Case study: Amazing tales of a motorcycle-loving teen from Washington
I Was A Teenage Know Nothing by Ryon Ownbey is a youthful life story full of turbulence and confusion.
This memoir is set in the 1990s “before Amazon, smartphones and streaming media dared exist”.
In sum it tells how Ownbey navigated new experiences and learnt to use his instinct.
So keep reading to find out more about Ownbey, how he started the book plus suggestions for your own creating…
Related article – Publishing: The ultimate guide to publishing a life story
A 1990s tale of growing pains
My book I Was A Teenage Know Nothing is about my time as a teenager growing up in the 1990s.
Specifically it is about the growing pains.
For example, things such as leaving family, mild drug use, love and love lost.
In short, emotional trials.
All of this was looked at from my perspective as an adult many years later.
But also keeping in mind to give my younger self some slack in retrospect.
In addition the book is about the friends I made plus the wild situations I found myself in.
Above all I started this life story to gain perspective.
Indeed to achieve a cathartic relief and to leave as a representation of a life.
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Support for the book
My friends and family enjoyed I Was A Teenage Know Nothing.
One thing it did do for me was resolve some issues between my father and me.
Meaning we had some trouble during the time when I was a teenager.
However, I believe I gave a fair retrospective view of our relationship.
Certainly when I wrote the book I no longer felt that way and he noticed this when he read the book.
The main example of the trouble was I did not graduate high school so he kicked me out of the house.
Starting I Was A Teenage Know Nothing
Putting the pieces together
All in all it took me about a year-and-a-half to write and then another six months to self publish I Was A Teenage Know Nothing.
I started off by writing brief notes about certain moments of fun or strange happenings during my teen years.
Also I wanted to include my friends so that they could be with me in the book for all times. That was cool.
In addition, my family is in there. Not much but some.
After I got my notes done I thought about how I might tie everything together chapter to chapter.
I asked myself: What event in this chapter leads to the next?
What is the overarching story?
Once I started putting the pieces together it was not difficult because I had already lived through the puzzle itself.
Related article – First draft: Don’t start writing a first draft before reading this!
Overcoming barriers and finding rewards
Certainly it was difficult reliving some of the tough times in I Was A Teenage Know Nothing.
Now that those few moments are over I am happy and feel better about them than before I started writing.
The most rewarding part was when I had the finished book in my hands.
Also when I sent copies to my friends and family.
Learning lessons from I Was A Teenage Know Nothing
Fave part of the book?
The very end of I Was A Teenage Know Nothing is not about running away.
In short, it is about the freedom to look back in whatever discerning manner I wish to. I have that right.
Quick tips for new writers
Get a cup of coffee, sit down and have fun.
Also don’t worry too much about what you are writing.
Hemingway said something like: Write the most truthful sentence you know.
Indeed this goes for the one sentence and all of the other sentences that surround it.
Related article – How to write a good story: The flashback, parts of a story and reflective writing
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Final say: I Was A Teenage Know Nothing
I Was A Teenage Know Nothing is a 1990s coming-of-age story about dating, motorcycles, car races and movies.
However it is also full of tough lessons, tested emotions, patience and optimism.
So grab a hardcopy (complete with illustrations) or audio version from Amazon.
And connect with Ownbey through Facebook.
Happy writing!
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Your say
What type of life story are you planning to create? Where are you in your writing journey? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Send me an email or leave a reply in the comments section at the end of this article.
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