EXERCISE IX.A
I WANT THE WORLD TO KNOW
* Think first about what you want to say in an obituary. What do you want other people to
know about your loved one? Do you want to write about only the facts and details of your
loved one's life, or do you want to present a more intimate view that tells others who the
deceased was in your life and what your loved one meant to others?
* Look through obituaries in your local newspaper. Get a sense of how they read, the sorts of
things people write about their losses, and how reading them makes you feel.
* Begin with the basics of any biography-dates, places, and other important details that record
a life and death.
1.
Name of your loved one:
2.
Birth date:
3.
Place of birth:
4.
Place of death:
5.
Other important details that should be recorded as part of this obituary. (This
may include marriages, births, and achievements.)
6.
Write the obituary.
Date of death:
EXERCISE IX.B
A 10-MINUTE BIOGRAPHY
1. Take a few minutes to think about how to write this biography, and what aspect of your
loved one's life to focus on:
 Entire life
 Career choices
 Family influences
 Childhood history
 Adolescence
 Early adulthood
 School years
 Relationships
 Shaping incidents
 Other:
2. Spend the next 10 minutes writing a biography of your loved one's life from the perspective
you've chosen. You may write about all of these if you wish.
3. What does the biography you've written say about you-the way you feel, and the way you
see your loved one, today?
4. What most influenced your choice of biography?
5. If you wrote another biography, would it be different? Would you focus on the same
material, or would you choose another slice of your loved one's life?
Remember to bring the completed worksheet to your next appointment.