The Importance Of Writing One’s History Or Life Story.

‘Until the lion learns how to write, every  story  will glorify the hunter’   is a well-known African proverb which  can be interpreted as ‘Until  the lion tells his side of the story, the tale of the hunt will always glorify the hunter’.  Another saying worthy of mention is that there are always two sides to every story. Some would argue that there are three sides, the left, the right and the in-between (a form of compromise).

Having recently attended yet another book launch of someone’s autobiography in this case Lloyd Blake at the Legacy Centre in Birmingham it made me start to think even more about the importance of documenting our life stories which most people tend not to do.  I also attended the launch of Bill Brown’s autobiography earlier this year and read his compelling story, proof-read Steve Stevenson autobiography and that of Moira Morgan in Jamaica and wrote  Maxie Hayles autobiography.

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With that in mind, my intention is to devote this article to the importance that needs to be attached to the art of writing so one’s history can be recorded for posterity.

From way back in time the Egyptians used hieroglyphics to communicate which formed part of the dawn of civilization. Some of those were not actual words but images which were still able to tell a story.  Word of mouth does not in the medium or long term convey what others need to know and remember. That makes it more pertinent and important that we write, write and write as much as possible. It is certainly a legacy for us to pass on to present and future generations.

Autobiographies to name a few such as those of Barack Obama, the late Jessye Norman one of the world’s greatest opera singers and  Nelson Mandela show the human side, frailties and struggles that they had to overcome  as life for no one is ever smooth sailing. There are always obstacles, barriers and hurdles to navigate in order to accomplish goals as trials and tribulations are indeed a way of life.

Writing of its own accord is cathartic in that it jogs the memory and takes one back to happy as well as sad times. Writing ones thoughts down and even reading them afterward silently or aloud can end up being therapeutic and act as an enabling process. I subscribe wholeheartedly to the proverbial adage that ‘The pen is mightier than the sword’ and although the Kindle books and other electronic books are a modern technology tool used more often these days for reading my preference still remains being able to turn the pages of a book at any time. Probably I might be considered ‘old school’ in that regard but it is always what I have been used to so call me old-fashioned!!!

Others have periodically asked me to be the ghostwriter for their planned autobiography but I have politely turned down these requests due to a busy schedule. My advice is not to give up finding someone who has the time to assist you in that regard. One often has heard it said how busy one is once retired, and I can certainly vouch for that expressed viewpoint.

Neither do I have any plans to write an autobiography although many people have urged me to do so. I love writing but will limit my skills in that department  to articles in journals, newspapers, magazines, social media websites and of course this online  www.caribdirect.com 

However, do not let me put you off your creative writing skills as this is meant to encourage others to put pen to paper so to speak and document their life story for present and future generations to benefit from what they have read.  What a boring world this would be if books were not written over the centuries for us to read, digest and when necessary, put into action the ideas mentioned in them. We have certainly moved on from papyrus, slates, exercise books, note-pads,  airmail letters, etc. to all these modern technological inventions,  there is no excuse not to fine-tune this aspect of creativity.

I always had a flair for writing from primary school days which continued at Mico Teachers’ College in Kingston, where I specialized in English and immersed myself in literature at that institution, of mainly Caribbean and African authors and poets.  That was a real eyeopener as prior to that the Cambridge General Certificate in Education commonly referred to as GCE ‘O’ (ordinary) and ‘A’ (advanced) levels were set and marked in England.  The syllabus in Jamaica back then and for that matter the entire Caribbean was all about for example Shakespeare, Wordsworth, Shelley, Keats, Thomas Hardy, George Elliot, Geoffrey Chaucer. So, it was indeed a breath of fresh air to be introduced to an array of Caribbean writers and poets such as George Lamming, Jean DaCosta, Louise Bennett, Dennis Scott, Derek Walcott, E.R. Braithwaite, Claude McKay and V.S. Naipaul to name a few. The Caribbean region has now moved on to having and rightly so its own Caribbean Examination Council which the students are better able to relate to.

Historians document happenings and events for others to read and digest and as someone who always loved reading books from an early age and being a wordsmith, lover of language and playing the word game Scrabble staying up until the wee hours of the morning whilst living in Havendale, Kingston competing with others’ lives in my memory bank.

I have never been in favour of examinations which require multiple choice answers as much prefer the creative mind developing a theme, plot, sub-plot, concept and characters whether fictional or non-fictional and in the process keeping the reader enthralled, entertained, mesmerized or scared as they turn each page to find out what happens next.

Whilst on this all-important subject of writing, I take great exception to seeing autobiographies of so-called celebrities who have not even lived the university of life having launched their second or sometimes third autobiography all in the name of making a fast buck!!! Those I would never buy let alone read.

So, whether it is poems, letters, short stories, plays, film scripts, essays, lyrics for songs or autobiographies, give it a try as not everyone is destined to win the Nobel, Turner or Booker prize for literature. The satisfaction of discovering or re-discovering one’s ability to write can never be underestimated. It certainly fills me with enormous pleasure when readers feedback saying how much they have enjoyed reading particular articles that I have written and how they have learnt so much from them.