Where do I start when it comes to writing my memoir? by Julia Van der Sluys

It can be daunting af when we get that nudge to either write a little bit about our pasts, or a full book about our journey.

Where to start?

How much to add?

How much is too much?

That list can get so big that it sits on the shelf in your mind collecting dust, never to see the light of day….

This is your nudge to get the mental dust buster out and start banishing some of that debris and get started!

The biggest question is where do I start? I will say this, just start jotting down some of the big memories/events/people that you know really shaped you – for good or bad, just to get the juices flowing, it doesn’t have to make sense, it just has to be out.

YOU DO NOT NEED TO WRITE LIKE IT IS ALREADY A POLISHED BOOK. That comes later! For now, just let it flow to wherever it needs to go.

As you start to do this, ask yourself, “are there any more events/things I need to talk about that had a profound effect on me, for better or worse?”

Because the start, is YOUR start. It’s  all the things that made you who you are, before your deep dive into the healing work, the shadow work, the hard yakka work, that began to transform you into who you are now.

You don’t have to share every minute detail of each thing, or maybe you feel it is necessary, either way write it down. You can always cull it later if you don’t think it’s needed or add more if more wants to come to the surface. Your first copy is not the ‘this is it’ copy.

Then you slowly start to flow into the transformational period. This is you doing the WORK.

Again, get as deep or as shallow as you like. This is your story to be shared your way.

I will suggest to touch on some of the tools you’ve used to get through this time, as it’s something the reader can also start to use and benefit from as well. It’s a way to connect to them even more deeply, as they have their own AHA moments along with you.

Then the finale – you as the you that you are now. Speak about the difference, the changes. How you feel, what is happening because you did all this amazing recalibrating. Whatever you need to put here, do! Show them what is possible in their world, if they choose to do what can sometimes be the hardest thing of choosing differently for themselves.

And Voila! Before you know it, your book about you is here that is going to rock other peoples’ lives and perhaps give them the nudge they need to do the same.

If you are wanting help with starting your writing practice. Make sure to grab our freebie on doing exactly that.

Guide to Loving Your Writing Practice | White Light (whitelightuniversal.com.au)