In Your Own Voice: Using Life Stories to Develop Writing Skills

Whether you are learning writing skills or teaching them, telling a life story can be a great beginning... 

We were all born with an authentic inner voice, one that spoke clearly when we were children. But most of us lose that pure, confident expression. After a few years of being corrected and “taught” we habitually criticize ourselves, become self-conscious, and are afraid to write. This book can help to change all that.

Life story writing allows you to draw on material you know best — your own personal experiences — to create vivid, compelling stories that give you confidence and a sense of accomplishment. They also help to build fundamental writing skills. The techniques work for students and experienced writers, and include:

• seven steps for putting earliest memories into written words
• using present tense writing to recapture the immediacy of the past
• integrating the voices of the creator and the critic within you
• learning how to respond to and use supportive feedback
• knowing when to incorporate form, syntax, and other writing fundamentals

Teachers will value the many samples of topics used in writing classes, examples of evolving drafts, and unforgettable student essays. The method can also be used by parents, or as a self-learning program. Extensively tested in high schools and adult literacy programs, In Your Own Voice is a groundbreaking tool for writers of all ages and skills.

Bernard Selling is a writer and writing teacher, and the author of Writing From Within, also published by Hunter House. He holds graduate degrees in English and Theater Arts/Cinema, has taught at the U.S.A.F. Academy, Loyola Marymount University, and UCLA Extension. Under his guidance, life story writing classes have developed in schools throughout Los Angeles and San Diego. He also conducts life story writing seminars and workshops throughout the United States.