Forever Young Autobiographies

Book review: Eggshell Skull by Bri Lee

Eggshell Skull by Bri Lee, Allen & Unwin, headshot Goodreads.com

Amazing Allen and Unwin memoir by a Queensland courts judge’s associate

Australian memoir Eggshell Skull has been on my reading list for a number of reasons.

Author Bri Lee writes about working in many Queensland cities and towns where I have lived.

And as a print journalist for many years I know the courthouses she refers to and also some of the cases.

But I’ve also been eager to read Eggshell Skull because it has been winning awards since it was published by Allen & Unwin in mid 2018.

It was shortlisted for the 2019 Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards in non-fiction, winning the 2019 People’s Choice Award, and also won the 2018 People’s Choice at the Nib Awards for research in writing, plus the 2019 ABIA for Biography of the Year.

The publisher describes the work as “a haunting appraisal of modern Australia from a new and essential voice”.

Keep reading to find out more about Lee’s first book and be inspired to start writing your own life story …

Book covers: How to create a memorable cover design

What a print designer knows about front cover design and book cover layout

First published October 19, 2017: This article has been updated and improved.

It’s a funny thing but often the front page of a newspaper is the last page to be sent to the press.

Frequently it is left to the end, right before deadline, for breaking news.

But after working on thousands of page ones as a newspaper designer over the years, I know page one is prime real estate: it is the paper’s ‘shop window’.

The same can be said for your autobiography, memoir, biography or life story project.

A great book cover will intrigue and interest your readers to turn the page.

Here are three key points to keep in mind when you are designing your ‘page one’.

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!

Case study: Students interview seniors for Our Priceless Past lift-out and expo

Celebrating 21 years of life history and community history

In a recent post I highlighted the enormous power of life-story feature articles.

But Central Queensland’s Gladstone Region has been taking this power to the next level with its popular Our Priceless Past lift-out and gallery exhibition, on show until next month.

The annual community event is celebrating 21 years of students interviewing, writing and publishing the life stories of special seniors.

The stories are printed in a collectors’ section of the daily newspaper The Gladstone Observer – this year with the support of sponsor LiveBetter Community Services – and displayed with storytelling memorabilia at the Gladstone Regional Art Gallery and Museum.

Gladstone Regional Council cultural projects specialist Di Paddick describes the whole experiences as “a big warm hug” that brings together two very different generations.

She has helped organise the project since 2006 and said community enthusiasm and feedback kept growing year on year.

Forever Young Autobiographies caught up with Di to find out more about Our Priceless Past and hear her tips about starting a similar project with your community or family …

Proofreading tips for revising and editing your writing

5 simple tricks you need to know about proofreading your own work

First published October 5 2017: This article has been updated and improved.

I’ll be the first to admit I was a woeful speller at school.

In fact I almost repeated because I was so bad!

But over the years as a print editor I’ve read a lot of copy and seen the same mistakes crop up time and again.

The good thing is these common writing pitfalls are not hard to fix when you are polishing your autobiography, memoir, biography or life-story manuscript.

Here are five proofreading tips to clean up your writing today…

Book review: Johnathan Thurston – The Autobiography, with James Phelps

The surefire way to understand the NRL Cowboys and State of Origin great JT

My lasting memory of Australian Rugby League great Johnathan ‘JT’ Thurston is kicking a dream goal to win a grand final for the Cowboys in extra time.

As that ball sailed between the posts in 2015 millions jumped to their feet cheering and JT wrote National Rugby League history.

In 2018, after his retirement from the game, came Johnathan Thurston: The Autobiography.

The book was written with the help of sports journalist James Phelps and published by HarperCollins Publishers (Australia).

I recently listened to the autobiography as an audiobook and found it a story of highs, lows, passion and tears.

Much like a grand final!

Keep reading to find out more and how we can learn from the book as life-story writers.

Case study: New memoir by Channel 7 news anchor and blood cancer survivor Mike Higgins

Mike Higgins and his memoir Trouserless Under the News Desk, Boolarong Press. Main photo thanks to the Leukaemia Foundation. Help the #31Aussies like Mike who are diagnosed every day with a blood cancer by making a donation today.

Former newsreader opens up about Trouserless Under the News Desk by Boolarong Press

Australian TV star Mike Higgins has been on the road spreading the word about his new memoir: Tro u serless Under the News Desk.

Forever Young Autobiographies caught up with him to find out more following the book’s released in June by Boolarong Press.

Higgins has been a familiar face on television for over 25 years.

He was the long-time news anchor for Channel 7 in Queensland but also made award-winning documentaries to be awarded a United Nations media peace prize.

But the broadcast journalist became the news a number of times.

Namely when he went on the run from drug traffickers who he feared would kill him and for filming a story at a nudist beach in the raw.

More recently Higgins had another threat to his life.

In 2008 he was diagnosed with a very rare form of blood cancer – Primary Peripheral Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma, Unspecified – and was told he had a 16 per cent chance of survival.

Higgins had four years of chemotherapy, underwent a bone-marrow transplant and nearly died.

His survival stunned doctors who dubbed him the Miracle Man and said not many patients had “done it tougher”.

“I hope the book will be inspirational to people or anyone going through any sort of a challenge, whether it’s cancer or another illness or a psychological challenge,” Higgins said.

Keep reading to find out how he wrote the book, what were the project’s highlights plus Higgins’s tips for starting your own memoir, autobiography, biography or life-story project.

Midyear 2019 highlights: Best of 2019 articles and writing tips for beginners

How to write an autobiography in four simple steps

How to write an autobiography in four steps. Green hedge with a heart-shape hole with blue sky in background. Photo by Pixabay

What a writing coach knows about how to write a memoir and how to write a book about someone’s life

I once went into a maze in England.

It was one of those high-hedge varieties that you see in Alice in Wonderland movies.

Although I didn’t encounter The Queen of Hearts or a Mad Hatter, I definitely felt like I was going a little bit crazy looking for an exit.

The fact that I was laughing at myself the whole time didn’t help!

It wasn’t until I remembered the ‘maze secret’ – always turn left – that I had a path to freedom.

What a difference a good tip makes!

The same can be said about how to write an autobiography.

There are so many tasks to think about and do to complete your life story that it can be overwhelming without a ‘roadmap’.

Don’t waste your time jumping down rabbit holes, follow these key steps to create an extraordinary family record.

Book review: Any Ordinary Day by Leigh Sales

Photos: Penguin Books Australia and Daniel Boud.

The quick and easy guide to the 7.30 report journalist’s memoir-biography

As a fellow journalist and writer, I was extremely keen to read Leigh Sales’s latest book.

Any Ordinary Day by Hamish Hamilton (Penguin Books) was released in October by the popular ABC broadcaster anchor.

It is an eye-opening book about “Blindsides, resilience and what happens after the worst day of your life”.

Part memoir, part biography, the work will make you think about how you live your life and love those dearest to you.

Keep reading to find out more and why this book is a must read for any life-story writer…