Telling Your Story: Preserve Your History Through Storytelling by Jerry Apps

Telling Your Story: Preserve Your History Through Storytelling by Jerry Apps explores the art and craft of uncovering, writing, and sharing personal narratives. Apps provides a practical roadmap for transforming vague memories into compelling memoirs, solving the problem of lost family history and personal disconnection. It matters today as a vital tool to preserve human experiences amidst a rapidly changing, digital world,,.

Who May Benefit

• Aspiring Memoirists seeking a step-by-step guide to writing.
• Family Historians wanting to document genealogy with narrative depth.
• Seniors wishing to leave a meaningful legacy for descendants.
• Workshop Leaders teaching creative writing or oral history.
• Public Speakers looking to enhance their storytelling skills.

Top 3 Key Insights

1. Memoir Over Autobiography: Don’t try to write your entire life history; focus on specific events (memoirs) that carry deeper meaning to create a more engaging narrative,.
2. Sensory Details Matter: Good stories engage all senses—smell, touch, and sound—transporting the reader beyond mere facts to the emotional truth of the experience,.
3. The Power of “Showing”: Effective storytelling avoids abstract explanations; it uses scenes, dialogue, and action to show what happened rather than simply telling the reader,.

4 More Takeaways

• Memory Triggers Work: Sketching childhood home floor plans or mind mapping specific topics can unlock forgotten memories and details,.
• Research is Vital: Even personal stories require background research (weather, prices, news) to ensure accuracy and provide context,.
• Separate Creation from Judgment: Defeat writer’s block by allowing the “creative self” to draft freely before the “judging self” begins revision.
• Oral Storytelling nuances: Speaking on radio or TV requires a conversational tone and passion, prioritizing the story’s emotional truth over rigid scripting,.

Book in 1 Sentence

A comprehensive guide to finding, researching, writing, and sharing personal stories to preserve history and discover self-identity through narrative,.

Book in 1 Minute

Jerry Apps argues that everyone has a valuable story to tell, regardless of writing experience. He distinguishes between the dry recounting of an autobiography and the emotional resonance of a memoir, encouraging writers to focus on specific, meaningful slices of life. The book offers actionable techniques for retrieving lost memories, such as drawing childhood floor plans and listing life’s turning points.

Beyond the initial draft, Apps provides a toolkit for the craft of writing, covering character development, dialogue, and sensory details. He addresses common psychological barriers like procrastination and the inner critic, urging writers to prioritize getting the story down before perfecting it. Finally, the book extends beyond the written word, offering expert advice on sharing stories through public speaking, radio, and television, ensuring personal histories are preserved for future generations,,,.

1 Unique Aspect

Apps introduces the “House Plan” exercise, a distinctive memory trigger where writers draw the floor plan of their childhood home to vividly recall smells, feelings, and specific events associated with each room.

Chapter-wise Summary

Introduction

• “Our stories make us human, and it is through our stories that we communicate who we are to others.” • Apps introduces the concept that every person holds three worlds: the world within, the world of relationships, and the world around them. He emphasizes that personal narrative is not just for the elderly; people of all ages are now documenting their lives to understand their experiences while they are still fresh. • Key Points: * Stories connect us to the world within and around us. * Personal narrative is a uniquely energetic American trend.

Chapter 1: Why Tell Your Story?

• “Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” • The author recounts his realization at the UN that Americans often let media tell their stories rather than doing it themselves. He argues that storytelling preserves history, connects generations, and helps communities understand their identity. • Key Points: * Stories help us recall the past and face the future. * Personal stories add depth to historical records. * Writing stories uncovers personal meaning.

Chapter 2: What Is a Story?

• “A story goes somewhere… By the end it arrives at a target destination, fulfilling its reason for being told.” • Apps distinguishes a “story” from gossip, lies, or news reports. He defines a personal story as a true recount of events that includes a beginning, middle, and end, enhanced by details and meaning. • Key Points: * Stories are true recounts, not fiction. * Narratives must go beyond facts to meaning. * The writer is the main character.

