Top 3 posts you have loved so far this year
The other week I had family visit and decided to take a break from my writing projects.
It is amazing how even a few days off can give you more clarity and enthusiasm for your writing.
I came back more invigorated and energised to finish the back half of the year strong.
I highly recommend taking a writing break when you have hit a writing milestone or goal such as finishing a first draft of an autobiography.
You deserve it!
And a bit of distance from your writing will help you enormously when you come back to polish your manuscript.
My time away also gave me a chance to clearly see which articles you have been loving.
In this week’s 2019 highlights article I recap the website’s most popular and inspiring reads so far this year…
Case study: Zookeeper helps great uncle publish autobiography
English zookeeper Sarah Blake helped her great uncle Hedley record his autobiography when she was a teen and was struck by how much joy the process brought him.
In this article you will:
- Learn how three generations worked together to record a precious family story
- Discover what this zookeeper thought were the hardest and most memorable parts of her great uncle’s life-story project
- Plus how a shared love has prompted Sarah to start her own memoir writing
- And be inspired and motivated to continue and finish your own family story project!
Related article –Case study: Helping to write the story of grandmother Bonnie, 99
Book review: Educated by historian Tara Westover
Anyone with an open mind and curiosity about understanding Mormonism, family and self-determination will enjoy reading Educated.
Educated will educate you in many ways as a reader and a writer.
In this article you will learn:
- An overview of internationally bestselling memoir Educated
- The top three most interesting points I found about Tara Westover’s story
- Insight into how and why Westover wrote the Penguin Random House memoir
- My opinion of the historian and new author’s writings
Related article –Best books of 2018: Must-read books about life stories to enjoy these holidays
How to start a book in 4 simple steps
How to start a book about your life or that of a loved one can be daunting.
You are not alone!
Many of us feel this way but successful writers push through their fears and reservations.
There are many tricks to getting those first few words and stories down.
In this article you will learn:
- How to start a book with three key questions
- Where to start a book – NOT at the beginning!
- ‘Energetic’ ways to start a book
- Best way to write a book creatively
Related article –Valentines Day special: Best of 2018 articles you love
2019 highlights:
Final say
Writing an autobiography, memoir, biography or loved one’s life story can be a challenge.
Sometimes you will worry you won’t be able to finish or doubt the value of your writing.
Use these 2019 highlights to inspire you after a writing break or help motivate you to keep going through to the end of the year!
All writers need encouragement and to be reminded that words can change us: as writers and as readers.
Life stories DO make a difference.
Plus the satisfaction of telling a story well is too sweet to miss.
Happy writing!
Free gift!
Have these 2019 highlights motivated you to help a loved one write their life story? The Your Family Story System shows you how to do this: from planning, interviewing to compiling and publishing. Created by a life story writer and print journalist it has all you need to get started and finish! Check out the first few sections for FREE. Click here to sign up or fill in the form below.
Your say
What have been your 2019 highlights from the website so far this year? Or what do you like to do when you take a writing break? Send me an email or leave a reply in the comments section at the end of this article.
Get in touch
Have you hit a roadblock planning, writing or finishing your autobiography? Let me know here so I can help!
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This article first appeared on the website Forever Young Autobiographies.com.
