Questions and answers on writing life experiences for ourselves and others.
Index of Questions
1. Why is it important to record life stories?
2. What if your life seems boring and ordinary? Who will want to read it?
3. What is the best way to capture the story? Video, oral tapes, written narrative etc.
4. What is a story? Definitions of different types of life experiences and how they are captured.
5. Who's who in the capture of a life event: Story teller, listener, interviewer, historian, audience, transciptionist, archivist etc.
6. What is the role of a listener? How should the questions be phrased so that bias or personality is subdued and the storyteller is in charge?
7. Is the role different if the storyteller is facing a life threatening disease?
8. How do you handle it if in telling of the story emotions and repressed feelings surface?
9. How do you get enough information? When do you turn to family members or public records?
10. How much time does it take to complete a story? Everyone is so busy and life goes by so quickly, how can I ever squeeze this in?
11. What is truth? Why would two different people present at the same event see it entirely different and which version do you believe and record?
12. How should you convey the story? First person, third person, lots of photos with captions, small easily read sections or one long letter?
13. What are the main types of personal anecdotes, life events, experiences, tragedies and triumphs that make a good memoir?
14. How do you narrow it down to the "real" story? What is hidden beneath the iceberg?
15. What are some questions to jog memories?
16. What about editing, spelling, composition etc? What if others judge your work and find it less than perfect?
17. How do you structure the narrative so that it is interesting, believable and leaves the message the story teller wanted to convey?
18. What do you do with the narrative when you have finished writing it?
19. Who does the finished work belong to?
20. Where can you find additional assistance on personal historians or story telling issues?
21. Where is the paper and pen?
If you are interested in getting the answers to these and other questions about life story writing, please contact us at judywright@artichokepress.com and sign up for a tele-class and our FREE e-zine: "The Artichoke" - finding the heart of the story in the journey of life..
?Judy H. Wright, Personal and Oral Historian - www.artichokepress.com
no-contract cleaning service Mundelein ..Short Story Writing Tips ?We all have different tastes in... Read More
Want to write an article or book, but are stuck... Read More
You know you've got writing talent. Others enjoy your work... Read More
A friend and I were talking the other day about... Read More
Before I became a teacher, I was a sports writer.... Read More
"The Magic of Layout..."???Okay... "magic" might seem a bit over... Read More
Ah, the age-old writer's debate--to outline or not to outline?Outlines... Read More
Think of writing like karate...it's about DISCIPLINE.Writing, like other forms... Read More
There is no specific formula for children's fiction. There are,... Read More
ESSAYS ON AUTOBIOGRAPHY: NUMBER 1Preamble:Nearly seven years ago I wrote... Read More
To write books for readers at an elementary reading level... Read More
If a writer considers writing to be a task, he/she... Read More
You have a new website, or a new business, or... Read More
In the current job market, many editorial freelancers have turned... Read More
Regardless of what sort of writer you are and how... Read More
A book coaching client recently emailed me that she was... Read More
It occurred to me one day that I needed something... Read More
How to Come Up with Fresh Story Ideas When Your... Read More
One of the most common weaknesses I see in day-to-day... Read More
Self-examination is brutally honest. Self-indulgence is brutally maudlin.Writing requires the... Read More
Good writing is like sex. Two people are involved ?... Read More
Writing for the web is very different from writing for... Read More
"Do I send samples, a media kit, or just the... Read More
Whenever you sit down to plot a story (or even... Read More
Did you know that your back cover information is, after... Read More
maid service near Glenview ..Sometime one must coax the words out.Each day is a... Read More
The process of developing a working title for your nonfiction... Read More
Rejection. This scary word plagues virtually every writer this side... Read More
My husband is no poet, so when I offer my... Read More
For many years, I've been a tutor for students undertaking... Read More
Are you ready to abandon your short stories? Before you... Read More
"The Magic of Layout..."???Okay... "magic" might seem a bit over... Read More
There are many ways you can generate ideas you can... Read More
To help build your profile and reputation within a large... Read More
Next time you're tempted to use italics for emphasis... STOP!"Why?"... Read More
There is no specific formula for children's fiction. There are,... Read More
Have you heard the term 'ghostwriter' and wondered what they... Read More
For those looking at the jobs listings for writers, they... Read More
1. Remember publication is a business; writing is an art.... Read More
The biggest mistake authors make when trying to get free... Read More
There is one key difference between reports and most other... Read More
As one of those fabulous Baby Boomers, you now own... Read More
Open up your favorite calendar and circle today's date.Why? Because... Read More
You can learn a lot about what it takes to... Read More
1) Convince yourself you want to do something else. If... Read More
The Blogfest 2005 Writing Contest has only been running for... Read More
According to one of my previous articles, whenever a Southerner... Read More
Interested in breaking into writing or breaking into a new... Read More
So many clients come to me as a book or... Read More
What Makes a Great Headline?Headlines are far more important than... Read More
Writing |