Which of your stories could you share? And will it be 'worth it'?

Thinking of writing a book? Got a lot of different stories to draw upon and want to share your experiences? I believe everyone has a story worth sharing because you never know who you’ll help or inspire by telling the truth about your experiences.

However. You might not have pictured yourself as a memoir writer. You might never have imagined yourself as an author at all. So the first step on your journey is to overcome that and start writing. By letting the words flow, you can figure out what you want to say as you go. Then you can shape a plan to help you get to the end.?

To help,? I’m here to support you to have a look at your stories and then help you decide what kind of book you want to write. Or when we talk it through, you might prefer to create a series of content in a different format. Some people are better suited to filming short videos. Others prefer talking on a podcast. Or you might want to build an email list by sharing exclusive stories and sending them directly to your tribe of people. It depends on your audience: how do they like to consume content? - and which type you feel you can sustain and consistently produce.

Choosing which stories to share comes down to three things, simple questions, but they’re not necessarily straightforward to answer:

• How have your experiences shaped your path?
• Which ones had the biggest impact on you and your life?
• What do you want to achieve - is helping others a priority for you?
• Where does your soul feel drawn to going next?

When we think about the lessons we’ve learned and the challenges which life has thrown our way, there’s always something that we could’ve done differently, if we’d had some of the knowledge earlier. So sharing your experience could help someone else take a shortcut!?

A book has a certain credibility and longevity that other media doesn’t have, provided you’re in a position to promote the book, so it reaches the readers who need it. If you choose to share your experiences in a book, you’ve got three or four options:

1. You can write a self-help book - full of exercises and instructions on how to follow the process you went through to overcome those specific challenges.
2. You can write a memoir - full of your own memories, reflections and analysis of your thoughts, feelings and actions as the events unfolded.
3. You can write a novel - turning your experiences into fiction means you can protect your privacy and the individuals involved by obscuring which parts are based on truth and which are wholly made up.

The fourth option is to blend your stories into a teaching memoir. It’s not a genre that’s on a bookshelf in the stores, however, it is a commonly accepted approach for sharing your knowledge. You might include some anecdotes, stories and real life experiences or case studies from other people and then develop the learning points alongside each story.

Once you’ve started writing, I’d recommend a regular or daily slot in your diary to keep going. That will help the words to flow. Once you’re in the habit of writing, you’ll still manage a few lines, even if you have a day when you’re not feeling like writing as much.

As you write, start to imagine your audience and how they’re going to benefit from reading your stories. Picture who they are and what feelings they are dealing with in their daily lives.

Thinking ahead about how you’re going to reach them to promote the book can help you shape the chapters and develop the arc of your narrative. There may be key points which you can write additional content about which become blogs, email news or social media posts.

You could also decide your approach for marketing - a strategy for the long term. Are you only writing one book or will it be a series? If this book includes your experiences, you might want to hold some back for future books. That means carefully planning the topics you want to cover. Some authors write their memoirs, but then want to change their name to protect the privacy of the people in the book. Working under a pseudonym is possible and it’s a well accepted practice, however, it does throw up challenges for marketing the book. As an author, you need to build a personal brand - which is more difficult if you’re working with a second identity. Planning the pillars of your brand can inform how you want the book to end and connect with readers, because it might even be a source of introductions for you to help people directly. What starts out as a simple story could become a game-changer for the people who need your support.

Sometimes a conversation can help kickstart your writing, if you’re not sure which story to include or start with - that’s what my Authoring Mentoring Chats are designed for. DM me with any questions or you're welcome to arrange a call.