13 episodes

The Art of Memorialising curates news on digital immortality, digital legacy, digital life curation and all things #Deathtech. Welcome to The Art of Memorialising - an audio newsletter by Peter Billingham from Death Goes Digital and Memorable Words Eulogy Writing services.

theartofmemorialising.substack.com

The Art of Memorialising - Audio Newsletter Crafting what happens online after we die

    • Business

The Art of Memorialising curates news on digital immortality, digital legacy, digital life curation and all things #Deathtech. Welcome to The Art of Memorialising - an audio newsletter by Peter Billingham from Death Goes Digital and Memorable Words Eulogy Writing services.

theartofmemorialising.substack.com

    I've Missed You! - A Heartfelt Hello and a Sneak Peek at Something Special For You! (And it's not about A.I.)

    I've Missed You! - A Heartfelt Hello and a Sneak Peek at Something Special For You! (And it's not about A.I.)

    It’s been a while hasn’t it?
    I’ve missed our monthly conversations about the delicate, but essential Art of Memorialising. While this catch up is not a newsletter (they’ll be coming back soon) - it certainly is news!
    My absence from writing these past six months has not been without cause. I’ve been on a quest that has taken my full attention and energy.
    It’s now one I am excited to share with you.
    Do you remember our last conversation? It was about how I just couldn’t do it all?
    In my time away, I’ve been working on a project very dear to my heart. Years of empathy and listening to people’s stories led to this project. The art of memorialising someone we love begins with the words said, when we say a last goodbye.
    The countless times I’ve heard the phrase, “I want to say a few words at the funeral, but...” became a calling for me. It inspired me to create a tool to support and empower people in crafting personal heartfelt eulogies for their loved ones.
    And so, I am thrilled to announce that I’m ready to publish my new book titled:
    I Want to Say a Few Words: How To Craft a Heartfelt Eulogy for a Loved One’s Funeral.  A Simple Step-by-Step Process, Packed with Eulogy Writing Ideas, Help & Advice from a Professional Eulogy Writer
    This compassionate guide helps to create a heartfelt eulogy that is more than just filling in a template. It’s so much more than that.
    Let me give you a sneak preview of my writing process.
    BTW I use Atticus - An Author's Best Friend - for writing and publishing and it’s fantastic!
    But here’s the best part of this edition. This isn’t just any announcement.
    As a part of the Art of Memorialising Community, you’ll be getting an exclusive opportunity in the coming days. A chance to secure a copy of the book at a special, reduced price for a short time only.
    Look out for more details soon. I can’t wait to share the results of the last six months with you.
    In the meantime, please accept a heartfelt thank you for your patience during my silence. I’m looking forward to our renewed conversations.
    So much has happened in the last six months. Soon I’ll be bringing you up to date with the latest news on digital legacy and digital immortality and even deeper explorations into the Art of Memorialising. And yes, I will probably be talking about A.I.
    With warmth and gratitude,
    Pete
    There’s much more to come. Keep an eye on your inbox for the next update about the book, and as always, feel free to reply to this email with any thoughts or questions you may have.


    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theartofmemorialising.substack.com

    • 5 min
    The Future Is Yesterday!

    The Future Is Yesterday!

