1 | Week In Review

Sour Sentiment May Be Ignoring The Fundamentals

A decent jobs report and sound fundamentals didn’t buoy investor sentiment as the fear and greed index dove. What’s next for the global economy? Annex Wealth Management’s Dave Spano and Derek Felske discuss.

2 | Poll

Why Do Some Women Start Planning Their Financial Future Later Than They Should?

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prosperitythinkers.com/personal-finance/women-and-wealth-prosperity/  

3 | Client Exclusive

How To Write An Autobiography

It’s time to tell your story

As you get older, you may find yourself telling and retelling entertaining stories that helped shape who you are. Have you ever considered writing those stories down? Maybe the world would like to read your autobiography.

An autobiography is defined as “the biography of a person narrated by that person: a usually written account of a person’s life in their own words”. A closer look at the word reveals Greek root words: auto-, meaning “self”, bio- meaning “life”, and finally graph-, which means “written.” Put them all back together and you get a story that is written by a person about his or her own life.

Autobiographies are often confused with a memoir, which is more about the emotions of the story and can take focus on others rather than the author themself. Autobiographies are meant to be factual, chronological retellings of one’s life.

Why People Write Autobiographies

You’ve spent a good amount of your life saving and preserving wealth so it can be enjoyed by your family and descendants. Consider using the same principle with your personal story.

You may have worked hard to preserve some key parts of your life for your family. Perhaps there’s a family cottage, a travel destination, or special event you all enjoy. An autobiography is your chance to preserve your voice and the details of their life for future generations.

You may realize that your descendants may have heard your stories, but struggle with the context (that college story about winning the phonebooth-packing contest may sound entirely foreign to a teenager). In your autobiography, you tell the story. You can set the stage, from the era of the story to the technology you had available, to the clothes you wore and how you approached life at that age.

Autobiographies In All Shapes And Sizes

You may have a specific type of autobiography in mind as you consider the project. Consider starting your research by taking a look at what others have done.

In November of 2021, Readers’ Digest compiled a list of what they consider to be the top 20 autobiographies of all time. Some of the books that made the cut were The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin, The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank, and Chronicles, Volume 1 by Bob Dylan, among 17 others.

Because everyone’s story is so unique, the voice and style of storytelling is often just as unique. For example, two great autobiographical examples of story and voice are Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen and Bossypants by Tina Fey. You’ll find both truly enjoyable stories about two very different people.

Your life is just as unique, especially if you work to express your personal voice. Take another look at your favorite autobiographies. Consider the voice and style that drew you to those books, and how you can implement those elements in your own story.

The Challenges (And Benefits) Of Writing

Being a writer is almost never an easy task. Since you’ll be telling your own story, you may find it easier to know what to write about – but still hard to get words on the page.

Some authors use dictation to get started. They’ll use technology – from the voice recorder on their phone to dictation software that immediately transcribes your spoken voice into words.

The good news for you is that for many writers, the biggest struggle is determining what to write and where to take your characters and plot. Since you’re writing about yourself, you don’t have to worry about coming up with a story. You have lived it. Now, you get to be both the author AND the main character.

Back in January we shared a piece on the benefits of writing, found here. Make sure to give that article a read, but a couple of the key points are that it reduces stress and helps you slow down. These reasons can be the first step to getting those creative juices flowing!

Getting Started

Thinking methodically and creatively at the same time can be taxing. You might feel paralyzed on what to do first. Here are some pointers on how to get your autobiography going:

• Think about your entire life and make a list. What happened? It could be big things, or even seemingly small things; accidents to special events, and everything in between! Also make a list of the people who were around for these things, but more on that in the next point. Make sure to add some notes for each item in your lists as you remember them, and then once you have what you consider to be a substantial encapsulation you can start making a plan!
• Hold meetings and gather as much information as possible. Give yourself lots of time to talk to friends and relatives, and to acquire tangible items, like photos, souvenirs, videos, and personal mementos. These will help to bring back memories and extract stories that can be implemented in the overall work.
• Take plenty of notes and start writing! Now is the time to put together your story. Try waiting until you have most of the body drafted before you write the first chapter; that way you will have a better idea of what the overall tone will be of your narrative. Use those perspectives you received from friends and family to add depth and keep it exciting.

It’s key to remember that there is no standard timeline or structure for writing an autobiography. Go at your own pace and make sure you’re telling your story the way you want it to be told.

Getting Published

Once your story is ready to be shared, the next step is to publish. Simply put, there are two options: traditional publishing or self-publishing. We live in a time where it’s never been easier to print a book, but harder to publish one. This shouldn’t deter you from getting your autobiography published though.

The pros to having a traditional publisher include gaining more exposure, having a team of professionals take on the editing, proofreading, and designing of your book, and should your manuscript be accepted, there’s no out-of-pocket expenses.

There are also pros to self-publishing, which involve the fact that anyone can do it, over whatever amount of time they’d like, and should they make money off their book, they get 100% of the profit.

Of course, there are cons to either option, like how difficult it is to land a book deal with a publisher, and self-publishing requires you to do everything. Find what fits within your means and motivations, and you’ll be best suited to get your story out there.

Even if you don’t want to go through the hassle of officially publishing your autobiography, simply having a printed, bound copy provides a special opportunity to share your personal story with friends and family.

You now have the steps to get started on writing your autobiography. What’s keeping you from telling your story?

Have an idea you’d like us to write about, or a story to share? Send us an email at cl************@*********th.com

Sources

https://academichelp.net/creative-writing/write-autobiography.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autobiography

https://historyofinformation.com/detail.php?entryid=4842

https://www.rd.com/list/best-autobiographies/

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/autobiography

https://laughplayread.wordpress.com/2014/02/21/greek-and-latin-root-words/#:~:text=Auto%E2%80%93%20is%20the%20Greek%20root,is%20written%20about%20a%20life.

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Confessions

https://jerryjenkins.com/how-to-publish-a-book/

4 | Did You Know?

Limited Video Series: Moving In Retirement

Education is an important part of our relationship with you. We always want to help you better understand your finances and what it takes to get to your goals and dreams.

In the past, we’ve offered a seminar called Moving in Retirement, focusing on understanding all the complexities that come with the transition in and through retirement. There are lots of important questions to ask yourself as you prepare, such as ‘who do you want to be in retirement’ and ‘what do you want’.

We’ve put together a limited video series talking more about the intricacies of moving locations after you retire, and all that is involved.

Check out our three-episode series HERE, hosted by our own Deanne Phillips and Tom Parks. Watch them all, or space them out, but they’ll be here for you when you need the information.

5 | Ask Annex

“What about the Multiply By 25 Rule? What’s that?”

– Susan

“401(k) or HSA?”

– Mike

“It was suggested I look at an in-service rollover of my 401(k) to an IRA. I’m 61 and plan on working until 65. Does that make any sense?”

– Steven

This week’s Ask Annex response was prepared by Wealth Manager, Randy Winkler, CFP®:

6 | Financial Fact

In 2020, Russia’s oil reserves amounted to 14.8 billion metric tons, accounting for over 6% of global petroleum reserves.

Statista.com

7 | Annex Radio

Events & Webinars

Annex Wealth Management has always been committed to client growth and education. Planning and saving can be demanding. We’ve found that when our clients master key concepts, it often enhances working together to reach their goals. Because these are not sales presentations, our clients benefit from a truly informative experience.