Waves of Life: Jim Hamilton's grateful autobiography of hope

Case study: Californian author’s life story rides ups and downs of life

Business consultant and author Jim Hamilton’s new autobiography tells the story of the three ‘big waves’ of his life and the valuable lessons these have taught him.

Waves of Life: A Grateful Man’s Journey, by Library Tales Publishing, includes the passing of Hamilton’s older brother, his battles with health issues and addiction, plus the pain and joy of his life.

However, underscoring all is the importance of love as the greatest gift you can receive and give.

Forever Young Autobiographies caught up with Hamilton to find out more about his book, writing process and tips for life-story creators.

Jim Hamilton’s autobiography Waves of Life

A life of determination, strength and hope

I am a business consultant and author with over 40 years of experience in the hi-tech industry.

Importantly I am the father of three, grandfather of five and husband to a remarkable woman.

And I am the author of It’s All About Her: A Man-to-Mans’ Guide to Marital Bliss and the parable In Pursuit of Love.

Through my writing, national interviews and blogging, I am on a mission to help people improve their lives by improving the way we connect, communicate and care for one another.

Also a graduate of the University of California Los Angeles, I was born in Palo Alto, California.

And I currently reside in Brentwood, California, with my wife Dora.

Why write a life story?

I suffered a stroke in 2015.

However, I recovered over the next four years, dealt with a couple of medical complications and experienced some phenomenal twists of fate.

So I decided to share some of the learnings from my own and others’ lives.

Certainly my family, particularly my wife Dora, are very supportive of my work.

Indeed many of my friends were surprised to learn certain details of my past and many were entertained by my characterisation of my life story.

“We’ve all gone through or know someone who has gone through some rough patches. I also have experienced some ups and downs in my life. The ups have been fantastic and the downs have really sucked — a technical term referring to less than positive experiences. However, I am a very lucky person in that the downs have been rare.”

Starting and finishing Waves of Life

In the beginning

The development of Waves of Life took about 65 years but the writing of the story took about a year.

I draw on my business planning experience in writing my books and particularly in writing Waves of Life.

Firstly I start by writing down thoughts on an old-fashioned lined yellow legal pad.

Some of these make up the basis for chapters, however, others are just phrases that act as reminders of things I want to find a place for in my stories.

Next I create a graphic outline in PowerPoint that enables me to see my story.

Seeking others’ perspective

Also for Waves of Life, I selected people from my past to interview and researched some of the 1960 and 1970 American culture to provide context to the story.

For example, the 30 interviews included friends from my childhood, coaches, teammates, medical professionals, psychologists and business executives who I had dealt with throughout my life.

Importantly each interviewee is made aware their words could end up in the book.

And if so, are given an opportunity to review the content prior to finalisation.

Coaching Calls Forever Young Autobiographies. Open hand outstretched over sparkling water.

Getting it all down

And then the writing begins.

First the story in each chapter and then the transitions between the chapters.

Meanwhile, the final chapters, including acknowledgments, may be partially written before I get to that point in the book. I finalise these at the end.

Certainly throughout this process, when I need an opinion, I rely on my wife Dora – a former executive in the hi-tech industry and communication expert – to give me input on content and clarity.

And finally, the editing takes place.

My publisher at Library Tales Publishing provides input and clean-up to the final product.

Also, during the final stages of the editing, the final cover design is created by my publisher with my input.

Surfing the highs and lows

The most challenging part of this project was selecting those aspects of my life which tied into the themes of the book.

And that also provided the reader with the ability to relate my experiences to their lives.

My wife, editor and a few early version readers had input on this.

Meanwhile, the most rewarding parts of this project for me are twofold.

First, being able to tell the story of one of my heroes, my niece Lexie, who at 13 was diagnosed with cancer.

However, after a brutal period of treatment that almost took her life and social challenges, she has become a therapist and mother.

Second, the feedback from readers who have shared that the book has prompted them to assess their lives and relationships with others.

Finally, my favorite part of the story is sharing how my wife Dora, my Rock, has helped me become the person that I am … the authentic Jim Hamilton.

Tips for life-story creators

Start! I feel that like any journey starting with a first step, a writing project starts with typing or writing the first words.

So do not worry about the final version or product but just start writing.

For example, take 30 minutes out of your day to jot down notes or stories.

Also keep a notepad with you so that ideas can be captured at any time.

And if you don’t have a pad, text yourself or leave yourself a voicemail message to capture those nuggets.

Certainly, depending on how your mind works, ideas may not always present themselves during your ‘writing time’ and you don’t want to miss those gems!

Finally be prepared because when inspiration hits, that 30 minutes may stretch into hours.

"May your hands always be busy, 
May your feet always be swift, 
May you have a strong foundation
When the winds of change shift.
May your heart always be joyful,
And may your song always be sung,
May you stay forever young."

- Bob Dylan, Forever Young, 1974, which are the final lines in Waves of Life

Related article – Writing time: How to schedule time for writing

Final Say: Waves of Life

Waves of Life: A Grateful Man’s Journey by Jim Hamilton has been 65 years in the making.

Indeed it is a unique story that is shared in the spirit of entertaining and helping others.

You can buy a copy for yourself from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Walmart and other outlets.

Also find out more info about Hamilton and his books at his website.

Happy writing!

Free gift!

Not sure how to start a life story? Watch my Structure Success video training to create a rough outline. Sign up here!

Your say

What is one big change or ‘big wave’ that has hit your life or a loved one’s life? 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.

Get in touch

Have you hit a roadblock planning, creating, polishing or finishing your life story or sitting down to write? Let me know here so I can help!

Waves of Life: Jim Hamilton’s grateful autobiography of hope