Your Story

We either think our lives are so special that everyone should be interested in what's happened to us, or so ordinary that we can't imagine anyone would care. The truth lies somewhere in between: yes, we are all special, and no, people will not care--unless we write with them in mind. Joanne Fedler, a beloved writing teacher and mentor, has written Your Story to help all people, even those who don't necessarily identify as "writers," value their life stories and write them in such a way that they transcend the personal and speak into a universal story. This book shows how to write from your life, but for the benefit of others. Each human life is unique, and the meaning we each make from our joys and suffering can, if written with a reader in mind, be an act of generosity and sharing. Filled with practical wisdom and tools, the book tackles: mind-set issues that prevent us from writing ways to develop trust (in yourself, the process, the mystery) triggers or prompts to elicit our own stories Joanne's original techniques for "lifewriting," developed over a decade of teaching and mentoring and much more "Joanne understands the writer's loneliness," says one such writer whose life she's touched, the award-winning Israeli author Nava Semel. "In this book she has created a menu of encouraging possibilities on how to overcome our fears and dig deep into our souls, so that our true voice can emerge."