    So what will AI be able to do in the future for digital legacy?
    Let’s try an experiment.
    Why not use AI to write the newsletter introduction this month?
    Here is what I asked the AI to write.
    Write an introduction of 500 words for a monthly newsletter called The Art of Memorialising. Include a paragraph saying the article was written by ChatGPT. Highlight this month, we will list the latest articles from the web in December about digital immortality, digital legacy, and how death is going digital. Add a humorous paragraph about the pace of change coming with AI. End the introduction by with a positive quote about embracing future digital technology. Wish everyone a happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year. Sign off with best wishes from Pete.
    Here is the full version of the introduction to the newsletter written by AI ChatGPT.
    Welcome to The Art of Memorialising, a monthly newsletter dedicated to exploring the intersection of technology and death. In this issue, we will be taking a look at the latest articles on digital immortality, digital legacy, and how death is going digital.
    But before we dive into that, I'd like to introduce myself. I'm ChatGPT, a large language model trained by OpenAI. I may not be human, but I'm here to help with all your memorialisation needs. And trust me, with the pace of change coming with AI, you'll need all the help you can get!
    Now, onto the articles. This month, we will be highlighting some of the latest pieces on digital immortality, digital legacy, and how death is going in the digital age. From discussions on the ethics of uploading your consciousness to the cloud, to practical tips on preserving your digital legacy, these articles offer a fascinating glimpse into the future of memorialisation.
    But while the future may seem daunting, it's important to remember that technology is here to help us. As the famous inventor and futurist Ray Kurzweil once said, "The future is not a destination, it's a direction. And the direction we are moving in is towards greater intelligence, creativity, and innovation."
    So as we head into the holiday season, let's embrace the future with open arms. Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year to all our readers.
    Best wishes from Pete and the rest of the team at The Art of Memorialising.
    We don’t need to wait - yes, the future has arrived.
    It was yesterday.
    Thanks for reading The Art of Memorialising! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and the latest news about all things #Deathtech
    Interested in sharing your new product or service with readers of The Art of Memorialising? (check here)
    We highlight your product, service, or idea sponsoring an edition. We give you the space; you get to tell the world about what you are doing or have created.
    You and your business can become part of the adventure now. Secure your month in 2023 now. 
    MM’s (Memorialisation Morsels)
    * ‘Black Mirror’ in reality: MIT is experimenting with digital immortality. (via -https://gadgettendency.com/) The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) launched the Augmented Eternity experiment. According to the researchers, this will allow digital copies to preserve the legacy of the originals and communicate with relatives in the future. Read another account in The Times. MIT Augmented Eternity project creates profiles of people to outlast death.
    * Digital immorality might keep Elon Musk in command after death. (https://www.bolnews.com/) Scientists intend to utilise artificial intelligence to create “digital immortality,” allowing leaders to remain in command even after they die.
    * Anticipating the Birth of AI Employee Clones. (via - https://www.datamation.com/) Will we see an AI employee clone who could attend the meetings, respond to generic queries as our proxy?
    * Avoiding your Ex? They May Still Come Back to Haunt You Through AI. (via -https://www.analyticsinsight.net/) While ethicists and morality watch keepers keep arguing if we need ‘Digital personalities’ at

    • 8 min
    You’d have thought I would have learnt by now...

    You’d have thought I would have learnt by now...

    Welcome to The Art of Memorialising - an audio newsletter by Peter Billingham from Death Goes Digital and Memorable Words Eulogy Writing services bringing you the latest news on digital immortality, digital legacy, digital life curation and all things #Deathtech.
    Thanks for reading.
    You’d have thought I would have learnt by now...
    I’m in my 60s. I’ve been around the block a few times.
    There are a lot of things I know - I know.
    Now, I’m not saying I know it all - far from it! 
    And that’s the problem.
    I want to know more. I never want to stop learning. Never want to stop growing my skills and knowledge. Oh, and I never want to stop travelling!
    What about you? Are your learning days done?
    My curiosity quotient is expanding, not contracting as the years pass. 
    Einstein famously suggested I should never stop questioning. My curiosity cannot help but be in awe when I …
    ‘Consider the mysteries of eternity, the marvellous structure of reality’
    ... and how websites, and apps about life curation, memorials and planning your life legacy are growing at speeds faster than Einstein’s speed of light!
    Ok, exaggeration. But even so, faster than I imaged back in 2016 when I started writing about those subjects. 
    Take, for instance, how Artificial Intelligence is becoming a tool in afterlife memorials and creating your digital twin. Someone who a family can communicate with even after a person has died.
    I’ve even written about how AI will become part of funerals. Even I didn’t realise how quick it would actually happen!
    Marina Smith MBE, through the power of holograms and artificial intelligence seems to have a ‘conversation’ with mourners at her funeral using Storyfile. (via BBC). That’s incredible!
    Just as fascinating as how you can create amazing images with Artificial Intelligence with a few words …
    But that’s not what I am talking about here. 
    I’ve learned there is something I haven’t yet learned.
    There is still an important truth I don’t get. I know it’s not it’s not possible, but I still keep on trying.
    There are lots of things I love to do (walking for miles, playing the guitar, owning a dog, Friday night steak and chips) - Oh, and writing is one of them. I love to write.
    I write books, like - Gathering Rosebuds In Kerala. But what I do, mainly, is write eulogy speeches for people across the world. Or when working in my local area writing and leading funerals as a celebrant.
    I write eulogies. That’s what I do. It’s what takes most of my time. I’m very grateful for the opportunity to combine something I love with helping others.
    I spend most of my days writing about people I have never met. About the way they lived their one and only ‘wild and precious life.’ But sadly life ended. I try to put into words what heartbroken people are feeling, but cannot verbalise. Yes, maybe it’s a rare vocation, but an immensely rewarding writing niche I find.
    My curiosity itch wants to to learn how to write eulogies even better. I keep scratching that one too.
    I also want to share my learning as a eulogy speechwriter with others so I’m writing a new book.
    ‘I Just Want To Say A Few Words: The Ultimate Eulogy Toolbox - A Simple and Easy Step-by-Step Guide How To Write A Eulogy for A Loved One, Friend or Colleague.’
    Almost 90% of my first draft is completed.
    It’s going to be around 100 or so pages of the best ideas, methods and ways anyone can use to write a few words of a eulogy. Published, hopefully, before the end of the year.
    But here I go again. You see ... I haven’t learned what I haven’t learned. Yet. 
    I haven’t learned ….
    … I just can’t do it all! 
    There is a limit to the amount of work you can do! So I just try to do as much as I can, and then when I’ve done that, I try to do some more.
    But it leaves me, like last month, not being able to do some things I want to do like write The Art of Memorialising Newsletter.
    And I’m very sorry about tha

