I would love to write about my life experiences, but I’m not sure how to go about it. I have a book in me that wants to be told, but I’m not sure if it’s publishable or how to go about getting it published. How can I start writing the book in the first place?
If you’ve been thinking about how to write a book but aren’t quite sure where to start, then this blog post is for you. In it, I’ll give you some super simple tips on how to write about your own life for an e-book so that you can get your book published. Let’s get into it.
Pro-Tip: Take Notes
One of the best things that can help you write your book is taking notes. When you have something to say, it’s easier to just write it down than try to keep it all in your head. Plus, you can always come back and add more to what you’ve already written. Taking notes will not only help you write the book; it will also help you remember all the important points in your life story.
If you’re just getting started, it might be a good idea to buy a notebook and write down everything that comes to mind. You can always find a notebook in the nearest bookstore – or even online. When you get a piece of paper with a note pad on it, you can’t help but want to start writing. And who knows – maybe one day you’ll even find that what you wrote has merit and becomes a book.
Don’t worry – this isn’t mandatory. You don’t have to buy a notebook and write down every detail of your life. You can just write the important things on sticky notes and put them on your laptop or desktop computer. Or, if you’re feeling extra creative, you can even make a collage of bits and pieces of your life on a notebook or A4 sheet. Whatever works best for you.
Pro-Tip: Research Your Topic
Even if you don’t have all the details of your life story written down yet, it’s still a good idea to do some research. When you’re writing the book, you’ll have all the information at your fingertips. You won’t have to go digging for facts and figures. Plus, you can reference back to what you’ve already written when you need to.
If possible, take a look at other books that are already out there and see how they approached their topic. Are they simply retelling other people’s life stories? Or did they choose to make it a story about themselves? Look at how they presented themselves and their journey. You can use some of their techniques and incorporate them into your story. And if you ever run into trouble, you’ll have someone to turn to for help – someone who has walked in your shoes (or at least has a very similar life story).
Pro-Tip: Look At News Websites For Inspiration
Another great place to find information and inspiration for your book is the news websites. See what stories are currently trending and what topics are driving news stories at this very moment in time. It might be a good idea to do some background research on these topics and see how they’ve been covered in the media. Are there any specific journalists who you think could be of help to you in telling your story?
You can also use the news websites to find people who are talking about these topics. The best part of the internet for finding books and writers is the ability to connect with other readers and writers who have the same enthusiasm about your topic that you do. It might be a good idea to connect with these people and see if they’re willing to help you. If so, great! If not, at least you know where to find them if you need assistance.
It’s always a good idea to be inspired by others, but don’t be afraid to veer off in a different direction. There is no wrong way to write about your life – as long as you’re being honest and truthful.
Why Should You Write A Memoir?
It’s often said that memoirs are the best kind of books to write. Why? Well, for one thing, you get to tell the story of your life. It can be a story of struggle, triumph, and learning. It can also be a story of tragedy, sadness, and hard-fought-for survival. There are lots of reasons why you might want to write a memoir.
Is any of those themes or emotions close to your heart? If so, then letting someone else know a little bit about your story could be cathartic. Or maybe you want to share your story in the hopes that it will encourage others who are reading it to follow your same path. Whatever your reason, writing a memoir is a great way to process your thoughts and emotions. And when you’re done, you’ll have a book to show for it.
If none of that sounds familiar, maybe it’s time to consider writing your book anyway. Maybe it’s something you’ve considered before but didn’t find the right setting or format for? Or perhaps you just feel that you have so much to say that you want to tell everyone about it. Even if you never end up publishing your book, at least you’ll have the satisfaction of seeing the story you’ve told come to life on the printed page. That’s something that can never be taken away from you.
Where Do I Start?
Once you’ve decided that you want to write a book, the next step is to figure out where to start. It depends on you what you want to focus on. Is it your childhood? Your adult years? Or a combination of both?
For some people, the story begins at birth. They prefer to start at the very beginning and work their way backward, exploring the events that led up to that point. For others, the story starts when they were children and their memories from that time are what inspire them to write. There are pros and cons to each approach. If you want to write a traditional, non-fiction book, then going forward might be a better option. However, if you’re looking to tell a more creative story, then starting from the present might be the way to go.
How about you? Where do you want to start? Are you more of a thinker or a feeler? A writer might ask you to put yourself in the story and explore what you want from it. For example, if you want to write about your transition from being a stay-at-home mom to becoming an independent woman, you might want to focus on the thoughts and feelings that went into that decision. The fact that you’ve decided to write a book about it is probably an indication that you’re more of a thinker. You might want to start with a scene on your laptop – or wherever you do your writing – and see how it flows from there. No matter where you start, just be sure to follow the flow of the story as it comes to you. Otherwise, you might get stuck somewhere and have to start over from the beginning.
Pro-Tip: Create A Characters List
If you’re writing in first person narrative – which is the case for most memoirs – then you’ll inevitably have to create a list of characters. These are the people you’re going to tell the story from (at least at first). Once you’ve got your characters down, it’s easier to keep them consistent through the whole book. You can also use this list to see which characters might work better in certain situations. For instance, if you’ve got a list of twenty potential characters, you might want to start with the protagonist – the main character who you identify with the most – and see how the story plays out. You might even find that the antagonist works better in this case. Maybe you’ll even identify with both the protagonist and antagonist. That’s something that can’t be predicted until you’ve tried out both versions and seen how a character reacts in different situations.
Pro-Tip: Create A Table Of Contents
When you’ve written a fair bit of your book, you’ll start to see the story playing out in your mind. At this point, it’s a good idea to sit down and write out the table of contents. This will help you see the entire story, in whatever format you choose, in one place. It can also be a good idea to write a bit about each chapter – or section – so that you have something to go back to when you’re rewriting. You can also use the table of contents as a reference point when you’re editing, making sure that everything ties together nicely. It’s always a good idea to have a table of contents anyway, but this one will be especially helpful when re-reading your book.