WRITE YOUR LIFE SUMMER
- When time can you set aside to write your book? Try to write every day. Get the notebook habit.
- Where will you find the material for your story? Ask questions. Make a list of the event, characters, incidents, thoughts, ideas, images which you could include in your book.
- Who is your unique story aimed at? Think aout how you will share your story with others; is it for family and friends or people who share your profession or hobby? Will it be a paperback book, e-book? audio book or blog? Don't be afraid to be ambitious for your work.
- What is the central focus of your book; my life on the water? living on the edge? my golfing life? if you have a profession or hobby, you may wish to focus on that and use it as a vehicle to feed in the personal backstory.
- What are the key themes of your book? dig a bit deeper: themes can be things like: family secrets, unrequited love, ambition, betrayal, loneliness, political corruption....
- Who are the main protagonists? Who are the characters who stroll through your life story? Who do you want to include and who do you want to leave outside the door?
- Set your own boundaries; only include stories and incidents which you are comfortable with. BUT don't be put off by family and friends. We all remember things differently and family members may question your version of events. Stick to your guns and be brave enough to tell YOUR story.
- What are the main events? The unexpected, the unforeseen or the unusual.
- What else happened? What more can you say? Who else did you know, meet (sub plots and secondary characters)? How can you weave these into your tale in order to add depth and intrigue. What are the hooks? What questions do you want to leave dangling to keep the reader reading?
- When will your time-line start and end? You may find that one section of your life is so packed that Volume 1 is about a ten year period, or a single episode. A war, a time lived abroad or in unusual circumstances? Your time as a teacher, healer? Or your journey to become one?
- How did it feel ? Write from the heart and use all of the senses.
- And finally: how can you shape your story and make it more compelling by using the creative tools, below?
Coming next - Introduction to Self Publishing