Telling your story.

Something significant happened. Perhaps it was something unpleasant and it
happened to you: maybe you were bullied or unfairly dismissed.
Perhaps it was something you observed, like corruption or an environmental
problem. Perhaps it was something good, such as someone doing a good turn,
overcoming adversity or learning how to be a better person.
You can keep the story to yourself - or you can tell it.

Why would you want to tell it?

1. It's beneficial to others, because something similar might be happening to
them. Bullying for example: it goes on all the time. If your story gives insight
to just one other person and helps them deal with it more effectively, then
it's worth writing about. Your story of good things might inspire others.

2. It's beneficial to you. If you've been through a traumatic experience, it's
valuable psychologically to write your story. It's a form of therapy, and it
works even if you then throw away what you've written.

How to go about it

First, plan what you want to say. Write down an outline of points you're
going to cover. For example, you might have:

1. Title
2. Summary sentence
3. Background
4. The events
5. Lessons
6. Conclusion

Under some of these headings - 3, 4 and 5 - you might have subsections,
for example:

4a. The attack
4b. My response
4c. The attack, part 2
4d. My response
4e. The outcome

It's usually better to try to write a short account. You don't need to include
all the gory details. Avoid blow-by-blow descriptions of events, conversations
and letters. Just give a few typical examples that illustrate the main dynamics.

The background is useful for people who don't know your situation.
For example, if the events happened in an organisation, say what it does,
how big it is and how it's structured. Tell about your own role in the
organisation.

Say what country you're in and, if relevant, something about it. Imagine
there's a reader with completely different experiences, for example
someone from Afghanistan or Zimbabwe. You don't need to explain
everything, but enough for outsiders to understand local peculiarities.

For the benefit of others, you should emphasise the lessons from the events.
A lesson might be "I did this, and it didn't work" or "It was really satisfying
when I persisted until a resolution was reached." Imagine you are entering
exactly the same situation again. What do you know now that would help the
second time through? That information or insight is exactly what others can
benefit from. To benefit yourself, tell what happened and how you felt about
it at the time. That's all.

The writing process

Planning
You've prepared your outline. Next, schedule writing time over the next week
or two. Write in your diary the time and place you're going to write. Aim for
most days of the week if you can. Your writing time is a commitment just
like any other.

Writing
When you sit down to write at the scheduled time, clear away everything
except for your outline. Then start writing. Write for 15 to 30 minutes. Then
finish. At your next scheduled writing time, don't read what you've written
already; just continue from where you left off.

If you're writing a brief account, you might finish a first draft in one or two
sessions. Longer accounts might take a week or several weeks to complete.

If you're doing this only for your personal benefit, you're now finished.
But if you'd like other people to hear your story, proceed to the next steps.

Revising
When you've finished a first draft, go through it fixing your expression and
adding or deleting information. Revise and then revise again. Your first draft
might seem like a mess. You can turn it into a polished product if you keep
working at it. Sooner or later, you should obtain assistance from people you
trust. You should show your draft to friends to tell you how to make the story
more accurate. If you don't have much experience writing, you should find
one or two people to help you with expression.

Publishing
Are you willing for others to read your story? You can give copies to your
friends. You can send it to a magazine. You can post it on the web.

Checking
If you're saying something about others, then it's wise to check with them.
Check and recheck the facts. You might also send a draft to people you've
mentioned in the story, asking for comments and corrections.

Anonymising
If your story is so sensitive that you can't reveal names or the organisation,
you can convert your story to an anonymous account. Change each name,
including your own, to a different name (a pseudonym). Change some of the
details - dates, ages, occupations, events - and remove others. Rather than
talking about Ajax Chemical Corporation, refer to Standard Manufacturing
Company. Keep the essence of the story, especially the lessons.

Publishing
Get advice on where to publish. If you publish on the web - often the
easiest option - try to find a site where there are similar stories.

Ref: Brian Martin, October 2008