Ask the Coach!
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Questions for Coach Ina?
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Here's your chance to send Coach Ina a question about writing your memoirs, or if you are a writing teacher, about teaching others to write theirs. While it may take a bit of time to get a response to you, Ina will personally review all of your questions, and post answers here where possible. Use the form on this link, and please make sure your questions are within the usual guidelines of being decent, not using explicit sexual or violent language, etc. We will post all fit to print. See Q&A's below first to see if yours has been answered.
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Frequently Asked Questions of The Memoir Coach
"I can't seem to get started. My kids keep asking me to write down my life stories, but really, who will want to read what I write?"
From Sunny Glasser, former school dietitian, Los Angeles, who went on to contribute stories for "Stories From The Heart"
Coach Ina's Answer:
Sunny, I know how you feel. But, believe me, you have stories to tell. And your kids will really thank you for writing them down. Your stories will help them understand their own lives, and you, and the stories you have about your work as a dietitian will be informative -- you've got a lot of information to share, and we'll help you shape your stories. To start, just think of your earliest memory, in the book on page , and see where this prompt takes you.
Question for the coach:
I have tons of stories I've written on scraps of paper all over the house, and ... help! Where do I begin?
Jane Madeline
Coach Ina's Answer:
Let's start by taking the story you wrote about your earliest memory. What was that? (After the answer in a class session) OK, now let's review the others and see if we can put them together in a time line that makes sense. Note: Once Jane began this process, we continued with her using different prompts in the book to stimulate her thinking, and new stories were added to the ones Jane had at hand. You can read several in the second and third volumes of "Stories From The Heart." They are all delightful; my personal fav, "The Great Grape Fiasco."
Question for the coach:
How do I keep on track with my story? Every time I start to write, other stories come up and I don't know what to do.
A comment from a number of workshop attendees
Coach Ina's answer:
Not to worry about this -- it's a common problem. Even I get attacked by this little demon. One way I have found to tackle it is to go to a new page or file on the computer, and type a quick few words about the intruding idea or episode. This frees me! I don't have to worry about forgetting what I am sure is a gem, but I don't have to get sidetracked by it, or worse yet, try to fit it in where it doesn't belong; this would only bog down the story I'm trying to tell. Later I can look at the note and determine whether it really deserves development or I was just letting myself get carried away, in the hopes I'd stop writing and go dancing!
Question for the coach:
Is it OK to use real names?
Again, a question from many workshop attendees.
Coach Ina's answer:
In short, it is, with a few caveats. If you've said something that is potentially harmful about another person, and it is someone you know, you may want to either check for an OK, or change the name, and even the city to protect their identity, and you from being sued for slander or libel. But if you are writing about a public personality, you can usually go ahead, as public persons are "fair game." However, if your celeb story is of a seriously negative nature, you should check with a lawyer before releasing it in any media.
Send the coach a question of your own on writing, structuring, getting your book into print.
Check Ina's Blog to find more writing tips that may address your questions.
From Sunny Glasser, former school dietitian, Los Angeles, who went on to contribute stories for "Stories From The Heart"
Coach Ina's Answer:
Sunny, I know how you feel. But, believe me, you have stories to tell. And your kids will really thank you for writing them down. Your stories will help them understand their own lives, and you, and the stories you have about your work as a dietitian will be informative -- you've got a lot of information to share, and we'll help you shape your stories. To start, just think of your earliest memory, in the book on page , and see where this prompt takes you.
Question for the coach:
I have tons of stories I've written on scraps of paper all over the house, and ... help! Where do I begin?
Jane Madeline
Coach Ina's Answer:
Let's start by taking the story you wrote about your earliest memory. What was that? (After the answer in a class session) OK, now let's review the others and see if we can put them together in a time line that makes sense. Note: Once Jane began this process, we continued with her using different prompts in the book to stimulate her thinking, and new stories were added to the ones Jane had at hand. You can read several in the second and third volumes of "Stories From The Heart." They are all delightful; my personal fav, "The Great Grape Fiasco."
Question for the coach:
How do I keep on track with my story? Every time I start to write, other stories come up and I don't know what to do.
A comment from a number of workshop attendees
Coach Ina's answer:
Not to worry about this -- it's a common problem. Even I get attacked by this little demon. One way I have found to tackle it is to go to a new page or file on the computer, and type a quick few words about the intruding idea or episode. This frees me! I don't have to worry about forgetting what I am sure is a gem, but I don't have to get sidetracked by it, or worse yet, try to fit it in where it doesn't belong; this would only bog down the story I'm trying to tell. Later I can look at the note and determine whether it really deserves development or I was just letting myself get carried away, in the hopes I'd stop writing and go dancing!
Question for the coach:
Is it OK to use real names?
Again, a question from many workshop attendees.
Coach Ina's answer:
In short, it is, with a few caveats. If you've said something that is potentially harmful about another person, and it is someone you know, you may want to either check for an OK, or change the name, and even the city to protect their identity, and you from being sued for slander or libel. But if you are writing about a public personality, you can usually go ahead, as public persons are "fair game." However, if your celeb story is of a seriously negative nature, you should check with a lawyer before releasing it in any media.
Send the coach a question of your own on writing, structuring, getting your book into print.
Check Ina's Blog to find more writing tips that may address your questions.