The passing of a loved one is a sad occasion, but it is also an opportunity to celebrate their life and the impact they have had on those who are left behind. Obituary writing can be a difficult job when a funeral home or obituary writing service is used.
Let's first understand what an obituary is:-
Also known as the death notice, an obituary is a written death announcement of someone you know. It’s not a compulsory thing to be done, but it often helps you let society know about the deceased person. It also helps you tell people about the funeral information and other related information.
You must put thoughts and efforts into constructing the obituary correctly. Here are some simple obituary writing examples steps you can follow:-
1. Decide what should be included in the obituary
The content matters the most in obituary writing examples – you have to be precise yet ensure that the information is conveyed with proper emotions. The expected points that need to be covered are the cause of the death, a little information about the deceased person’s life, funeral information, and mention of their left-behind family. Keep these in mind when you start the obituary writing process.
2. Decide how the obituary should be shared.
Nowadays, sharing things over social media has become a popular thing. Though often shared in newspapers, an obituary can also now be shared online. Based on your preferences, you need to decide where you wish to share the news. If many people know the deceased person, newspapers can be the best option. Otherwise, social media platforms enable you to get the news to people worldwide.
3. Read through obituaries already written for reference.
If you have never done obituary writing before, you might feel a little stressed about doing it. One of the best ways to get rid of that stress is to see if you can find online obituary examples for references. It will help you understand the general format of an obituary. You can always change things around and add more points that you think should be included. Looking through existing ones will give you insight and help you get started with obituary writing on your own.
4. Have a chat with the person’s close friends and family members.
Another good way to ensure that the obituary is perfect is to talk to the deceased person’s close family and friends. That way, you can be assured that you have added all the necessary details. If you are affected, take the time to let yourself process the situation and then start the obituary writing process. Think about what you wish should be written, and then write down the essential points. This prior planning will make the process smoother and easier to do.
5. Personalize obituary writing with raw emotions.
An obituary is best written when the grief is still fresh in your mind. This way, you won’t struggle to write something directly from your heart and is filled with sincerity. The best obituary will showcase the person’s life achievements in detail to know about them. It also is filled with emotions and showcases the loss of their family left behind.
6. Spend the time to pick the best photo possible.
If you have seen obituaries online, you must have noticed that they have at least one picture of the deceased person. You must also take your time to pick a good photo for the obituary you write. You don’t need to pick a picture of them in formal attire or with a stern look. Instead, choose a photo that displays their personality well. You can add more than one photo, but adding at least one is a common practice.
7. Ensure to proofread and then ask someone else to do the same.
Obituary writing can be perfected by reading through what you write a couple of times. Proofreading is a significant step in any writing process and should not be avoided for obituaries. You can also get others to read through what you have written. Family members of the deceased person especially can read and let you know if any important details are missing.
8. Learn about the submission process to make the obituary live.
Once you are sure that the obituary writing process is completed, it’s time to publish it on decided streams. Newspapers generally have a proper procedure that you need to follow to submit. For online publication, choose which social media accounts you want to use. You can also ask for help from your funeral home to help make the obituary live.
Conclusion:-
Obituary writing example might seem complicated, but the above-discussed simple steps will help you get it done. Hopefully, now you know exactly what an obituary is and how to write one if you have never done it before. Thus, you should now be able to write an excellent obituary for your loved one as well.
