Telling women's stories

I’m happy to report on this International Women’s Day that women’s writing is alive and well here at A Story to Tell…

From memoirs to novels to business books, women are telling their stories with passion and honesty. Here’s what we’re up to…

Hilde is in her nineties. Her daughter gave her the gift of three sessions with a life writer, which we’re using to great effect. Born in 1926, Hilde was raised in West Gippsland in a tiny timber town. My father was born in the same year and I was raised in a timber town, so I’m enjoying filling some gaps from my own life, let alone hearing her cheeky tales.

While the end product – some pages of prose with photos reflecting Hilde’s life – is important, the more critical aspect of our work together is Hilde reflecting on her life out loud with someone listening afresh . Like many of her era, she’s prone to saying that she didn’t do much with her life and asking, ‘why would you want to hear my story?’

The answer is simply because she lived it. It’s hers. And it won’t surprise you to know that I think everyone has a story to tell… 

At the same time I’ve been working with an accomplished journalist on her first novel. Kerrie came to me sick to the back teeth of her latest draft and wondered if there was any value in pursuing the project. In my humble opinion, there was.

So I read the entire manuscript and wrote notes in the margins then wrote an appraisal suggesting where things worked well and where other parts could work better. She called me her ‘fresh, caring eyes’, engaged keenly with the feedback and now has newfound energy for developing, finishing and pitching to an agent. Exciting times!

Now I’m starting to coach an education specialist through writing her third book. She came back to me for this book because I ‘get’ her – her voice, her style, what she’s striving to achieve. It’s been fun listening to Dawn’s ideas grow, challenging her to express them and watching her story flourish as her confidence in the material expands.

Effective coaches add value to the work by clarifying the author’s intention, distilling the messages and helping find the right words to articulate the story.

It’s been an honour working with these women conveying stories that need to be told. I can’t imagine my world without having come across Hilde, Kerrie and Dawn. My life is richer for having listened and learned.