July 2020 - Forever Young Autobiographies

Painful stories: How to write about sad memories and hard conversations

3 ideas for approaching and exploring painful memories in your writing

First published May 19, 2018: This article has been updated and improved.

Australia recorded its most deadly day for coronavirus deaths last week.

Certainly it is such a scary time for all of us around the world as the pandemic takes hold in successive waves.

The new normal feels sombre and has me thinking about important memorial days such as Anzac Day.

Likewise these can bring up sad and painful stories.

Wars and the loss of a loved one are difficult topics to address in an autobiography, memoir, biography or a life-story interview.

Many do not know how to sit down and write about or approach such stories no matter how much they want to.

But this doesn’t mean painful stories should be left out of writing stages.

Some memories, even painful ones, need to live on, be understood and learnt from.

Here are a few tips to help keep you writing when you come to painful stories …

First draft: Don’t start writing a first draft before reading this!

What a life-story coach knows about how to start writing (while beating overwhelm and procrastination)

First published February 22, 2018: This article has been updated and improved.

One question I hear time and again from new writers working on a first draft is: “I can’t seem to get anything done! I am constantly agonising over each sentence and self-editing as I write.”

Indeed sitting down to write an autobiography, memoir, biography or other life-story project can be a painful thing for a lot of people.

They are so self-critical that they are paralysed to jot more than a few sentences during the writing phase.

Certainly, I know I was like this when I first started my cadetship at a daily newspaper.

But over time I developed a system to get my first draft out of my head quickly and in a way that’s actually fun!

So keep reading for ideas to write that first draft without torturing yourself.

Music and memories: 3 song memory tricks to use while dancing up a storm!

Feel the beat with these writing ideas for musical memories

First published January 25, 2018: This article has been updated and improved.

Popular music festival Splendour would usually be held this time of year in Australia but it has been canceled because of coronavirus.

However, I know this is the case too for many Northern Hemisphere summer music festivals.

Certainly, at the moment, it’s hard for me not to think about seeing live music!

As a result, when I hear certain songs I saw in concert it gets me thinking: who was with me, what were we doing, when was this, where were we, how good was it?

Indeed, music is a wonderful way to stir up memories for your autobiography, memoir, biography or other life-story project.

So today I’m going to take a look at ways you can use it to get your memories flowing when you are planning or starting to write.

One, two, three… let’s feel the beat!

Midyear 2020 highlights: Best of 2020 articles and writing tips for beginners

Best 2020 writing advice about writing challenges, a life in pictures, dialogue + publishing a 100yo’s autobiography!

Recently I took some time out from my writing projects.

Firstly, I needed to focus on the Forever Young Autobiographies podcast launch (check out the show here!).

But also because 2020 has been one hell of a ride – I needed a break!

So as we hurtle into the back half of the year I thought it was time we re-energised our writing groove to keep working on our autobiographies, memoirs, biographies and other life-story projects.

Therefore to get you motivated I have gone back through this year’s articles for 2020 highlights.

So here are the best 2020 planning, writing, polishing and publishing posts you have been finding most popular and helpful …

Inspirational quotes: 10 positive quotes you should try to boost your writing!

Quick and easy motivation quote tips + writing goals course deal!

Can you believe we are halfway through the year?

And what a crazy year it has been!

I’m assuming, like me, some of your writing goals have been battered by COVID-19 and the dramas of life?

However, let’s all pause to take a deep breath, refocus our writing goals and get set for a good finish to the year.

Therefore, to help you get motivated to sit down and write I’ve gathered a few inspirational quotes.

Certainly, these inspirational quotes will help whether you are writing an autobiography, memoir, biography or other life-story project.

Plus, keep reading as I have a special half-yearly deal available on the Setting Writing Goals Guide for writers!

Let’s do this!