Would Anyone Read a Book About a 19-year-old's Rough Life?

Hello everyone.

Basically I've signed up here for some help. I'm 19-years-old, I've a thirst for writing but I really don't know how to get started. I've always had a keen interest in English all my life, from writing stories as a youngster to passing my English A-Level I always felt that it was something I want to make a living out of. Sadly I've not had the greatest starts in life.

My childhood was pretty bad at times, I grew up on several rough council estates with my my Father who was and still is a alcoholic, although he was always intoxicated we were like best friends. I was then taken away at the age of 10 and moved in with my mother, step father and two half-sisters. I was told life would get better but instead it got worse, he mentally and sometimes physically bullied me the whole time I lived there. Due to problems at home I got in trouble at school, messing around in class, fighting and just generally making a fool out of myself. I moved out on my own at the age of 16, I had a part time job at a gym now and sadly got into dealing drugs "to get by" but truly part of me just wanted to be abd and stick two fingers up at everyone that was supposed to protect me. Luckily I never took drugs but I was now getting into many serious fights and was constantly looking over my shoulder. It got quite serious when I was once stabbed in the elbow and slashed across the face in a fight that broke out in a park, aged 16. As all this ridiculous behaviour was going on I met a wonderful girl, we fell in love and we now have a beautiful baby girl aged 16 months. She is my universe and I've thankfully left my old life behind very firmly in the past.

I am by no means proud of the terrible things that I did but I have turned my life around. I want to get into writing but I really have no idea where to start. For the last two years I've really wanted to write a book about my life, not an auto-biography, more of a memoir. I know I'm only young but I really feel it would be quite interesting and a good influence to help other kids turn their lives around. I know it sounds extremly shallow but I would really have a hard time writing my book if no-one were to read it. I think I may start a few chapters and see what people think but I wanted to know if people here have any advice for me? Or if they think people would even want to read about it?

Thanks for your time,
SK

Dear SK,
I think you can write something, but step back from your self and write about what you see. When you personalize your stories, you lose perspective. The writing should not be about you. Your experiences will color your stories. Let it flow out from your heart and connect to other people's lives. It will save you as an author. Sometimes people go through terrible things, but those are not the things they write about. They let those experiences color their characters with human understanding and forgiveness and joy.

I wish you the best.

Love,
Betty

Thanks Betty. So you're saying I should write a fictional story instead of a slightly biographical type thing? I've tried this before but my only vice is I tend to lose track and interest when I do this (not that I love myself lol I just find it easier to stay on track remembering old memories and writing them down).

Dear Selvin,
You can write what you will. I am just saying that personal stories of life's trials abound. You can write all you want to about your trials but no one will care unless you are so famous someone has to gives a crap. Leave the personal need to let everyone know your suffering behind and get on with writing something that could say what you want to say. Surely it is not just to let the world know you have suffered. What did you get out of that suffering. Write that.

Love,
Betty

No ofcourse not, I'd hardly say I've suffered, people have it a lot worse. The book would be more of growing from a boy to a man not about suffering, what I got from it was a good understanding of life.

Thanks for the advice I'll take it on board

12/7/2009

Dear Slavin..

I have been writing for more than 10 years
and I have four books out, I write different stories. First off
Betty is right, for a start you have to ficitionalzie it..So instead
of using the name Slavin , the main charcater is called Tommy,
Tell the story through your eyes and memory but Tommy the
character lives it. Try it . You have to sit down and write like
your talking about someone else, but Tommy the character is
the one talking, plus you can add more characters to the book.
I read many years ago when you write a book with characters
don't put too many or people get confused , meaning no more
than six,. I hope this helps you..

Cheers..Joe

SK,
stop and think about the many things you need to learn before you write the great american novel...gather the tools needed.

READ EVERYTHING ON WRITING YOU CAN FIND. Learn the craft... train yourself well.

Anyone can learn to write. If you don't have a God given talent, a good plot will carry the day.

Domenic