Today I would like to honour a lady named Jill. I met her when I was giving a free online memoir talk at an Auckland library. She shared honestly with the group that she had lost her beloved husband Phil to Alzheimers.
She wanted to write a book about it. She felt he had been over-medicated towards the end of his life. She wanted to speak out about this and hoped her story would help others.
Jill had a book in her, and a lot of love for her husband. She joined my memoir writing course and worked her way through the lessons. She said her story poured out of her.
I thought you might like to know how she wrote her story:
- She wrote it chronologically, in the order that it happened
- She focused on that period of her life – starting the day that she realised Phil had Alzheimers and finishing with a chapter called ‘The fantails, grief and moving forward.’
- She incorporated photos with captions
- She included a Stuff.co.nz article that she’d been interviewed for that was part of the Stuff series Drugging the Elderly.
- She included both negative and positive feedback about the organisations involved in their journey
- Her story ended on a positive note.
This was the easiest book production process my team and I had ever experienced because the course had supported Jill to prepare to print her book, as she wrote.
Next steps for Jill: she’s going to share her book with people going through similar experiences with their loved ones, with help from community support groups.
Some words from Jill:
“The absolute highlight of my week was when I came home from walking Toby and the book was on my doorstep. And just as you said it was an amazing moment to open up the parcel and find a real book inside.
I love it, I love the design, I love the way it is set out, I love everything about it. You and your team have done such a wonderful job. Thank you all so very very much. What an achievement between us all. I have done Phil proud, told his story, exposed some truths
I couldn’t have done it without you and your team’s help.”
I am so proud of Jill. If you’d like to know more about her book, email me.
If you’re looking forward to holding your book in your hands, keep going, one step at a time. And maybe some days, your story will pour out of you, too.
Charlotte x
PS yesterday I put the price of my online course Write Your Course up, but if you’d really like to join it for the original price, I’d love to welcome you into our lovely community of memoir writers! So email me and we’ll make it happen.
PPS would you like to write your story and then receive full support to edit and turn it into a book you can hold in your hands? Check out our new Memoir course + editing & design package.
Charlotte Squire 
Greetings Precious,
What, why and how did the course support Jill to prepare to print her book, as she wrote…please?
Stunning day throughout the sleepy Bay, today :-))
Happiness… like a turtle..lol
Tania B
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Hey there Tania,
The whole course is designed to prepare you to print your book, though you need to write it onto a computer at some point (I know you’re starting with pen and paper).
Ideally you go through the whole course, one module at a time.
You definitely need to go through Module Two – planning; and Module Four – organising images and other scanned items, Module Five – formatting and design, and Module Six – how to print or publish your book.
Hope this helps,
Charlotte 🙂
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