February 2021 - Forever Young Autobiographies

Writing prompts: Who else wants story prompts + writing topics in 5 minutes?

The quick and easy way to do story writing prompts and story writing topics

Last year I was helping a teacher in one of my children’s classrooms (before coronavirus hit).

And he got the students doing dance moves to a five-minute song before starting a new lesson.

Firstly this struck me because we never did such fun things in my childhood classrooms!

Secondly because the activity was a super way to jump start the kids’ energy and creativity.

But did you know you can use writing prompts in much the same way before sitting down to write an autobiography, memoir, biography or other life-story project?

Certainly writing prompts can be a fun tool to try so let’s take a closer look …

Case study: Helping my 98yo grandmother write her autobiography

Part 1: A challenging and rewarding journey to record a special life story

It has been a year since I gave my grandma Bonnie the very first copy of her life story.

Certainly it’s a book that is close to her heart – a labour of love.

And given we marked St Valentine’s Day earlier this week, I thought it would be timely to look back on how I got started helping my grandmother write her autobiography.

Indeed, through this project I learnt much about this wonderful lady.

However, I also discovered much about planning and creating a life story.

So keep reading to find out more about Part 1 (see Part 2 and Part 3) and how you can sit down and create a similar family project …

Life story writing coach: 3 little-known ways they can help your story writing

What you need to know about using a story coach or author coach

I recently came across an interesting news story.

In short it said if an asteroid was heading towards Earth we were safe as long as we ‘nudged’ it slightly off course before it got too close.

Therefore it would change direction just enough to pass by our planet.

But leave the intervention too late and we would all be in for trouble!

And something similar can be said if we are struggling to sit down and create an autobiography, memoir, biography or other life-story project.

If we leave asking for help too long we might lose motivation and give up all together – disaster!

Indeed sometimes we need a little nudge from a coach to keep us on course.

So check out these three little-known ways a life story writing coach can help you today …

Book review: Walkley award-winning Fallen by investigative journalist Lucie Morris-Marr

Learn about the secret trial and conviction of Cardinal George Pell with this Allen & Unwin read

Kicking off this year’s book reviews is Fallen: The inside story of the secret trial and conviction of Cardinal George Pell by Lucie Morris-Marr.

This book was published by Allen & Unwin in 2019 and won Australia’s 2020 Walkley Awards Book Award.

Morris-Marr broke the story that the third most senior Catholic cleric was being investigated by police for historic sex crimes against children.

And the journalist was in court when ‘God’s treasurer’ was found guilty.

Indeed it was a conviction that sent ripples around the world (and again when quashed by the High Court of Australia last year).

So keep reading to find out more about this historic case and Morris-Marr’s Fallen.