Write Your Life Stories

Jo Parfitt
Summertime Publishing: £80.00

If you’re living abroad or have recently returned to your native land after a stint overseas, then no doubt you will have a fair few stories to tell, and if you enjoy writing, why not turn them into a blog or a journal?

Jo Parfitt’s Write Your Life Stories is an easy to follow home study programme for anyone interested in writing a personal memoir to a professional standard.

The course consists of a video, podcasts, and an engaging workbook with eight lessons teaching you how to write perfect stories. Chapters include writing about childhood, people, dialogue and humour, and most importantly the golden rule of adding SPICE – the essential ingredient for any well-written story.

Throughout the workbook are numerous examples of published works by established authors like Expat Expert, Robin Pascoe, and some talented expats who have already completed the programme, and highlight what can be achieved in a short period of time.

As with anything produced by expat guru Jo Parfitt, Write Your Life Stories delivers on her promise of ‘Sharing what I know to help others to grow,’ which she does by combining easy to follow professional tuition and handy tips.

There are bonus sections on the importance of editing your work and how to avoid making common mistakes, as well as the option to sign up to the Personal Feedback Programme with an online tutor.

Write Your Life Stories is a user-friendly and informative course and a worthwhile investment for any budding writer who wants to produce entertaining stories for themselves, a wider audience and for posterity.

Shelley Antscherl
books@dutchnews.nl