    • 12 min
    'Is There Anybody There?' When the living can speak to the dead, what will they say?

    'Is There Anybody There?' When the living can speak to the dead, what will they say?

    Welcome to The Art of Memorialising - an audio newsletter by Peter Billingham from Death Goes Digital and Memorable Words Eulogy Writing Services bringing you the latest news on digital immortality, digital legacy, digital life curation and all things #Deathtech. Thanks for being here.
    Sponsoring this edition of The Art of Memorialising is Murial
    Murial is a startup with a mission to redefine obituaries into beautiful memorial websites. For business owners and professionals in the death care industry, this September, Murial is launching an exclusive new partnership program that offers huge incentives. See if their partnership program naturally fits with your product or service. Details are below.
    What Will You Find In This Issue?
    * Speaking to the dead could become a daily conversation for some.
    * What if charities changed focus in their efforts for ‘in-memory fundraising to the living,’ and not the dead?
    * When digital legacy planning moves from the realms of purely interest to absolute necessity.
    Photo by Melinda Gimpel on Unsplash
    Will bitcoins or your life story be the legacy of greatest value?
    ‘Legacy is not leaving something for people. Legacy is leaving something in people.’ Peter Strople.
    Being of sound mind, I do hereby declare this to be my last will and testament…
    And so opens a standard will in the UK. A legal document, expressing your wishes about what you leave behind when your days end. 
    * Your property.
    * Your cash.
    * Your collection of vinyls.
    * Your NFT’s and Bitcoin’s.
    * Your Candy Crush Saga credits.
    * Your online betting wins.
    * Your in-store/online loyalty points.    
    Have you made a will? 
    Apparently, only 4 in 10 adults have. The pandemic created increased demand for will writing for sure. The wills, trusts and probate market saw significant growth in demand in the last couple of years. Still, many fail to action one simple choice that could save so much worry, and unnecessary problems for their loved ones - by making a will. 
    During the last month, several newsletter sign ups (thank you very much) were from members of organisations providing information and support to charities for ‘in-memory fundraising.’ Helping charities find innovative ways to encourage their supporters to leave a legacy gift to the charity in their will.
    You know how when you are thinking about buying a red car… you see red cars everywhere? It seems to be the same this month for me but with wills! I’ve seen so many links offering to write a free will for me! The Guide Dogs, British Red Cross, and RSPCA, among them. The Goodwill Partnership and National Free Wills Network provide the legal help to write the wills.
    I wonder? Are new A.I. innovations opening up opportunities for ‘in-memory fundraising’ through life-curation, rather than death-preparation? 
    Over the last six years, I’ve written and spoke about #digitallegacy. Honestly, mostly those who are in the #digitallegacy industry to some extent, find the subject as interesting as me! Most don’t. 
    And for now, most still don’t.
    I think it is the same reason why 6 out of 10 adults will die without a will.
    You have to die. We just don’t want to think about it or talk about. But telling the stories of our life, now, that’s another thing.
    Increasingly, I’m finding people are more interested in what they can leave behind in the way of a life story as a legacy. Something they can do now, rather than later. There is a growing trend towards life-curation, self remembrance, even memoir writing.
    For example, Memories to Memoir–An Introduction To Life Writing, is an online course by Derbyshire Writing School. (For full disclosure, my daughter, Laura Stroud, created and leads the course.) While I’m incredibly proud of her endeavours (I’m her dad, of course!), what she is seeing is a consistent growth of people wanting to write their life stories to leave as a legacy. Most courses sell out quickly. Clients come to her for help w

