How to leave a legacy

Storytelling is an art. It goes back further than the first word ever uttered; it’s an essential part of human communication and provides a chance to relive an event worth remembering. Little stories are told every day and anecdotes are scattered as we recount a funny childhood memory, an embarrassing tale or a time when we learnt the hard way.

Revealing your innermost thoughts, not only spreads your story, it also shows people exactly how you think and how you perceive a past event. Tales which those close to you have heard a thousand times can be revived in a fresh, captivating way as the written word speaks with a different voice.

Telling a story is also a fantastic way to engage our brains and is uniquely powerful when it comes to communicating with others. The way someone tells a story directly affects the way others perceive what is being said. For example, if someone gives a presentation in a monotonous, drawling fashion, the likelihood is that the listeners will tune out and not take in key information. However, if the speaker uses sumptuous metaphors such as “Her face lit up, a beacon of gold shining through the gloom and catching every whisper of dust in the air as if to say, ‘my world lights up when I’m around you’”, it is significantly more powerful than simply, “she looked up happily”.

The effects of a well-told story are bound to last a lifetime. A father reading to his children, for example, is not merely a snapshot of a happy childhood memory, it is also the way in which he tells the story that will define the way they think of the story for ever.

Have you ever thought back to a time when you shared a part of yourself? Were you happy? Did you feel closer and more bonded with the other person? If the answer is yes, that is because sharing is good for you and is scientifically proven to have a positive effect on your wellbeing. Whether sharing good or bad experiences, when you open a part of yourself to others, they can relate and bond with you on a level that is not possible when you remain at a distance.

A wonderful way to share with your family and friends is to create a memento of your life for everyone to enjoy. The process of writing an autobiography, thereby sharing and revealing more of yourself, can be a rewarding and enjoyable experience, however difficult you might usually find it to open up to others.

To help you achieve this more easily, LifeBook can bring your story to life. You, the author, will spend 20 hours telling your story through regular recorded meetings with a designated interviewer. These recordings are developed into a manuscript by a professional ghostwriter, complete with editing and review sessions along the way. A selection of your photos is added and after a final review and sign-off, the completed LifeBook is printed, section-sewn and linen-bound into beautiful hand-crafted books.

For couples who want to record their lives together, we offer the Together LifeBook made up of 30 hours of face-to-face meetings in total, split between each author, to create a two-part manuscript, which is edited by our team in the UK through consultation with both authors. 

At the end of your LifeBook journey, once your book has been printed, you and two guests (four in total in the case of couples) will enjoy receiving copies of your private autobiography in the beautiful surroundings of London Piccadilly’s Fortnum & Mason, while enjoying one of their famous afternoon teas.

What better way could there be to celebrate the conclusion of your wonderful LifeBook experience? To take advantage of this fantastic exclusive offer, simply order your LifeBook before 30th September 2017 and quote the phrase below.

AFTERNOON TEA

To start your autobiography, call us on: 0800 999 2280 or e-mail us at: digest@lifebookuk.com or visit the LifeBook website.

“Afternoon tea” offer expires on: 30/09/2017. Terms & conditions apply.