Has your life been interesting enough to write a book?

hollydolly said:
people tell all the time I should do it Rob... but some of it is so bad, I just would have real difficulty reliving it... . I could do it if I had a Ghost writer I think.. but to actually sit and write it myself I think would be too difficult
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No worries about that dear @hollydolly I find that writing down difficult parts of my life has helped me deal with them much better.

Example: after losing son and hubby, I've written down the ending chapters of Book4. It was difficult as it was too fresh in my mind. My Father had an expression in hard times. "Write it down, change the pain from heart to universe, let the latter take the pain away..."

Give it a go, you'll never know how released you'll feel...
 

Supernatural said:
No worries about that dear @hollydolly I find that writing down difficult parts of my life has helped me deal with them much better.

Example: after losing son and hubby, I've written down the ending chapters of Book4. It was difficult as it was too fresh in my mind. My Father had an expression in hard times. "Write it down, change the pain from heart to universe, let the latter take the pain away..."

Give it a go, you'll never know how released you'll feel...
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Bless you. I'm pleased that worked to help ease your pain.. 🤗 for me.. when I tried writing the worst events.. which unfortunately can't be left out because they took up a substantial part of my life.. I just couldn't get more than a few sentences down without sobbing like a baby.. .. and then having nightmares for weeks due to reliving it again.. . :cry:
 
This may be a bit off topic but does anyone remember a show, I think, titled Everyone has a Story. Something like that.
The host went to a town, got in a payphone booth and randomly called someone in town. He'd get them to agree to an interview and some of their stories were so interesting.
Am I remembering this accurately?
 

It has been mentioned to me several times in past years that I should write a book. But then, so many chapters of my life, the roller coaster rides (I don't like the ride itself), but I cherish all the good and the bad. It makes me appreciate what a wonderfully adventurous and emotional life I've made.
The bad parts gave me strength, the good parts gave me laughter, the mundane parts gave me respite, the daily routines showed me how to schedule.....
But I digress.... I'd rather share my stories with friends who laugh with me, even through the bad parts.
They also help me turn the page.
 
George1959 said:
You have been a Psychiatric Nurse? Surely you knew a lot of real interesting people at that time.
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Thank you. Some of the things that happened are priceless, and you were with the same patients 8 hours a day, X 5days a week, week after week, so you got to know the pts. as friends.
One story.....
The hospital had locked wards. The doors were locked with special keys only the State of PA could use. A local car dealership had a sales promotion, where they mailed out keys to everybody, and if your key fit, you won a car. But the keys just happened to be the exact same keys as the State's. Our pts. were mailed keys to the place. The dealership got stuck with having to replace hundreds of locks at the hospital.
 
hollydolly said:
Bless you. I'm pleased that worked to help ease your pain.. 🤗 for me.. when I tried writing the worst events.. which unfortunately can't be left out because they took up a substantial part of my life.. I just couldn't get more than a few sentences down without sobbing like a baby.. .. and then having nightmares for weeks due to reliving it again.. . :cry:
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Use a voice recorder to get your thoughts down, much easier than writing it out. Later on just convert file to text.

If you make it fictional, just choose a character to represent the person going through these hardships, then the pain isn't personal anymore. It'll flow easier... 👍

I've changed locations, got new characters, names, professions. It protects privacy but gives you one heck of a tearjerker thriller full of dramas and all. People love to read about that. Add on a murder at the end... You'll have them iun the edge of their seats, white knuckles...

Just as an example, you can call it: "Woman On The Edge" based on a true story. Names, locations have been changed to protect the people involved... By Holly Dolly, pen name, indie author!

If you want, record it, I'll write it for you as a ghost writer...
 
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Supernatural said:
Use a voice recorder to get your thoughts down, much easier than writing it out. Later on just convert file to text.

If you make it fictional, just choose a character to represent the person going through these hardships, then the pain isn't personal anymore. It'll flow easier... 👍

I've changed locations, got new characters, names, professions. It protects privacy but gives you one heck of a tearjerker thriller full of dramas and all. People love to read about that. Add on a murder at the end... You'll have them iun the edge of their seats, white knuckles...

Just as an example, you can call it: "Woman On The Edge" based on a true story. Names, locations have been changed to protect the people involved... By Holly Dolly, pen name, indie author!