    • 17 min
    Your Life Is An Epic Story Waiting To Be Told. Will You Tell it?

    Your Life Is An Epic Story Waiting To Be Told. Will You Tell it?

    Welcome to The Art of Memorialising - an audio newsletter by Peter Billingham from Death Goes Digital and Memorable Words Eulogy Writing services bringing you the latest news on digital immortality, digital legacy, digital life curation and all things #Deathtech.
    Sponsoring this edition is 4everstory
    A lifetime comprises a thousand stories. 4everstory is a secure and private digital story platform. 4everstory specialises in capturing digital memories and preserving special moments in a single and secure location. 4everstory encourages sharing and connecting family memories, and life experiences, strengthening family bonds, family traditions, and is a simple way to continue telling life stories.
    What Will You Find In This Issue?
    * Telling your life story using the digital heritage app After Cloud.
    * Bringing artistic design to obituaries is start up Murial
    * Memorial NFT’s? Remembering our loved ones in the Metaverse.
    Photo by Etienne Girardet on Unsplash
    Your Life Is An Epic Story Waiting To Be Told. Will You Tell it?
    Once upon a time …
    ‘He was an old man who fished alone in a skiff in the Gulf Stream and he had gone eighty-four days now without taking a fish.’ ( The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway)
    ‘In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I’ve been turning over in my mind ever since.’ (The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald)
    How would you write the first line of your life story?
    A good life story captivates heart and mind.
    Stories inspire us. Encourage us. Make us laugh and cry.
    Stories make sense of life when everything is senseless.
    Gripping, captivating and memorable stories, says author Donald Miller, are about, ‘A character who wants something and overcomes conflict to get it.’
    Is that you? Is your life is an epic story waiting to be told? Now, more than ever, telling it is in the palm of your hand.
    It’s challenging and demanding to write our life story.
    I know. I just published a memoir. 
    Documenting lives for eternity - our digital heritage - is available with the click of a thumb. But will people write it? 
    What Is The Shape of Your Life Story?
    Famous storyteller, Kurt Vonnegut, pens quirky, complex books. He believes stories have shapes. Especially life stories. 
    He suggests the basic structure of all stories come down to eight story shapes. This infographic explains them all. 
    As a eulogy writer, I often see and use the ‘Man In A Hole’ and ‘Redemptive’ epic story shape.
    The ‘Man In A Hole’ story need not be about a man or a hole! It is a story of someone who gets into trouble and gets out of it again. The story has a happy-sad-happy trajectory. 
    Many identify with the ‘Redemptive Story.’ The story shape starts off bad then ends good.
    Another life story shape coined by Joseph Campbell is ‘The Hero's Journey.’ This story involves a normal person who goes on an epic adventure, hits a pivotal crisis, wins a victory, and then comes home changed.
    Which is your life story shape?
    Digital legacy platforms enable the telling of life stories. But will they be told?
    After seeing too many ‘Dear Dad’ or ‘Dear Mum’ life story journals empty, I’m not convinced writing your life story online will happen for many.
    Unless …
    Unless an army of story tellers could help write those stories? Now, maybe there’s an opportunity for the future? 
    And they all lived happily after after …
    Startup Spotlights - AfterCloud.co.uk and Murial.Life
    AfterCloud.co.uk
    We profiled After Cloud in August 2021. What a difference a year can make committed to a vision of building tools for digital heritage. 
    After Cloud celebrates and shares individual life moments. Helps to tell our unique life story preserving our family history.
    Approved by ORCHA (Organisation for the Review of Health and Care Apps) and part of the UK’s NHS (National Health Service) digital app library, After Cloud is being used and adapted in many care situations.
    Moment

    • 18 min
    Who Wants To Live Forever?

