Everyone has a story to tell - First Draft helps get it started
I made a book presentation to the Bay City Lions Club last week. About 40 people attended, even after a winter storm dumped a pile of snow and ice on the area.
The club had a great luncheon set up for members at the Atrium Restaurant in downtown Bay City. Officers quickly conducted the month’s business and then turned the microphone and stage over to me.
I knew many members from my years as Editor of True North Magazine and Managing Editor of the Bay City Times. I had about 20 minutes to introduce the club to my books. I gave them a quick run through with my slide show, called Anatomy of a Mystery, which looks at how “A Grand Murder,” my latest novel, was created.
Lots of good questions from this very attentive group. That’s big reason I enjoy visiting civic organizations. Their members are community leaders, they’re well educated, and they are often open to new ideas and approaches. That’s why they like to have a guest speaker at their meetings, even if the speaker is hawking a product – as I was.
I sold a bunch of books and had a very enjoyable visit. But, right after I finished, two Lions approached me. They have their own stories to tell. They were eager for information and assistance. This happens after almost every presentation.
I tried to help them, and told them about a class I have put together and presented for consideration to the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Saginaw State University. The class is called First Draft. It is designed to help beginners define, organize, research, and put their writing projects on the road to construction.
The two Lions have very good story ideas.
One is a lawyer who has specialized in divorce cases over a long career. He’s pretty much seen it all, and most of it is very ugly. He wants to create a story to bring attention to the horrible effects divorce has on children, who are usually the greatest victims of nasty divorce.
Right off the bat, he has two great pluses in his favor. First, he has a treasure trove of real-life experience. And, he also has passion to tell his story. Every writer needs the means to tell a story and a searing desire to share it with others.
The next steps for the lawyer are to define the story, clarify his message, identify his audience and do some research to see what has been written on the subject. From there, he can move forward with a plan.
Is this fiction, non-fiction, or a memoir? From what point of view is the story going to be told? Is he going to tell his story of divorce from the parents’ perspective? The kids? The lawyers? The judge? Or social workers, the referees who often get pulled into contentious cases?
As we talked, I could see his mind working. We kicked around ideas for 10 minutes or so. He’s more enthusiastic about this writing project now than ever before. He gave me his card, and asked me to let him know if the SVSU OLLI class comes together.
The other Lion has an inspirational story to tell. He is a Bay City man who rose from humble beginnings to try out for the U.S. Olympic wrestling team. This year, he’s being inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame. If he can make the big time, then anyone can rise with hard work, determination, faith, and grit.
I offered him the same advice as the lawyer. I have his card, and he’s eager to get started.
With the booming explosion of the Internet and self-publishing, there are more avenues open to writers who have a story to tell than ever before. I look forward to helping them with their journeys whenever I can.
I will keep you posted on what happens with First Draft.
A Grand Murder
The club had a great luncheon set up for members at the Atrium Restaurant in downtown Bay City. Officers quickly conducted the month’s business and then turned the microphone and stage over to me.
I knew many members from my years as Editor of True North Magazine and Managing Editor of the Bay City Times. I had about 20 minutes to introduce the club to my books. I gave them a quick run through with my slide show, called Anatomy of a Mystery, which looks at how “A Grand Murder,” my latest novel, was created.
Lots of good questions from this very attentive group. That’s big reason I enjoy visiting civic organizations. Their members are community leaders, they’re well educated, and they are often open to new ideas and approaches. That’s why they like to have a guest speaker at their meetings, even if the speaker is hawking a product – as I was.
I sold a bunch of books and had a very enjoyable visit. But, right after I finished, two Lions approached me. They have their own stories to tell. They were eager for information and assistance. This happens after almost every presentation.
I tried to help them, and told them about a class I have put together and presented for consideration to the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Saginaw State University. The class is called First Draft. It is designed to help beginners define, organize, research, and put their writing projects on the road to construction.
The two Lions have very good story ideas.
One is a lawyer who has specialized in divorce cases over a long career. He’s pretty much seen it all, and most of it is very ugly. He wants to create a story to bring attention to the horrible effects divorce has on children, who are usually the greatest victims of nasty divorce.
Right off the bat, he has two great pluses in his favor. First, he has a treasure trove of real-life experience. And, he also has passion to tell his story. Every writer needs the means to tell a story and a searing desire to share it with others.
The next steps for the lawyer are to define the story, clarify his message, identify his audience and do some research to see what has been written on the subject. From there, he can move forward with a plan.
Is this fiction, non-fiction, or a memoir? From what point of view is the story going to be told? Is he going to tell his story of divorce from the parents’ perspective? The kids? The lawyers? The judge? Or social workers, the referees who often get pulled into contentious cases?
As we talked, I could see his mind working. We kicked around ideas for 10 minutes or so. He’s more enthusiastic about this writing project now than ever before. He gave me his card, and asked me to let him know if the SVSU OLLI class comes together.
The other Lion has an inspirational story to tell. He is a Bay City man who rose from humble beginnings to try out for the U.S. Olympic wrestling team. This year, he’s being inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame. If he can make the big time, then anyone can rise with hard work, determination, faith, and grit.
I offered him the same advice as the lawyer. I have his card, and he’s eager to get started.
With the booming explosion of the Internet and self-publishing, there are more avenues open to writers who have a story to tell than ever before. I look forward to helping them with their journeys whenever I can.
I will keep you posted on what happens with First Draft.
A Grand Murder
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