Beginning the Personal Experience Book

I find that the majority of clients who come to me for help with their personal experience books don't know where to start.  Most write the book in chronological order from beginning to the end.  The truth is, however, that it is always much better to start the day something different happened.  This will intrigue your reader and ensure that they will read on.

When beginning a book or chapter, you need a hook.  A hook catches the reader’s attention immediately and offers a transition into the chapter.  There are a number ways to write this.  Basically, the idea is to make a statement that forces your reader to read on.  In our summation from last month, we have the mother in the kitchen getting ready for dinner and anticipating her boys coming home. Let's build our hook around that.

.This day felt like a complete loss.  Out of habit, I stopped reading about four o'clock and was now busily getting dinner ready for my two boys.  Tim 14, and George 17, who would be coming through the door any time now.  Forty--five minutes later Tim walked through in dropped his books on the couch and went upstairs.  Five --thirty and George still hadn't come in.  In a few minutes Tim can came down the stairs, looked at me and said: "I forgot to tell you, George said to let you know he wouldn't be home for dinner.  He is joining a cult and told me to tell you, he was going away forever."

What?

But that's all I could get out of him.  He couldn't seem to remember anything else.

George, was 17, and had been a handful from the day he was born.  Even more so after his father died.  It never seemed to let up.  George zoomed from one problem to another, so I could always tell when he was about to get into trouble.  He became restless and stopped talking to me.  When that happened I could expect a call from school.  These last few months had been the worst.  It was like a war here, nothing seemed to be going right for him.  I guess I should've seen this coming.

There are several types of hooks you can use in your writing. Here are a few.  QUESTION, STRIKING STATEMENT, WHAT IS IT? STATISTICS, QUOTES, ANECDOTAL and others.

Let’s look at some of these and see how they are put together. .

Question Lead: This lead asks a question, usually in one sentence, then takes a paragraph or two to answer it.

AAt what age should teenagers be allowed to drive? The answer most teenagers will give you is 16 or lower. But just look at the statistics. Sixteen to seventeen years olds make up 15 percent of the driving public, yet account for 25 percent of all accidents. A greater percentage of the teenage population is arrested for driving over the speed limit and for reckless driving than the rest of us. Most public officials point out that sixteen to seventeen year old drivers are involved in an inordinate number of highway fatalities, yet ever state allows drivers to obtain a license at 16. The question is why? And what can we do about it?

The Striking Statement or Striking Example Lead: This lead offers something the reader doesn't expect.

You may die before you make it home tonight. 

In most cases, the odds are against that happening, but every year thousands of individuals keel over at their desk, collapse walking across the street or even collapse in the middle of a speech. Medical researchers tell us that for years no one could predict when this would happen or to whom, now however the life-change scale has become an accurate predictor of exactly when a life-threatening event might happen.

The What is it Lead: This is lead simply explains what something is. Use it only when the subject is unknown to the reader.

During the 30s and 40s, Arde Bulova, Chairman of the Board, Bulova Watch, chose a select number of emigrants to bring to the U.S. Many of these later became outstanding scientists, engineers, leaders and businessmen. Max Birnbach is one of these success stories.

Statistical Lead: This lead uses statistics to state the problem.

Once upon a time, "real life' began with marriage. But today twice as many people are living alone as they did ten years ago.  Singles want the same things as couples:  with singles now owning more than one third (35 million) of all owner occupied homes. This year alone more than 800,000 single Americans will buy homes.

Quote Lead: Simply pick up the quote of someone (usually well known) and use it to illustrate the thrust of your book.

"Affirmative action," Explains Secretary of State, Colin Powell, "Literally opened up the world for African Americans and other minorities. Now the acceptance of minorities into colleges has slowed to a snail's pace.  It would be a tragedy if we didn't do something about this and find a solution that all of us can live with."

The Anecdotal Lead: this lead starts with a short, in action example that leads into the book or chapter.

I couldn't cry. I was paralyzed with grief. I lay there in shock. My baby had just been born, now she was acting like she was going to pass out.  The midwife cleared her nostrils and mouth with the syringe, she held her back with one hand and her tiny heels with the other. She slapped her bottom--no response! 

"Please God, I prayed, don't do this to me!"

I heard Charlotte's sobs first. "She's gone Irene, she's gone.”

I couldn't cry. I was paralyzed with grief. I just lay there in shock. 

--Death is something that happens to someone else¼I could barely endure life¼No way was I prepared for this¼It couldn't be happening to me.