Write down your clearest, most positive memories of the person. If the person has passed, write down your recollections as soon as possible. Our memories can sometimes become blended or otherwise inaccurate with the intensity of emotion after losing a cherished person. Write anything that comes to mind without judgment or reservation, no matter how personal or small the memory.
Set aside your writing and allow yourself the time to work through some of the emotions accompanying your loss. You may not have the luxury of time, but allow yourself as much time as you have or need. This will allow you to write a tribute with some objective distance without shutting yourself off to the grieving process.
Choose a favorite memory or series of memories. If you choose more than one, choose memories that illustrate a common theme such as kindness, intelligence, dependability, humor or other positive characteristics. You may also choose memories that show endearing but not entirely positive characteristics like stubbornness, pretentiousness, vanity or prodigality. If you include these aspects of the person's personality, use them in a loving way. Acknowledging an endearing personal foible memorializes a person much more lovingly and honestly than ignoring or even lying about it.
Consider the person's wishes. Tributes serve the living as well as the person who has passed. If the person felt emotions deeply or expressed themselves freely, you may do the same. If the person kept their feelings and expressions at a distance, you may wish to express yourself more conservatively. Ultimately, you must write something that states what you truly feel in a way that serves you and the person's memory.
Write an introduction. Begin with an introduction stating something everyone who knew the person would remember, such as a common phrase or behavior associated with the person. Choose an introductory subject that will lead in to your memory or series of memories. A lighthearted introduction or even a joke can work if it suits the life and memory of the person.
Write about the memory or series of memories. Treat this section like a story, with a plot that builds toward a climax and a conclusion. For example, if you use a memory or series of memories that illustrate kindness, arrange the stories so that they illustrate increasing levels of kindness. Begin with a passing moment and build up to the greatest moment of kindness you witnessed in that person's life.
Write the conclusion. This section represents the actual "tribute", in which you draw together all your ideas into one final statement. You cannot encapsulate an entire life in one paragraph, so concentrate on writing how you felt about this aspect of the person's life. Express the main idea of your tribute and how you will remember the person.
Review the tribute looking for basic grammatical and spelling errors and ensure that it fits within the allotted word count.
Consider the flow of the piece as you read and re-read it. The piece should read like a story so that anyone who did not know the person might find it interesting and understand what made the person worthy of a tribute. Eliminate any words or phrases that do not provide essential information about your memories.
Seek reviews from others. You may choose to consult people who did not know the person as people who knew the person may have too much emotionally invested in the person to give objective help. Consider all feedback and only use what you feel strengthens the tribute.