To think about writing a book around my crazy life?!

[itsokayokay]

So I’ve been talking to some colleagues today, just general chit chat but it ended up going down the route of my life and how crazy it’s been.

I’m only young but ive been through a lot in my life 🫠 and recently managed to escape a very narcissistic ex and horrendous marriage, full of control, emotional issues etc.

my colleague very seriously suggested that I think about writing and publishing a book - and it really did get me thinking…

Ive always loved reading, I have an English lit & lang degree, and I adore writing (copywriter by trade)

I guess my question is, where and how would I start?! Is it really feesable and is there a market for actually making money from all the work you put into writing?

Also, is someone’s literal life story something you would want to read? Granted it’s pretty full on and dramatic 🤣

I would love to hear opinions please!

That’s very much not true I mean the bit about people not buying books. I’m a person and i buy books, go in any Waterstones it’s busy.

richard osman sold 150k of his last novel in a week.

To explicit answer your question.

Am I interested in a book based around somebody’s life events? Yes! Life events such as circumventing the globe on their own in a rowing boat; going from a trailer park in a US backwater to being a global singing phenomenon

That kind of “life events”

Not a sad and all too common potted history of a bleak relationship and controlling in laws

So I have answered your question. However I suspect my answer won’t be the one you want

How do you make a living as a copywriter? Thought it was all AI now?

Not sure misery-lit is as popular as it was. I’d keep it as a journal.

Also, just to add, I’m sorry you were in such an awful relationship. I had a similar experience. Unfortunately I think it’s fairly common. I’m not sure how many people would want to be reminded of it. I wouldn’t buy a book like this.

I'm an author. Every third person tells me that they're going to write a book about their life because 'nobody would be believe it, you couldn't make it up!' But if you have the grit and determination to see a manuscript through its 90,000 words, have it edited within an inch of its life, and then send it out on submission, then you stand as good a chance as any of getting published. Just make sure you read LOTS of similar work so you know how to structure it, and give it a payoff that readers will enjoy - nobody, in these uncertain days, wants to read a long book about people behaving badly only to arrive at a miserable, downbeat ending.

But new books by new writers are published every day, so give it a go.

I’m an editor. If you are going to write about your life, you need to be very careful if you are writing about anyone that could be identified - like your ex. You risk being sued.

You’d need a legal read by a solicitor who specialises in this area. It’s best to ask permission of everyone you are going to talk shoot. Obviously, this is not always possible.

Simply changing their name and some details isn’t enough to stop you being sued.

It’s very hard to find an agent to take on a book by a new author, but almost impossible to find one for a memoir by an unknown author. The best option for you might be self publishing - there’s plenty on that online that you can research.

But the first step is writing it all down! Good luck!

Yes, this is also a common reason for writing a book.

Have you started writing OP?