G’day and welcome to Forever Young Autobiographies – Ask Nicola.
Regularly I get questions about creating life stories for family and friends.
Today’s Ask Nicola question is:
Why is theme important when editing?
So let’s jump into a few key points about themes to keep in mind when polishing your work …
Continue reading Why is theme important: Use themes to create and edit life stories
Chasing Me to My Grave: An Artist’s Memoir of the Jim Crow South by the late Winfred Rembert is a life story about a nobody becoming a somebody.
In short, it recounts how Rembert grew up in Georgian cotton fields, survived years on chain gangs and became a world-renowned leather artist.
The Bloomsbury Publishing memoir was told to Tufts Philosopher Erin I. Kelly and scooped the 2022 Pulitzer Prize in Biography.
So keep reading to find out more about this award-winning story, what makes it interesting and how it can help us with our own creating …
Continue reading Chasing Me to My Grave: Jim Crow memoir by Georgia artist Winfred Rembert
AI or Artificial Intelligence is a trending topic and for many reasons.
But how, if at all, can it be helpful for us as life-story creators?
Recently I took a test drive of different AI platforms and applications.
So keep reading to find out what I discovered (without the tech jargon!) plus easy ways you can use AI to get creative …
Continue reading AI: Artificial Intelligence tips I’m trying for life stories
My Cousin Is a Chief in Samoa: The unlikely adventures of a Dane in Polynesia by Johannes Langkilde, with Cathrine Errboe, is a family story born from a chance meeting.
The life-story book tells how well-known journalist Langkilde grew up in cold, windswept Denmark hearing stories of faraway relatives on the tropical islands of Samoa – one of them a real live chief!
However in 2016 he suddenly found himself face to face with Fagafaga Daniel Langkilde of American Samoa while covering a political convention in the United States of America.
So keep reading to find out how a spark ignited between the two distant cousins, how the Wendila publication began plus tips for your own creating …
Continue reading My Cousin Is a Chief in Samoa: An amazing family story by Danish TV journalist Johannes Langkilde
Windswept and Interesting: My Autobiography by Sir Billy Connolly CBE is a remarkable success story.
In fact it is the first full-length autobiography by the Glaswegian ‘rock-star comedian’.
Notably the John Murray Press publication is a No. 1 bestseller and took out the British Book Awards 2022 Book of the Year Audiobook Non-Fiction.
So keep reading to find out more about the book and what we can learn from Connolly’s efforts for our own life-story creating…
Continue reading Windswept and Interesting: Autobiography by Glasgow joker Billy Connolly
My transcription shorthand teacher at journalism school started class with a precise English accent, a box of chalk and a silver stopwatch.
Certainly it was grueling work getting faster each week to crack 100 words a minute.
But today alternatives for the recording and transcription of interviews are mind-boggling.
Most importantly they can help us save time and make creating life stories easier…
Continue reading Transcription: How to quickly create life stories using voice-typing tools
Mitan and Moni: The true story of two talented, young Swedish women who dared to dream of fashion success in Hollywood by Jenny Levallius is an adventurous read.
The biography tells how the sisters went from the small time to the big time in the 1960-70s creating custom garments for celebs.
This included Goldie Hawn, Patty Duke, Marlo Thomas, Sammy Davis Jr., Diana Ross, Sharon Tate, Ann-Margret and many more!
So keep reading to find out how graphic designer Levallius wrote this amazing family story about her mum and aunt plus her top tips for life-story creators …
Continue reading Mitan and Moni: Swedish sisters’ Hollywood fashion success story by Jenny Levallius
The solstice is nearly upon us marking the halfway point of the year.
So it is timely to reflect on what life-story goals we have achieved and want to pursue during the back half of the year.
Therefore I’ve been on the hunt to share with you motivational quotes and writing quotes from famous identities.
Certainly they will get you inspired to end this year with a writing bang!
Continue reading Writing quotes: Inspirational quotes + motivational quotes to conquer a midyear hump
Currowan: The Story of a Fire and a Community During Australia’s Worst Summer is a terrifying tale.
It was written by journalist Bronwyn Adcock who fled the inferno with her children while her husband went to fight at the front.
This Black Inc read tells her story, plus those of many others, and won the 2022 Walkley Awards Book Award.
So keep reading to learn more about this memoir, why it is a must-read and what we can apply to our own life-story projects …
Continue reading Currowan: Surviving one of Australia’s worst bushfires by Bronwyn Adcock
Staying organised when undertaking a life-story project is an important consideration.
Indeed it can seem overwhelming to most when starting an autobiography, memoir, biography or some other life-story project.
But there is a way to tame the creative chaos and flow of memories!
So keep reading to find out my top suggestions for effortless organisation …
Continue reading Staying organised: How to stay organised when creating a life story