How hard can writing a eulogy be, you might wonder.  Well, if you’ve never had to write one, you may not realize just how difficult it can actually be.  Writing a eulogy for practice (for whatever reason one may do this) is much different from writing a eulogy shortly after the passing of a loved one.  It can be very hard to think about them and their life while you’re still reeling from the loss.  However, you still have to buckle down and write it, so it helps if you have an idea of what things you should talk about.

         Writing a eulogy is a very personal experience—there’s no magic formula for the speech.  Eulogies can vary greatly from person to person.  For some, the focus in on the family, especially if the deceased had a large family or was very close to them.  In other eulogies, the speaker will talk about events in the person’s life and how they changed him or her.  Some may talk about things that happened or changed because of the person, showing their effect on the lives of others.

         The tone of your eulogy should be set by the person you are talking about.  Writing a eulogy full of jokes and humorous stories may not be appropriate for someone who was very serious, while a serious eulogy for a loved one who enjoyed playing practical jokes might not feel right.  You also have to keep your audience in mind.  Some families get very upset if the eulogy casts the deceased in anything but the most positive of roles.  You don’t want to lie or present false information when writing your eulogy, but you don’t want to offend anyone, either.  This is often one of the hardest parts of writing a eulogy.

         Sometimes, the events leading up to the person’s death will play a part in writing a eulogy.  If their death wasn’t under the best of circumstances, you may need to avoid discussing the causes or the last few years of their life.  In some tragic situations, you may feel the need to talk about how their life was cut short.  Just remember, though, that writing a eulogy is not the same as writing a sermon.  Preaching about the evils of drunk driving during a eulogy for someone killed in an alcohol-related event may not be appreciated.  Always keep your loved one in mind when writing a eulogy and steer clear of anything he or she would not want discussed.