Ever written a book?

[Greenleaves]

I have been considering writing a book about my life, not to be published, more something that captures my memories from childhood to the present day. I guess what I am trying to achieve is something my grandchildren can read when I am putting back into the soil what I took out!

My trouble is where to start..and I dont mean at the beginning

[Bren In Pots]

Start with your happiest memories then work from there.

[alldigging]

Start at the beginning.

You can edit it once it's written.
I write a bit

[Jardiniere]

i wrote a novel once it was rubbish and never published but i could self publish on kindle now and inflict it on the world. if i was to write something for posterity i would write it chronologically and include facts and some comments on emotions etc in retrospect ....ie first day at school...was excited/scared/ etc although i might have to make some of it up as its so long ago i dont remember!

[Ananke]

I would start with bullet points of things you want to talk about, put them into a timeline then join them together with waffle

[gardenpassion]

Write it as a memory book? or start at present time and work backwards.

[noviceveggrower]

You could write about the present and then say how you got to where you are.
What are you planning to call it?

[Greenleaves]

You could write about the present and then say how you got to where you are.
What are you planning to call it?

I have no idea, but as it is for our grandchildren, the OH suggested " The life and times of Grandpops"

[Greenleaves]

Write it as a memory book? or start at present time and work backwards.

I like that idea

[WendyC]

I bought and gave as presents books of memories to complete and return to me from Priceless Treasures Online. Only my mum did hers and I have really enjoyed reading it. Wish my dad and inlaws would do theirs. Trouble was so long ago, I feel it is difficult to ask. Might give you a pointer as where to start.


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[Potstubsdustbins]

Back in 2004 my friend TK persuaded me to write about my life, his argument was that everyone should do the same as if we don't then a couple of generations down the line the way we were and the way we lived will be forgotten. I think this is particularly true these days with the speed everything moves at. It is titled MY NAME His Life and Times and I am still adding to it to this day.

When I first started It was a mishmash to be honest with pretty much no format. Eventually I broke it down into chapters each relating to a particular time, event or persons in my life. Chapter one is about my grand parents and parents, this was when I knew how right TK was. I knew very little about my parents early life and even less about my grandparents, these things weren't discussed with children back in the 1950s.

My 11 soon to be 12 year old granddaughter has read the first few pages and she finds it very hard to understand a world with no central heating, no running hot water, no bathroom, no McDs etc etc. And granddad what did you do without a mobile phone?

I would say give it a go its great for your memory cells and provides a trip down memory lane at the same time. Its surprising what you can recall, things you haven't thought about for years, I have many a happy hour sitting in my chair and giggling when something comes to mind.

[Verinda]

I wrote a children's book called 'The Creeps' one of the lead characters is called Verinda Creep! haha! I sent it to an American agency I found online and to my amazement and delight they seemed keen to take it on. First of all they wanted me to pay for a critique...so I did. Then they reasoned I would have to pay for it to be edited before they could approach publishers...so I paid, but it's a very short book so didn't cost much. And I must say the editor did a good job.
Then they asked me to pay for them to take it to publishers. Hmm, by this time I was highly suspicious and didn't pay. I looked into it and discovered the agency was run by a criminal!!! Furthermore many people pay over huge amounts of money believing their book will be published which is so sad.
I lost heart after that and have not sent it anywhere else.

[bearded bloke]

My only thought on this would be to add a lot of pictures in appropriate places with explanatory text for each

[Noosner]

GL, I have worked as a writer and editor for more years than I care to mention and I think writing a book about your life is a great idea that could prove rewarding for both you and your family.

My advice would be to begin by writing about the episodes in your life that strike you as the most memorable and important and don't bother about the order at first. You can organize it later. As PTD says, in the end it will probably be best to arrange it under different headings, rather than chronologically. Keep us posted, and good luck!

[Noosner]

I wrote a children's book called 'The Creeps' one of the lead characters is called Verinda Creep! haha! I sent it to an American agency I found online and to my amazement and delight they seemed keen to take it on. First of all they wanted me to pay for a critique...so I did. Then they reasoned I would have to pay for it to be edited before they could approach publishers...so I paid, but it's a very short book so didn't cost much. And I must say the editor did a good job.
Then they asked me to pay for them to take it to publishers. Hmm, by this time I was highly suspicious and didn't pay. I looked into it and discovered the agency was run by a criminal!!! Furthermore many people pay over huge amounts of money believing their book will be published which is so sad.
I lost heart after that and have not sent it anywhere else.

You were canny to smell a rat when you did, Verinda. Unfortunately this sort of thing is on the rise nowadays. Genuine agents do sometimes ask for a reading fee, but that should be the end of it. And if a publisher wants payment of any kind, they are likely to be what's known as a vanity publisher. You can pay to have your book published by them if you want, but that's all they will do - print a few copies. They won't promote it or send it out for review, or do any of the things a normal publisher would do for free on your behalf.