Autobiography into Fiction

Course details

Are you a writer? Are you working on your book (or thinking of writing a book) and are wondering how to 'fictionalise' some of the real life things that have actually happened to you? Where do you start? What do you say? Do you change the names to 'protect the innocent'? Make bits of it up? or recount it exactly as you remember it happening?

This course is all about developing your writing skills and exploring techniques for transforming personal stories into written narratives - realistic or fantastical.

Have you ever read a piece of work and thought... hmmm I wonder if they really happened? Some stories are so 'real' that the author must either have a wild imagination, either that, or they've done their research. There is nothing wrong with using material from what you 'know' because you were there ... it happened to you, and perhaps you can even remember the dialogue in your head! This can save time. You don't have to 'make it up'... you already remember it! Your characters already came with their own lines... but you have to be careful. Not everyone wants to be written into your next book. It could've been a personal conversation that you had with someone - one which (for the sake of the friendship) needs to stay that way! Confidential!

On this course, we cover:

• How to fictionalise your life, including: how to start, how to focus, and find a story-line and theme
• Recasting and changing elements of the original true story including fictionalising people and events
• Using different voices
• Exploring dreams and fantasy as a way to fictionalise
• How to use journals

Your dreams can be a huge source of material! Some people astral project and have been shown things that they want to write into a book because should they ever identify themselves as to where the true source came from... they'd probably be accused of mental instability! So we look at different scenarios and examples of great work.

Its one thing to talk about it. Quite another to read and experience it!

Whether you've been a drug addict in a previous life, had a hard life, was a prostitute, grew up in care, escaped an abusive relationship, nearly died, experienced heaven or hell... we all have a great story to tell!