Have you ever wished you could see the world through someone else’s eyes? You know, put yourself in their shoes, so to speak? Well, that’s what I’m doing this week.
Most of the time, I write about my own life experiences. But every now and then, I spot someone with an inspiring story and I just want to help them share it. It’s called ghostwriting. (Sounds kind of mysterious, doesn’t it?)
It can be a challenge, putting myself in someone else’s shoes. After all, how do you describe someone else’s thoughts, feelings and memories? I once wrote a story for a man that had fallen through the ice while fishing and was rescued by a mysterious bystander. My biggest challenge was making the story sound like he was telling it – not me. But I’d only gone ice fishing once in my life – and I’m definitely not a man! I found myself asking, “So then what were you thinking?” throughout the entire interview.
But ghostwriting can also be very rewarding. How often do we get the chance to peek inside someone else’s heart and life? Writing other people's stories also helps me keep the right perspective when it comes to my writing. It’s not about me.
So, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to work on a story I’m writing for a friend of mine. You might say I’m kicking off my shoes and squeezing into hers. And that’s not easy. Her feet are two sizes smaller than mine.
In the meantime, I thought I’d share a story I wrote a couple of years ago for another friend, Michelle Smyth. She’s the mother of a child with special needs who unexpectedly found her purpose in life through her son’s autism diagnosis. I think she has an inspiring story. As it turned out, the nice folks at Chicken Soup for the Soul thought so too. Her story was published in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Find Your Happiness back in October 2011. Click here to read My Detour to Destiny. I think you’ll enjoy it!
*Photo taken from www.freedigitalphotos.net -"Portrait Of A Thoughtful Teen Blonde Girl" by stockimages
Most of the time, I write about my own life experiences. But every now and then, I spot someone with an inspiring story and I just want to help them share it. It’s called ghostwriting. (Sounds kind of mysterious, doesn’t it?)
It can be a challenge, putting myself in someone else’s shoes. After all, how do you describe someone else’s thoughts, feelings and memories? I once wrote a story for a man that had fallen through the ice while fishing and was rescued by a mysterious bystander. My biggest challenge was making the story sound like he was telling it – not me. But I’d only gone ice fishing once in my life – and I’m definitely not a man! I found myself asking, “So then what were you thinking?” throughout the entire interview.
But ghostwriting can also be very rewarding. How often do we get the chance to peek inside someone else’s heart and life? Writing other people's stories also helps me keep the right perspective when it comes to my writing. It’s not about me.
So, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to work on a story I’m writing for a friend of mine. You might say I’m kicking off my shoes and squeezing into hers. And that’s not easy. Her feet are two sizes smaller than mine.
In the meantime, I thought I’d share a story I wrote a couple of years ago for another friend, Michelle Smyth. She’s the mother of a child with special needs who unexpectedly found her purpose in life through her son’s autism diagnosis. I think she has an inspiring story. As it turned out, the nice folks at Chicken Soup for the Soul thought so too. Her story was published in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Find Your Happiness back in October 2011. Click here to read My Detour to Destiny. I think you’ll enjoy it!
*Photo taken from www.freedigitalphotos.net -"Portrait Of A Thoughtful Teen Blonde Girl" by stockimages
