Community News for Life Story Writers
Suzanne Gardiner of the Sunshine Coast. "Once I had 10,000 words on paper, I sought advice from Lesley. It was important to contextualize the story and do research but easy to get carried away! It was a relief to learn that I needed only to state facts and let the reader decide what conclusion to draw and what judgements to make. Lesley also advised on restructuring - not a great deal - and I'm now working on corrections and suggestions. I'm happy at this point and very grateful for Lesley's expertise and encouragement." 2011.
Petrus Heyligers of Maleny wrote this beautiful haiku: mending holes/in a moth-eaten memory .../ life story writing.
Bob Cleland from Brisbane, arrived in Papua New Guinea from Australia in 1953 to begin his working life as a kiap (patrol officer). Bob's Big Road is an account of his contribution to Bikrot (the Highlands Highway) ... and much more. Published by Red Hill Publishing, 2010, Bob's book was reviewed in the Australian Literary Supplement in 2011.
A survey of Real Life Story students (see ‘This Teaching Life' in Writing Samples) resulted in this wisdom about writing journeys:
• Get help, especially to start with
• Be prepared for a long haul and patches of emotional difficulty
• Think outside the square to reach an audience
• Transfer your new skills to enrich the lives of others
• Enjoy yourself!
Who comes to Real Life Story Workshops?
Most people are working on:
• a full-length memoir
• a topic memoir
• self-development, with no particular goal but to enjoy creative exploration.
A smaller number focus on:
• family history
• the biography of a much-admired relative
• miscellaneous projects such as an organisational history
• children's books that draw on childhood experience
• a work of fiction (with the awareness that autobiographical writing can help its development).
So there’s usually a mix. That’s where the magic is.
Tip: If you want others to care about your work – care about the work of others.
Anybody interested in personal stories is welcome to contribute to this space. Contact me with working title and brief description of your project.
Kilcoy writers 2005