of a month, or a year, you’ve created a beautiful life narrative. (This can be a great option for kids, showing them how consistent work in tiny increments really adds up.) A few of our friends have tried out the app, and the finished products are delightful (and occasionally hilarious)!
Postagram allows you to upload a photo (or use one from your existing camera roll), which is then turned into a physical postcard and sent to whomever you’d like. As we mentioned the other day on our Facebook page, we’ve experienced a newfound love for the Post Office in this pandemic era. There’s something about exchanging snail mail with someone you can’t see in person—reading their handwriting, appreciating their stationary—that you simply don’t get from a text or an email. And postcards are special! They’re meant to be displayed, so they become tiny personalized gifts reminding the recipient that you’re thinking of them. There’s never been a time where we’ve appreciated the real and the tactile as much as we do now, so take advantage of it by using your mailbox (or, as we like to think of it lately, our portal to the outside world).
We love how these apps help you both document your life and share it. Keep it simple, and keep it small! Try them out, and let us know what you think!