Tips for new creators Archives - Page 3 of 4 - Forever Young Autobiographies

What is theme? Get theme definition and theme examples without the work

Amazing secrets about what does theme mean and writing themes

“What is a theme? Why do I need one,” you may ask when starting an autobiography, memoir, biography or other life-story project.

Indeed themes can sound like a writing technique for ‘fancy’ authors or blockbuster movies.

But pause and think before you sit down to write …

Certainly we encounter themes almost every day.

For example, at parties, restaurants and in advertising.

And believe it or not we tell stories to ourselves and others based around themes.

So let’s take a look at theme definition, why we need writing themes, theme examples, and much more.

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.

Writing challenge – part 2: 6 things to remember before you hold a family stories interview

What a professional journalist knows about conducting life-story interviews

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

Welcome to the fun stay-at-home family stories writing challenge part 2!

As we bunker down in quarantine this Easter period, I’m throwing it out there to connect with someone close to you and compile a life-story feature article.

This could be your parents, grandparents or another loved one and involve the help of your children as a special lockdown activity.

For part 1 of the challenge we got ready for a successful phone or video interview.

In this writing challenge part 2 I share some interview tips I’ve picked up over years working as a daily newspaper journalist.

All ideas come from the Your Family Stories System: Easily capture your loved ones’ memories for future generations.

So get comfy and let’s get started …

Writing at home: Here’s to writing during coronavirus self-isolation

Your Family Stories System deal + why writing during COVID-19 home quarantine is good!

The past few weeks my family and I have been working and schooling from home.

News about the coronavirus is everywhere and we have been warned to stay inside and self-isolate.

It is hard to know what is going on, to keep a level head and heart.

But in these troubled times sitting down to calmly write seems to help.

Today’s article is all about why life-story w r iting at home is good for you.

Plus read on for a quarantine discount on the Your Family Stories System: the ultimate guide for easily capturing your loved ones’ memories for future generations …

Writing tips: The ultimate guide of life-story tips for new writers

All the writing advice you need to write a life story today

If starting a life-story project has you feeling worried or anxious you need some lifesaving writing tips.

This week I’ve prepared the ultimate guide of writing tips for new writers.

It aims to equip you to confidently put pen to paper today!

This guide is part two in the ‘ultimate series’, which includes the ultimate guide about planning to write life stories, the ultimate guide to polishing your writing and the ultimate guide to publishing a life story.

Life in pictures: Make a life-story scrapbook album in 3 easy steps

Secrets for using a photo series to creatively tell a life in pictures

First published November 2 2017: This article has been updated and improved.

When I was a photojournalism student at art school I had a lecturer who told our class to shoot an assignment with a 24-hour deadline.

This was to compile a photo series of our city’s Anzac Day memorial parade.

My classmates and I were positioned up and down the procession, some hanging off buildings Spider-Man style and others trying to hitch rides on parading army trucks!

We took hundreds of photos that we whittled down to tell a complete story of the day.

Over the course of our lives we similarly collect hundreds of memories that can be pared back and polished to tell a complete and precious life story.

Certainly this can be written in book form but also creatively done as a photo series or scrapbook album.

Keep reading for tips on how to record a life in pictures for yourself or a loved one.

I promise you won’t need to hang off any buildings in the process!

Visual writing: Become a visual storyteller with visual writing techniques

Amazing secrets of visual story writing to use in your book

My son recently turned four and was given a new box of Lego.

He loves Lego and can play with it for hours.

With only a few coloured blocks he can create a “firetruck with an in-built helicopter landing pad” or a “police car on a flying train”.

These might be basic, abstract constructions but the point is he doesn’t need many blocks to get his imagination cranking!

Likewise readers use our words to visualise the stories we write about in our autobiography, memoir, biography or life-story project.

We want to transport our audience back in time to understand and ‘see’ our memories.

But how to do this well and without writing a tome?

Today I highlight some key visual writing ideas to keep in mind as you plan, write, polish and publish your book.

Writing break: The secret weapon of writing tips

Quick and easy writing advice to write a better book

This past year I’ve been getting back into surfing.

Usually the first half of my surf goes well.

Then I start to get physically tired and stuff up.

When this happens my trick is to take a break or try again tomorrow.

The same idea can be applied to your writing, whether you are working on an autobiography, memoir, biography or life-story project.

Taking a writing break is my secret writing tip for good writing.

Here’s why you need to take a writing break today!

Death and dying: How to have hard conversations for your writing

What a doctor knows about discussing life and death

It was a hot and humid afternoon when I got the call from my dad Paul.

I was sitting in the school car park with one child, about to pick up another.

As a general practitioner doctor of 40 plus years he cut straight to the point: one of his major arteries was 95 per cent blocked.

He would have surgery in two weeks.

The risks were high; death before the operation, death during the operation or “worse” waking up from the operation with permanent damage from a stroke.

My brain went fuzzy, emotions pricked my eyes but my journalistic brain kicked in and I asked for the facts.

It was a 10-minute conversation and one of many we would have as my dad underwent multiple high-risk operations that year.

During this time we talked about death and dying, life and survival.

These are hard conversations – sometimes painful, confronting, urgent.

They are also topics we have to face as we write about our own lives or help a loved one write their life story.

In this article I sit down with my dad to discuss what tips he has gleaned over a lifetime of medicine on talking to people about death and dying.