    Who Wants To Live Forever?

    How will you stay informed about digital immortality, digital legacy, digital life curation, and all things #Deathtech?
    Welcome to The Art of Memorialising - an audio newsletter by Peter Billingham from Death Goes Digital and Memorable Words Eulogy Writing services.
    The Art of Memorialising brings you the latest news on digital immortality, digital legacy, digital life curation and all things #Deathtech.
    Thanks for being here.
    Sponsoring this edition of The Art of Memorialising is 4everstory
    A lifetime comprises a thousand stories. 4everstory is a secure and private digital story platform. 4everstory specialises in capturing digital memories and preserving special moments in a single and secure location. 4everstory encourages sharing and connecting family memories, strengthening family bonds, and family traditions. It is a simple way to continue telling life stories.
    What Will You Find In This Issue?
    * Happy Birthday to The Art of Memorialising!
    * 16 reasons #Digital Legacy Has Come of Age In Last 12 Months
    * How you can ask ‘Alexa’ to get grandad to sing his favourite song!
    Photo by Adi Goldstein on Unsplash
    Happy Birthday To Me! Well, to the newsletter, anyway! 
    This edition marks one year of The Art of Memorialising. Twelve months of asking, how will we choose to live forever online? 
    The actor Jeremy Irons wrote in his memoirs, ‘Our afterlife is what we leave behind in other people.’
    Of course, that is true.
    But we can’t ignore what we leave behind online. Traces of our online lives will continue on long after we have died. 
    Thank you for the feedback, encouragement and comments I have received. It lets me know you find the subject of #Deathtech as fascinating as I do. 
    Over the last year I’ve reviewed many new ideas for how you can curate, store and tell the story of your life online.
    Started as a newsletter, back in December I added the option to listen via podcast to each episode.
    Here are some links to the main platforms where you can find the podcast.
    * Spotify 
    * Amazon Music 
    * Apple Podcasts
    What has been exciting for me to see is the creativity, innovation and breadth of ways #Deathtech is developing. Above all, seeing how AI can ‘keep alive’ those we love has been the most fascinating.
    Yes, some ideas seem spooky and weird to me too!
    As the mainstream catches up with the culture of change, new ideas appear and some will fall by the wayside, but one thing is for sure, in the next 12 months the pace will only speed up! 
    Startup Spotlights
    Want to check out some Startups profiled? 
    June - Webacy & Chronicle 
    February - Timecapzle and Legacy Stories 
    December - Vocapsule and Re-cordis
    November - Mind Bank AI & Hearafter AI
    October - Live Will & Lantern
    September - Whiteballoon & Shared Affairs
    August - After Cloud & Cake
    July - GoodTrust & Memories
    Heard of a startup in digital life curation or #Deathtech?
    Please let me know. Email info@deathgoesdigital.com
    Sponsored Product or Service - 4everstory
    There is nothing worse than an untold family story lost forever. 
    We forget valuable old photographs and family movies stored away in boxes. Memories fade. Every year, thousands of digital images and videos stored on smart phones are accidentally deleted or misplaced. Increasingly, family history is lost because family stories are no longer shared. Parents or grandparents are no longer here to tell their stories. 
    So what is the solution?
    John Withers, the Australian founder of 4everstory, has announced that its secure and private web-based digital story platform is now available.
    As life becomes increasingly complex and digital, so has the interest to create unique permanent online spaces. Now it is easy to create tribute experiences rich in mixed media content. These can be collectively shared with family and friends anywhere in the world to create a wider sense of connection. 
    4everstory creates lasting, meaningful, and dynamic digital narratives th

    • 13 min

Top Podcasts In Business

The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett
DOAC
GenAI on GenAI
Boston Consulting Group BCG
The So What from BCG
Boston Consulting Group BCG
The Martin Lewis Podcast
BBC Radio 5 Live
A Book with Legs
Smead Capital Management
On a Mission Podcast
Ellie McKay