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 How to Write a Eulogy: Tips and Guidance for the Process  
Eulogies are an important part of funerals. Here are some guiding questions that will help you to write a eulogy. Answer the questions and pull the eulogy together in your own words. Each sentence leads to the next. The article explains further.

By Anthony Galindez

Eulogies are an important part of funerals. A eulogy is the most personal of emotional moments, when bereaved family and friends have the chance to reminisce lovingly about the life of the beloved deceased person to other people.

A eulogy is the chance for loved ones to speak proudly of the deceased's works, causes in which he/she believed, anecdotes that may sometimes bring sad humor to the audience, and bring the deceased to life for a few moments in the hearts of the speaker and the audience.

Unfortunately, not everyone who needs to give a eulogy has a knack for writing. Oftentimes when emotions overwhelm us, even the best writers are left with nothing to write about the deceased in their eulogy!

Here are some guiding questions that will help you to write your eulogy. All you have to do is answer these questions and pull the whole eulogy together with your own words by filling in the gaps, so that each sentence will lead to the next.

Of course, there is no need to answer all these questions. They are just guide queries to help you sift through what you want to include in your eulogy. You may also add other important points that are not found in this list of guide questions. These examples, however, are already comprehensive by themselves, and should provide a good basic structure for your eulogy.

  • 1. What is the mood or tone of your eulogy? Your eulogy's mood or emotional tone may be humorous or serious. Decide on a tone that is appropriate for the personality of the deceased in your eulogy.

  • 2. What do you want to say or mention about the deceased? What role do you want to highlight in your eulogy? (i.e., will speak of the departed as a parent, employer/employee, as a grandparent, as a child, as a colleague, as a neighbor?)

    Focus on a particular role of the deceased when writing a eulogy, so that it will have a unified theme. Focusing will also help you to personalize the eulogy more, rather than spreading yourself too thin on too many roles and becoming too impersonal in the process.

  • 3. What specific character trait, attitude, or special talent of the deceased set him apart from others representing the same role?

  • 4. Give anecdotes and instances that support your answer in question #3. In this part, it is up to the eulogy writer's creative ability to think of possible details to include and personalize the eulogy more, like the following:

    a.) If the deceased was fond of poetry, you may share his favorite poem.

    b.) If the departed was fond of telling stories, you may mention a story he used to tell.

    c.) If the deceased was a volunteer for a cause, you may mention the cause in your eulogy.

  • 5. How is the deceased related to you personally?

  • 6. How has the deceased touched your life personally? Here, if you are writing a eulogy for a parent who happens to be your neighbor, mention briefly how the deceased was as a neighbor.

  • 7. What can you never forget about the deceased? Give specific examples.

  • 8. How do you think the deceased would like to be remembered? Here, you may want to mention or recount personal conversations with the deceased.

  • 9. What do you want to say to the deceased person? This part of the eulogy may be written by the eulogy writer in the second person point of view as compared to questions 1-8, which are written in the third person.


    About the Author:

    Anthony Galindez is a webmaster, SEO, and SEO consultant. He manages several niche and directory sites including a realty directory and DNA paternity guide. Courtesy of Guide to Funerals. Article Source: 1st Rate Articles - http://1stRateArticles.com


  •   Article added 07/25/07, last revised 11/07/07.

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