Forever Young Autobiographies

Case study: Nurse’s memoir like stepping into Call The Midwife episode

How London’s Swinging Sixties inspired nurse Eira Bish’s IngramSpark publication

For retired nurse Eira Battaglia (nee Bish) writing her memoir The Silver Buckle was a natural extension of reminiscing about her student days.

Her 50 years of nursing started at South London’s St Giles’ Hospital during the momentous Swinging Sixties and included working in England, Canada and Australia.

Eira also trained nurses for 30 years and said today’s students were fascinated by her tales of an earlier era of nursing.

“I consider I have had a rich, wonderful career that my three years as a trainee in the 1960s was able to allow me to do so many things,” she said.

In this week’s case study, Eira shares more about her self-published book, the steps she took to have it published plus tips for new writers looking to do the same…

Life-writing example: When coronavirus serves up a new normal

One family’s take on bunkering down for stay-at-home COVID-19 quarantine

This week I’m sharing a life-writing example of my own.

It’s about our new ‘stay at home’ quarantine life thanks to coronavirus.

We are all living in dark and strange days of social distancing and self isolation.

So this is my take on life for my family and I as we bunker down from coronavirus.

Certainly, I know many of you are motivated at the moment to put pen to paper.

For instance, author and journalist Trent Dalton inspired me to draft this life-writing example through his Tales From the Bunker series.

Likewise I’d love to hear from you about your recent ‘bunker’ writing.

Writing challenge – part 3: How to fast track, finish and celebrate your family stories!

Amazing ways to organise and present life-story interview gold

First published April 5, 2018: This article has been updated and improved.

We have made it to the final installment of the super stay-at-home family stories writing challenge part 3!

While we are all in lockdown, I suggested bonding with a loved one by compiling a life-story feature article.

Some of you have done this with your parents, grandparents or other relatives and joined forces with your children for a fun quarantine activity. I love this idea!

In part 1 of the challenge we got set for a phone or video interview.

Meanwhile, in part 2 I shared some interview ideas I’ve learnt as a print journalist.

Finally in this writing challenge part 3, I show you how to quickly organise and present your interview material.

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

Let’s wrap-up this challenge …

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 challenge – part 1: Join in some stay-at-home Easter fun!

Get set to interview a loved one and record family stories

First published March 8, 2018: This article has been updated and improved.

I have a fun three-part writing challenge for readers as we all ‘stay at home’ this Easter.

Most importantly Easter symbolises new beginnings and fresh starts.

Traditionally a time of family get-togethers, it offers us an opportunity to reconnect, bond and help record a loved one’s autobiography, memoir, biography or other life-story project.

Therefore over the next few weeks I challenge you to sit down and write a life-story feature article about your mum, dad, grandmother, grandfather, aunt, uncle or someone else dear to you.

You can do this solo or join forces with your children as an extra special lockdown project!

The tips I’ll be sharing are from the Your Family Stories System: Easily capture your loved ones’ memories for future generations.

The first writing challenge step is getting ready for a successful phone interview …

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 …

Ask Nicola Q&A: Your most burning book questions about types of editors

What you should know about the 4 different types of edits

Hi and welcome to Forever Young Autobiographies – Ask Nicola.

As a print editor, I get many queries about planning, writing, polishing and publishing life stories for family and friends.

And in this series I aim to give you a peek into how I help fellow writers.

Today’s Ask Nicola answers the following question:

I have finished the first draft of my book. What are the different types of editors? And which one is most important?

Book review: Journalist Stephanie Wood’s Fake by Penguin Random House

‘Love in a world of liars, cheats, narcissists, fantasists and phonies’ by an ex-Fairfax Media staff writer

I love the book title of Fake by Stephanie Wood.

Such a simple name for such a complex story of love, lies and loss in the modern world of internet dating.

Fake was released by Vintage Australia (Penguin Random House Australia) last year and has been nominated for the Australian Book Industry Awards 2020.

Wood is an award-winning long-form writer and a former senior staff writer at Fairfax Media’s Good Weekend magazine.

A survivor of a toxic relationship, her book is a firsthand account and stark warning to others.

Fake has many highlights that can help us start and finish our own writing, whether that be an autobiography, memoir, biography or other life-story project.

Let’s take a closer look…

Talking about coronavirus

I hope you and your family are healthy during this virus pandemic.

My family and I are thinking of you especially if you or a loved one is suffering with the virus.

Dialogue like a pro: See how easily you can use speech marks and quotes in writing

The quick and simple way for writing dialogue and using quotation marks

Writing dialogue can scare some people.

They feel like they are off the beaten track in the punctuation wilderness.

But the truth is great quotes really lift an autobiography, memoir, biography or life-story project.

And learning to use speech marks is nowhere near as strenuous as hiking cross country.

As a newspaper print editor I’ve helped many reporters easily understand how to use quotes in writing.

And I can help you too no matter if you are just starting to write or polishing a manuscript.

So get comfy in your fave writing spot and get set to write dialogue like a pro…