Finding it hard to put your life into words?
What do you want others to know or understand after they’ve read your stories?
Break it Down
If you’re inundated with memories and thus story ideas, question why you’re writing your memoirs in the first place. A memoir isn’t a list of all the events you’ve experienced so far, that’s an autobiography. A memoir is a story that takes your readers on a journey. Pick the stories that mean the most to you and they’ll translate into pieces that will resonate with readers.
Bullet Points
You don’t have to write every story out, one at a time. Use bullet points to jot down some quick movements, dialogue and thoughts. Then when inspiration hits, go back to the story and flesh it out. Bullet points also help to:
- narrow your focus
- help you uncover new details
- see and fill in the holes in your narrative
- create a journey
Taking Your Time
Sometimes, we need to tackle certain stories in little bits. Stories that are hard emotionally and mentally can challenge and drain us. By breaking things into chunks like bullet points, we can make our stories more manageable. Don’t get stuck in the middle of an ocean of words when you have the tools to throw you a line.
Creative Challenge – tell me how bullet points have helped you tell your story.
