Write About Your Experiences

What major life challenges have you faced and survived? Can you help others benefit from your experience? If you were telling your story to a friend, there would probably be a lot of  "wish I'd known that" and "I'm glad I did that" thoughts to share - especially if that friend was about to face the same life challenge.

Life transitions, or challenges, come in many different forms, but most will have one common element: Who am I now? They include ...

• loss of a parent or close family member,
• loss of a dear friend,
• birth of a child,
• marriage,
• separation and divorce,
• retirement,
• mid-life crisis or menopause, 
• major career change,
• move to another town or state,

and many other life changes.

When I went through divorce a few years ago, I knew nothing about the process. It was an anxious, stressful time to begin with, and my lack of knowledge made me feel even more vulnerable.

About a year later, I made up my mind to help others facing separation and divorce to be better prepared in the practical aspects than I had been. Since I had been a professional (paid) writer for seven years or more, I chose to write a book.

It included the things I was glad I'd done plus steps I wished I'd known to do. In order to explain the legal process of divorce, I interviews attorneys, took notes, and went home to translate that into plain English. The next step was to check back with them to be sure the new version was correct.

YOUR POCKET DIVORCE GUIDE
published April 2014

The 2nd edition of that book, Your Pocket Divorce Guide, was just released. It's been sold and read on six continents, is on the suggested client reading lists of law firms across the U.S., and the thank you notes I've received from both men and women make my work more than worthwhile.

Which of your life transitions would lend themselves to the same kind of help for others?

Peace ~

Lin

Writing Style and Tone

The people who read your book or article actually dictate the best style and tone for the piece. Those two elements can create a specific kind of connection between you and him or her.Also, keep in mind the kind of information you want to share. After all, you aren't writing to your computer monitor or your English comp teacher or even your mother. Nonfiction authors write directly to and for the reader.


#1. Is your topic personal? If so, will you choose a casual tone with slang peppered throughout your book?

Buddy Style: Just how much of that hassle are you willing to put up with? After all, that isn't likely to change very much from one visit to the next. Trust me. 


#2. The content may be similar but the tone quite different, if you choose to write as the wise teacher who is reaching out to guide the reader.

Teacher Style: Because close relationships are so deeply sensitive, both of you may misstate some information or simply slant it according to your perspective or you may mis-hear what the other one says because your emotional filter can tilt the meaning. If you can keep that in mind, you will be less likely to blurt out a harsh response.

#3. For an impersonal topic, you will craft your words in a straight forward, instructional manner with no small talk and no emotion. It also calls for a directive tone and shorter sentences.

Instructional Style: Place the top shelf (part A) on the floor finished side down and align the  five holes on the unfinished side of that piece with the wooden pegs (part 2) on the end of the left side (part D).  

If you aren't quite sure of which tone will works the best for your reader and topic, try writing the same two or three paragraphs in different styles. Ignore that for a few hours or days before you reread what you've written. Now read and decide which style matches the reader and topic?

Whichever one you go with, be consistent. Changing every other paragraph is as jolting as switching to a foreign language.

Happy writing ~

Lin