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If you’re not already writing your autobiography—start. As a future (or present) world-renowned writer, it’ll come in handy someday.

The more we write the less we die.

Writing your story is productive, flexing those synapses with on-hand experiences and memories, centering you with who you are and where you are. After all, the more you you can bring to the writing table—in all cases—the better.

I like to have a Scrivener* project called “Autobiography” open in the background at all times.** This program allows me to add new sections in a way that lets me easily pickup where I left off on any given story.

For example, the other day something reminded me of “Ice Fishing.” I switched to Scrivener, hit return to create a new scene, typed “Ice Fishing,” added a quick synopsis: “family goes ice-fishing/I steal dad’s truck/they forget fishing licenses/come home/APB put out for my arrest.”

Now I have something interesting to write about next time I’m blocked, or bored writing some article for an online writing site.

While recounting one story, it inevitably evokes memories of other events, which then get their own scenes. Scrivener also allows one to easily organize their life into chapters; a three-act structure; or twelve-step program.

When all is lived and done, I can drag the sections in whatever order I choose via the handy index card mode, then print out an industry-standard-formatted manuscript, ebook, or even PDF fit for print.

Of course, this could all be done by saving text files to folders and doing all the work manually. This is simply a method that is working for me.

If your experience turns out to be anything like mine, not only will you find some catharsis in your own pages—you’ll find that your life is far more interesting than previously believed.

*Use code “ONEWORD” to get a 20% discount on Scrivener through February 2011. I don’t get anything from this, by the way, just the warm feeling of sharing an awesome piece of software with you all!

**I also use and recommend Dropbox which provides redundant off-site backups and universal access.