Chapter 3: Ways to Tell Stories

• “Only small pieces of a life make an interesting memoir.” • This chapter clarifies the differences between reminiscence (memories), autobiography (entire life chronology), and memoir (focus on specific aspects). Apps advises beginners to avoid the overwhelming task of autobiography and focus on memoir. • Key Points: * Autobiographies cover birth to present. * Memoirs focus on specific life aspects. * Select events that hold special meaning.

Chapter 4: Memories and Memory Triggers

• “One of the most important tools in telling personal stories is memories.” • Apps provides exercises to combat “bad memory,” such as drawing childhood home floor plans, creating timelines of turning points, and using mind mapping (clustering) to brainstorm associations. • Key Points: * House plans trigger sensory memories. * Mind mapping connects disparate ideas. * Sensory triggers (smells, music) evoke recall.

Chapter 5: Research and How to Do It

• “Is it necessary to complete the research before beginning to write a story? … The process of creating a story becomes a dynamic one.” • Research fills memory gaps and adds context. Apps outlines using primary sources (diaries, interviews) and secondary sources (books, internet) to verify facts like dates, prices, and weather conditions. • Key Points: * Research ensures accuracy and adds detail. * Interview family members for primary data. * Serendipitous findings often improve stories.

Chapter 6: Journaling

• “My journals provide me with a rich source of both facts and stories about my life.” • Journaling clarifies thoughts, captures historical records, and helps determine what is important in one’s life. Apps recommends handwriting in journals to better connect with the subconscious mind. • Key Points: * Journaling clarifies feelings and solves problems. * Journals serve as historical fact-checking records. * Handwriting may boost creativity over typing.

Chapter 7: Choosing Which Stories to Tell

• “The two questions I most often hear… are: ‘What do I write about?’ and ‘How do I get started?'” • This chapter offers extensive writing prompts categorized by life stages: early years (toys, fears), teen years (first love, jobs), and adult years (career, marriage). It encourages looking for stories in ordinary moments. • Key Points: * Use chronological prompts to start. * Write about “firsts” (jobs, loves). * Focus on significant emotional moments.

Chapter 8: What Every Story Needs

• “A good story generally includes… Beginning, Middle, and End.” • Apps details the essential components of a story: structure, character development, dialogue, conflict, suspense, emotion, and theme. He emphasizes showing character through action rather than description. • Key Points: * Dialogue brings characters to life. * Conflict creates necessary suspense. * Theme provides the central message.

Chapter 9: Tips for Writing Your Story

• “I try to follow his advice… learn to listen for the quiet voices.” • Practical advice on style, including using the first-person point of view, avoiding flowery language, engaging all five senses, and maintaining honesty even when dealing with difficult topics. • Key Points: * Write in the first person (“I”). * Engage all senses, especially smell. * Be honest, even about flaws.

Chapter 10: Overcoming Blocks

• “If you are motivated to get something done, you will find time to do it.” • Apps addresses procrastination, the “judging self,” and perfectionism. He suggests techniques like timed free writing and the six-word story to bypass the internal critic and generate momentum. • Key Points: * Schedule specific writing times. * Use “free writing” to bypass judgment. * Try six-word stories to focus.

Chapter 11: Revising and Rewriting

• “You start with a block of wood and then you go looking for a duck.” • Revision is compared to woodcarving; the first draft is just the block of wood. Apps advises letting a draft rest, reading it aloud to check rhythm, and seeking feedback from writing groups or partners. • Key Points: * Let stories “ferment” before revising. * Read aloud to check rhythm. * Join writing groups for feedback.

Chapter 12: Speaking to a Live Audience

• “Telling your story to a live audience is exciting and satisfying, but for some it can be a terrifying experience.” • This chapter transitions to oral storytelling. Apps shares tips for public speaking, such as not reading from a script, engaging the audience with questions, and using visuals sparingly to enhance, not replace, the story. • Key Points: * Don’t read; tell the story. * Use visuals to enhance, not distract. * Practice in small groups first.

