We spend many, many hours at home. Understandably, our most vivid memories are of homes we have lived in and the events that took place in them. For this reason, recalling the homes from your life may be an easy way to begin your memoir writing experience.

It is important to write, not just think, about your past. The process of writing has an almost magical effect on the memory. As you write your stories, you will recall more stories and more details about your life. You will think of questions to ask relatives. Often, story ideas come to mind faster than you can write them down.

Begin by making a list of all the homes you have lived in. Include addresses, phone numbers, and dates if you can recall them. Don't forget the home you live in now.

For some people, a home that was not your own may also be important. For example, one woman wrote stories about her grandparents' home because she had spent so many memorable summers there as a child. Another practically lived with a friend's family as a teenager because her life in her own home was so stressful. If you spent time in homes that were not your own, list them too. Don't forget to list the places you lived that weren't actually houses: military barracks, student housing or dorm, boarding house, etc.

Now you are ready to begin. Choose one of the homes you listed and create an "annotated floor plan" of your home. You don't have to be an artist. This is simply an exercise to help you recall what living in this home was like. Of course, you can later incorporate the floor plan into your memoirs. It will really give your reader a feel for what this place was like. Here is an example of a roughly sketched annotated floor plan:

Some ideas for annotations:

• Include special furniture (for example, my dad had a reclining chair—it was his chair, and everyone knew it).
• Where did the family spend most of its time together? Living room? Den?
• Where did you do your homework (if this is a childhood home)?
• Were there formal and informal dining areas? Who sat where at the table?
• What kinds of appliances were used? TV? Radio?
• Where was laundry done? Where were the storage areas?
• What kind of curtains were there? Wallpaper?
• What could you see out the front window?

We usually have more photographs taken in our homes than in any other place. Look past the people in those photos and you will see many objects that will also kindle memories. (See "Write the Stories Behind Your Photos.")

Use a notebook or file folders to organize your writing activities. Create a separate folder or section of your notebook for each home you lived in. File your stories, vignettes, and captioned photos in these sections until you have a collection which you can compose into a book or incorporate into your memoirs.

Don't worry whether your writing is interesting enough—it is. I have listened to countless readings of reminiscences, and I am always drawn into the story—whether it is written "well" or not. There is so much heart and soul placed in these stories that an uninteresting one would be quite rare. And never worry that your family won't appreciate your work. Think about how wonderful it would be to have your grandparents' stories written in their own hand! Yours will be no less cherished.