Mark Anderson
National biographer StoryTerrace reveals that nearly 5 million Brits want to write their own book in 2021.
This week saw thousands of shops reopen across the nation after months of lockdown restrictions. While pubs and restaurants enjoyed a warm welcome as people were eager to return as soon as possible, bookshops also saw a significant number of people come through the door. As the nation turned to literary activities during the past year as we spent more time than ever at home, it comes as little surprise that people are wanting to maintain their engagement with reading as restrictions begin to ease.
While reading was a popular lockdown pastime, this also translated into an uptick in writing – whether that be novels, short stories, memoirs or biographies. Leading national biographer StoryTerrace found that nearly 1 million Brits wrote their own book in 2020, and nearly 5 million want to do so in 2021. Although this surge in literary interest was catalysed by lockdown, this has evidently extended beyond the hands of the pandemic, continuing as we begin to return to normality.
Rutger Bruining, Founder and CEO of StoryTerrace, discusses the nation’s priorities as we gradually come out of lockdown:
“Lockdown has been a really tough time for the nation, and it is really pleasing to see so many people safely return to the activities we have been unable to engage with for so long. Although the nation are of course keen to return to hospitality venues such as pubs and restaurants, it was pleasing to see so many also browsing books shops this week. These literary pastimes have now taken a more permanent place in our lives as millions of people across the nation plan to continue them post-lockdown.
During 2020, we saw a dramatic increase in the number of people discovering the benefits of literary activities – especially biography writing. Writing your life story or penning memoirs yields a whole host of mental health benefits which has been particularly important during the pandemic. I hope that people continue to engage with the literary world as begin to return to normality over the coming weeks, especially in light of the wellbeing benefits they can offer.
At StoryTerrace, we saw so many people who have documented their life story become less isolated during the past year, having been imbued with a renewed desire to maintain and develop their personal relationships with family and friends. I think this is something that will make us appreciate our family and friends even more as we finally say goodbye to a year of isolation.”
About StoryTerrace
StoryTerrace helps people to turn their life story into a book. The company takes care of the whole process – matching clients with one of their 600 professional writers, interviews, photo gathering, editing, design and printing. Books are on average 100 pages long, meaning that everyone can have their life story – or the life stories of their loved ones – documented in a professionally curated autobiography, biography, or series of memoirs.