Chapter 13: Storytelling on Radio

• “With radio, everything depends on your voice and the words you choose to share.” • Apps discusses the intimacy of radio, advising storytellers to speak conversationally as if talking to a friend. He emphasizes the need for a clear point and vocal enthusiasm. • Key Points: * Be conversational and enthusiastic. * Avoid complicated sentence structures. * Treat the microphone like a friend.

Chapter 14: Appearing on Television

• “The viewer loves the truth… You are telling what happened; there may be some interpretation in what it meant to you.” • Television storytelling requires authenticity and passion. Apps notes that viewers connect with the emotion and “truth” of a personal account more than a dry recitation of facts. • Key Points: * Passion and emotion drive TV stories. * Do not memorize or read scripts. * Authenticity connects with viewers.

10 Notable Quotes

1. “We are our histories.”
2. “We don’t know where we’re going until we know where we’ve been.”
3. “Stories help make us human; when we forget our stories, we forget who we are.”
4. “Remembering a story is usually far easier than memorizing a list of dates, names, and places.”
5. “A personal story is true—not a product of someone’s imagination.”
6. “A story goes somewhere… By the end it arrives at a target destination.”
7. “Only small pieces of a life make an interesting memoir.”
8. “You start with a block of wood and then you go looking for a duck.”
9. “If you can’t tell me what your book is about in a sentence or two, you don’t know what it’s about.”
10. “There are no wrong answers. Whatever someone asks you, you’re the one who knows the answer.”

About the Author

Jerry Apps is a Professor Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and a prolific author of more than fifty books, including novels, children’s books, and nonfiction works on rural history. Born in 1934 and raised on a Wisconsin farm without electricity, Apps has dedicated his career to preserving rural heritage and teaching creative writing. He is a Fellow of the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters and has received the Major Achievement Award from the Council for Wisconsin Writers. His work extends to television, where he has created documentaries for PBS,.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the difference between an autobiography and a memoir? An autobiography covers an entire life chronologically, while a memoir focuses on a specific aspect, theme, or period of a life,.
2. How can I remember childhood events if my memory is poor? Use triggers like drawing your childhood home’s floor plan, visiting old neighborhoods, or listening to music from that era,.
3. Should I worry about grammar in the first draft? No. Write the story all the way through without stopping to correct spelling or grammar; save the “judging” for the revision phase.
4. Can I write about family members who might be offended? You must decide carefully. You can change names to protect privacy or choose to omit certain details to avoid embarrassment.
5. Is it okay to use a computer for journaling? Yes, but Apps recommends handwriting because it connects the mind and subconscious differently than typing.
6. How do I handle conflicting family memories? Acknowledge that everyone remembers differently. You are entitled to your own memory of the event and its personal meaning.
7. What is the best point of view for a personal story? Use the first person (“I”). Avoid third person (“George did this”) or second person (“You”), as they create distance or confusion.
8. How much research do I really need for a personal story? Enough to ensure accuracy of background details (dates, prices, weather) and to provide context for the reader,.
9. Should I read my story word-for-word when presenting to an audience? No. Reading prevents engagement. Know your story well enough to tell it conversationally with eye contact and gestures.
10. What if I don’t have a “perfect” writing space? While a dedicated space is nice, you can write anywhere. The key is carving out consistent time, even just 15 minutes a day,.

How to Use This Book

Use the memory exercises in Chapter 4 (drawing house plans, mind mapping) to immediately generate content. Treat the book as a manual: draft freely using the prompts in Chapter 7, then use the revision checklist in Chapter 11 to polish your work. Finally, use the public speaking tips to share your legacy.

Conclusion

Your story is a unique piece of history that only you can tell. By documenting your experiences, you preserve a legacy for future generations and discover deeper meaning in your own life. Start writing today—your history depends on it.