Turning your life story into a movement

What makes your message special? Unique? Different?

Why should someone hear it?

And how do you want them to approach their life differently after they receive this message?

Asking and answering those questions—challenging yourself and digging deep—will help you write the strongest book possible and turn your life story into a movement.

Starting your story

A lot of times when people write a book about their life, they want to start at the beginning—when they were born. Or with a long, meandering story about their relatives.

It’s probably not the best way into your story, unless something unique happened, like you were born in a taxi on the side of the road on the way to the hospital. That's an interesting birth story.

When I write a book, I typically open with the most impactful moment, the moment when everything changed—often a key point from the middle of the story—then pull back to fill in the details.

Recognize the connections

When writing a book about your life, it’s common for authors to document the random steps along their journey. Instead of doing that, consider how the stories all connect and fit together.

What are the overarching messages and themes?

Your collective life experiences may not combine into a cohesive story on the page, but maybe one aspect of your life does—and the book should orient around those experiences.

I’ve been working with an author recently on a book about their dancing experiences, and focusing their story through the lens of dancing has sharpened the book’s focus and given it purpose. Without those connections, the book felt disjointed. And a reader will struggle to connect to a disjointed book.

The power of outlining

I’m a big proponent of outlining your project.

It can be great to free write and explore the space of your story—but by figuring out the scope and shape of the story at the beginning of the writing process, it will save you so much time and energy.

Writing aimlessly and hoping you find your way is similar to driving without directions. Maybe you know where you’re going. But maybe you don’t. And it’s far too easy to get lost, or to get stuck in a traffic jam you could have avoided.

When you’re really stuck …

If I’m stuck on a project, I’ll pull out cards—either index cards or Fabula storytelling cards.

If I have the topics figured out but not the order, I’ll write down the chapter themes on index cards, tape them to the wall, and arrange them in order.

The storytelling cards, meanwhile, represent a mix of story beats and steps along the hero’s journey.

It can be so helpful to map things out and visualize the flow of the story.

Your story—no matter the complexity of the topic or the format—should follow tried-and-true story methods. By grounding your story with universal elements, you’ll be able to connect with a reader no matter their situation.

The power of audience

A significant part of any story is the audience.

How does your reader connect to your story? What will they learn from it and how will it impact their life? How will they carry forward your book’s message?

What might they write in a review on Amazon?

By keeping the reader in mind, you’ll be thinking of their needs as you write—and thinking about the promises you made to them at the beginning of the book to ensure that you fulfill them. There’s nothing worse than making a promise and falling short of it. Because if you do that, your audience is going to feel like you let them down.

It’s even helpful to figure out who your audience is not, because by default, you’ll be better positioned to write a book for the actual ideal reader. Your book is not for everyone—nor should it be. And by targeting a specific type of person, both in the writing and promotion, your book will better connect with your ideal audience.

Filling in gaps

While you may be the central character of your story, you may not always have the best vantage point.

As you write your book, it can be helpful to talk to other key people in your orbit to ensure that you are telling your story in the clearest, truest way possible.

Others can help you fill in gaps.

Maybe someone else remembers something differently. Or maybe you’re just plain wrong, and your memory is playing tricks. Either way, the more vantage points you can gather, the more complete the picture becomes.

Building a movement

To truly unlock the power of your book, you need to connect it to larger structures—a course or coaching offerings, or a network, or speaking engagements, or some other thing. It’s not about just a book, it’s about creating a long-term connection.

It’s about building a movement.

I’ve had clients who turned one book, in the right reader’s hands, into tens of thousands of dollars in sales.

I’ve also had clients who didn’t connect their book to a larger funnel or connection, and they struggled to recoup project costs because their only source of revenue was book sales.

The goal, with any book, is to have an impact.

Even with a strong background in journalism, I initially didn’t know how to bake platform and purpose into the books I ghostwrote—and it took me a long time, working on a lot of books, to truly figure it out. This wasn’t about just a call to action to visit someone’s website and connect with them, but something bigger.

If you’re new to book writing, I wouldn’t expect you to know how to connect all of the pieces of your story or understand how to carry your reader forward.

So if you’re stuck, or struggling, or need some guidance … even if you think you have everything sorted out … schedule a free strategy call with me. I’ve counseled hundreds of authors, in addition to ghostwriting dozens of books myself. And I’m happy to share my insights and help you unlock the full power of your story!