If you want, record it, I'll write it for you as a ghost writer...
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that's something for me to ponder SN.. thank you for that. I'll keep that in mind, and maybe when I'm through all this current problems , I'll be mentally strong enough to do it.. and I thank you for the offer of Ghost writing, one day I may take you up on that !!.. but believe me it will be harrowing...
 
hollydolly said:
that's something for me to ponder SN.. thank you for that. I'll keep that in mind, and maybe when I'm through all this current problems , I'll be mentally strong enough to do it.. and I thank you for the offer of Ghost writing, one day I may take you up on that !!.. but believe me it will be harrowing...
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No problems dear. I've just posted one of my ghost experience under my original indie author post. Read it, if you dare?
 
I sent an excerpt of "my story" to a friend who is a published writer. Because of that intriguing part and other history she knows about me, she told me that I should write a book. And she was serious. In fact she tried to talk me into it. I told her I'm not ready for several reasons, including to protect the privacy of certain people, who are featured in the most interesting parts.
 
It has. Gay boys grows up in the Southern Baptist church, hates himself, tries to play it straight, then finally finds his place in life. All the misadventures and self-loathing along the way that finally brings him to happiness. Straight people usually aren't interested and young gay men can't relate because the world is different now. Interesting stuff but it would attract a small audience.
 
Bretrick said:
I think my life experiences would enable enough content to be worthy of a book.
From the utterly dysfunctional childhood, early extreme alcoholism/drug dependency, years of Bulimia, chronic depression and the ultimate triumph over all that adversity.
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Yes but I have no desire to do so. Sometimes I’ve thought it would be therapeutic but I firmly believe that reminiscing about past events hinders more than helps so haven’t.
 
packleader said:
Having lived in Germany, Australia, Canada, New York, and now in California, I would have plenty to write about but who would read it? I bet not even my children. So, I better spend my time taking my dogs on daily walks. That's healthier than wasting my time writing a useless book.
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You never know...each time we write, we may teach someone something or share a bit of knowledge that is unique. Don't underestimate your talent. Rarely is a book "useless." I think everyone should write at least one book within their lifetime. We have so much to offer to the world. We offer a part of ourselves.
 
PeppermintPatty said:
Yes but I have no desire to do so. Sometimes I’ve thought it would be therapeutic but I firmly believe that reminiscing about past events hinders more than helps so haven’t.
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However, by writing thoughts down, we connect with our subconscious that has hidden the past, and we learn about ourselves through this process that no therapist could ever accomplish. Writing is both therapeutic and cathartic.
 
OneEyedDiva said:
I sent an excerpt of "my story" to a friend who is a published writer. Because of that intriguing part and other history she knows about me, she told me that I should write a book. And she was serious. In fact she tried to talk me into it. I told her I'm not ready for several reasons, including to protect the privacy of certain people, who are featured in the most interesting parts.
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Amy Tan wrote about her Chinese mother, and her broken English. Opening up like that takes risk. I have entertained the idea of writing a memoir, and have read several memoirs, but am not ready for it. Changing names and gender can also be a way of getting the story out there without compromising identities.
 
palides2021 said:
However, by writing thoughts down, we connect with our subconscious that has hidden the past, and we learn about ourselves through this process that no therapist could ever accomplish. Writing is both therapeutic and cathartic.
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Precisely ! Only I don’t want to connect with my subconscious to remember parts of my hidden past. Recalling repressed memories is difficult enough as is. They are repressed memories for a reason. Some things are best left unknown. ( in my opinion )
 
PeppermintPatty said:
Precisely ! Only I don’t want to connect with my subconscious to remember parts of my hidden past. Recalling repressed memories is difficult enough as is. They are repressed memories for a reason. Some things are best left unknown. ( in my opinion )
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I understand. I have noticed, though, that I will react to something and later ask myself, why I reacted that way. Over time, I have found out that my subconscious was reacting and my higher level mind hadn't communicated with it, and hence, the reason I did not understand it. So part of my job while I am writing, is to connect the two together and gain more wisdom in the process.
 
You own everything that happened to you. Tell your stories. If people wanted you to write warmly about them, they should have behaved better. ~ Anne Lamott (author of Bird by Bird)

I wrote and published a memoir several years ago. For anyone who doubts they can do this, no worries. All they have to do is take a deep breath, get it all out on the page—and keep a box of Kleenex handy!
 
I am living the American Dream, from a penniless immigrant to one who has a house and a carefree living, who gave his children a good education and also a good living. I don't always like American politics, but I wouldn't like to live anywhere else.

Well, a commercial publisher may not be interested, but how about trying a vanity publisher?
 

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