Everyone Has a Story to Tell-Part 2

Many people usually don't know where to begin when it comes to writing their own personal memoirs. Some people feel that a memoir chronicles their entire life, pinpointing the major events that influenced and shaped them the most. Some people will take a particular event and create a "story", of course non-fiction in nature, but focus on just that as the basis of their memoirs with the hopes of informing or entertaining readers, and their overall message or theme sticks out for all to take in. It's all up to you. There is and should never be a set format in which to write a personal memoir, because it is just that, "your personal Memoir.

So when thinking about where you would like to start in your quest for writing the personal memoir, maybe ask yourself a few questions.

1. What are some of my most memorable moments? They can be sad, embarrassing, loving, or fun. They can be life-changing, or just matter-of-fact. But whatever they are, they have to big enough for you to want to share with others. Stick to big stories and less on the technical details.

2. How far back in my past should I go when pulling an important event into my memoir? What is meant by this is---you never want to bring a story from your life to paper that you cannot fully "show" to your reader. It has to be so vivid from your memory that others reading it can get a visual picture of your life, as if from the outside looking in.

For example: Being rescued from a house fire. Obviously you wouldn't just tell us you were rescued by firefighters late one night. You would go more in depth by "showing" exactly how they rescued you.

"As I was dangling outside of my second story bedroom window, sashaying a white bedsheet high in the air to signal I was there, a firefighter caught a glimpse of my hanging there. He quickly pulled a ladder in the direction of my silhouette, climbed up to my window and caught me before I could no longer take in the smoke that filled my lungs."

3. Do I want to base my memoir on a certain time period, i.e.,childhood (school) years, or as an adult (relationships, divorce, how you became the President of a Fortune 500 company or a successful entrepreneur)? It's important which angle you want to take when writing so that you are not all over the place with no end in sight. Once you know what is most important for your book, stick to it.

Now once you have all of your fundamental events, situations, and life experiences that's suitable for YOUR memoir, now begin to write. It doesn't matter about grammar, and the technicalities of writing perfectly. That will come with time once it's finally done and you're ready to edit. But remember we are only on Part 2. We will talk next time about creating a speaker voice that will be true to only your work and that will set you apart from other stories that are out there. Until next time, WRITE YOUR WAY TO DESTINY!

Be sure to leave your comments about this or the Part one of "Everyone Has a Story to Tell!"

Be Blessed!

Everyone has a Story to Tell

Ever wanted to tell your story, but just didn't know where to begin? Maybe your story is inspiring, tragic, purposeful, or full of information. Maybe you have to tell this story because if you didn't, the release and deliverance that God has for you just can't be brought to fruition. The pain and emotions from your past has weighed you down. Are you with me? I understand everyone of these situations because I, at one time, was there.

So how do you start to put pen to paper and let the words flow from you heart? I'm going to share I few tid bits in the coming weeks on how to write your personal memoir. These short techniques that I'll share have been proven to help me when I wrote my memoir, The Life of a Lily.

By the way, if you are in the Las Vegas area June 18th-19th, come out to the Black Writers Reunion Conference, www.blackwriters.org at the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino. Along with some of the information that I'll share with you in the coming blog posts,(there's many more where this came from), I will also be presenting on Writing Children's Books for Today's Youth.

Ok, Let's start.

Memoir-(def.) memorandum; autobiography; an account of something noteworthy. (The Merriam-Webster Dictionary, copyright 2004).

My definition: a collection of true, personal life experiences that an author uses to tell a story, and/or inform an audience for the purpose of entertainment, inspiration, and reflection.

1. Start with the right surroundings.

It's kind of hard to get into your zone of writing without having the right atmosphere around you. The best time for writing for me is at night, when it's quiet, my child is in bed, and it's just me and God. I make sure I keep a pen and pad next to my bed at all times, and have awaken a time or two to jot things down from my dreams, from my subconscious mind (I know that's weird) but I have been known to wake up and some things from my past have resurfaced in my dreams. God brings things to you for a reason, especially if you realize that it happens more than once. Some people call it deja vu. I don't. God gives us unctions in the Holy Spirit. Take heed to them.

Now you want to make sure to have the most comfortable writing experience. How? Try to work in an area with the right lighting (desk lamp, or full-fledge natural lighting), and a desk or table that you always go to to write. Let that be your writer's workshop, so to speak. Get yourself something to drink, like coffee or tea, turn down any music or TV; as a matter of fact, turn it off. You want to make sure you are free from distractions and your creative juices can begin to flow. Make sure the chair that you are sitting in has the proper height for your posture but also to be able to sit properly with your computer or laptop. Working while sitting up in your bed will not be the best way to write, because you can become too comfortable and maybe fall asleep. I know many writers that do not feel that their homes are conducive to writing in. So they may go to a coffee shop, library, or other space where there's noise, chatter, or anything with stimulation. So really to each his/her own. Do what's most comfortable for you.

Just having the right surroundings will make you free to think and ready to write. Next time we will discuss how to research your life to find stories, and past memories for your memoir.

Blessings!