October 2020 - Forever Young Autobiographies

Case study: Hang-glider star pens memoir The Phoenix Rising about traumatic brain injury and survival

Helen Ross Lee is living proof that what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger.

In 2008 the former high-achieving female hang-gliding competition pilot from Queensland, Australia, suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).

Over the past 12 years, Lee has slowly re-networked her brain to think, talk and walk plus found love again.

But one of her greatest rewards has been publishing her life-story book The Phoenix Rising.

“In writing my book, I have learned the art of survival. It has not been easy,” Lee said.

“I’ve learned some valuable things and I’ve had to let go of some things that were holding me back.

“I’ve learned that there’s a vast difference between knowledge, understanding and wisdom.”

So keep reading to find out more about Lee’s inspiring and extraordinary life-story journey …

G’day and welcome to Forever Young Autobiographies – Ask Nicola.

As a life-story coach I’m asked many questions about planning, writing, polishing and publishing life stories for family and friends.

So this edition answers the question:

How can I make an ebook? Is it as simple as saving my Microsoft Word manuscript as a PDF file format? What other things do I need to think about?

First published June 14, 2018: This article has been updated and improved.

Beginning a life-story project is often about timing.

Certainly this was the case for former editor Jan and her father when they sat down to compile his autobiography in Brisbane, Queensland.

Indeed both were retired and considered the idea unbeknown to each other!

“I had been thinking about some sort of record of his life story for a while but hadn’t got any further than thinking about it,” Jan said.

“Once dad retired it seemed the time was right.

“While he now has spare time he seems to be really enjoying being retired but he enjoyed his life-story project and put a lot of effort into it.”

Jan started the life story with help from the Your Family Stories System and today gives us the lowdown on how the project unfolded plus what she found most rewarding …

First published July 26, 2018: This article has been updated and improved.

Hands up if you or your spouse are bad at reading maps?

Indeed the experience can be stressful, frustrating … and perhaps a tad funny!

Thankfully bad map readers are a dying breed given new tools like in-car navigation systems and smartphone map apps.

But technology is not just for the car.

Certainly it can help us pull into the fast lane to fix spelling and grammar during the writing process.

So rev the engine and let’s get started …

First published July 12, 2018: This article has been updated and improved.

I hear many people say they need to be a ‘good writer’ to start an autobiography, memoir, biography or other life-story project.

Or folks say they couldn’t possibly put pen to paper because they didn’t do well at school.

Indeed, for years I told myself this too when time and again my school work came back riddled with red-pen corrections.

However, I was lucky others encouraged and supported me to keep sitting down to write.

Now, as a long-time print editor and life-story coach, I’m here to do the same for you!

So keep reading for my top good writing tips (and free writing prompts training!) to help you start and continue recording life stories …