Story of My Life

23/03/2019

These tips will work for life story writing too.

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/1NsaEX/www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DVyQ1wEBx1V0

23/02/2019

How often in the West are we conscious of our ancestors?

17/01/2019

What is your story?

I don’t care what you do or what you own. I just want to know who you are. I want to know your uniqueness, the experiences you’ve had and the lessons you’ve gained. I want to know your story.

22/12/2018

There are some truly amazing books in this list. I'd be happy if I get to read just one or two of them.

The anatomy of feeling, the science of psychedelics, Ursula K. Le Guin’s final poetry collection, arresting essays by Zadie Smith, Rebecca Solnit, Anne Lamott, and Audre Lorde, a physicist& #8…

24/10/2018

Words from Martin Shaw.

06/10/2018

Telling your story allows you to be heard.

19/06/2018

I always love a good list of books to read. The books on this list are about nature and hiking.

If you're a bookish hiker, then by now you've probably already read John Muir's entire library, as well as Henry David Thoreau's classic Walden, Bill Bryson's beloved A Walk in the Woods, and Cheryl Strayed's moving memoir Wild. But that doesn't mea…

03/02/2018

In early December 2017 I handed Jim Sloan his life story and here is his testimonial.
"My friends and family always told me I had a story to tell. Without Robyn, that story would never have been told. When my wife told me that she had arranged for Robyn to help me write about my life for my 65th birthday, I was very uncertain.
However, when Robyn came to record my tale, she quickly put me at my ease with her warmth and curiosity to hear more of my adventures. When I read the transcripts, I was amazed at how much I had remembered under her guidance. During the editing process she continued to support me by asking helpful questions, finding ways to word my tale when it became difficult to find the right way to express myself, and tracking down any editing mistakes I made. Finally, she formatted the story and photos in such a way as to draw the reader in.
I have received very positive feedback on my book from friends and family.
I cannot thank Robyn enough for allowing me to give them my story."

28/01/2018

"These are lessons from my story." Brilliant Australia Day address from Eddie Woo.

Inspiring teacher shares the joy of mathematics.

18/01/2018

Authenticity is the only style worth having. The first step to finding that voice is to learn to access the power of your imagination. It is what will give your writing that quality that will make people want to read what you’ve written. This is the first step of the process that begins the writing journey in our 4 Week Unlocking Creativity Course.

“Your writing voice is the deepest possible reflection of who you are. The job of your voice is not to seduce or flatter or make well-shaped sentences. In your voice, your readers should be able to hear the contents of your mind, your heart, your soul.” Meg Rosoff

www.writerstudio.com.au

07/11/2017

In 2013, I had the great pleasure of helping Barry Rugless write his life story and I recently heard from his daughter Su-ling.
"Your book was such a hit Robyn. I was just thinking the other day how well you wound everything together and made it into a proper story. It's a great skill, not to mention your people skills which I guess is a huge thing in your line of work. Dad loved meeting with you, you really gave him a new lease on life over that period. So thank you once again. I'm so glad I found you." Thanks, Su-ling.

01/11/2017

"I want to make poems
that look into the earth and the heavens
and see the unseeable.
I want them to honor
both the heart of faith, and the light of the world;
the gladness that says, without any words, everything."
The beautiful words of Mary Oliver.

01/10/2017

"We are creatures of story. There is something deeply human about narrative, and stories have the power to evoke emotion, foster empathy, or inspire action.

Stories also have the power to disempower, to perpetuate stereotypes and reinforce oppressive structures.

Through the work of many over the preceding decades, it is possible now more than ever to hear the voices of those that have historically been marginalized and silenced. Rather than using movies and TV and novels as a form of mindless escape, we can choose to expose ourselves to stories and perspectives that allow a more encompassing version of what it means to be human. Seek out these voices. Read them. Watch them."
Words by Jo Linden.

17/09/2017

"So subtlety is being aware that you are actually living in a story. From that awareness of story, and interpretation, we learn new skills, and we can start to go back a few pages and rewrite the stories if need be." Fabulous interview with artist Joshua Yeldham.

15/09/2017

Telling the story of your life is worth doing for so many reasons.

Looking at my Dad lying in the hospital bed, unable to talk due to the recent stroke he’d had, I could only be thankful that some years ago we took the time to have a particular conversation... Read More

02/09/2017

Uncle Max Dulumunmum Harrison: "Storytelling ... leaving a legacy of history and wisdom."

26/08/2017

The words of Joan Didion: "We tell ourselves stories in order to live."

We Tell Ourselves Stories In Order to Live, the first and only documentary about Joan Didion. Made with Joan, using Joan's words.

15/08/2017

Stories from Tibet.

12/08/2017

In Finland, lament singing is experiencing a revival, one sad song at a time.

05/08/2017

Excellent advice on how to edit your own writing.

26/07/2017

At moments of sorrow and exhaustion, it is only too easy to look back over the years and feel that our lives have, in essence, been meaningless. We take stock of just how much has gone wrong: how many errors there have been; how many unfulfilled plans and frustrated dreams we’ve had. We may feel l

05/07/2017

Beautiful quote from Rainer Maria Rilke ...
"Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer."

30/06/2017

How do you tell yourself the story of your life?

The difference between despair and hope often boils down to different ways of telling stories from the same set of facts. Some of the art of living means lea...

24/06/2017

Steve McCurry's amazing photos coupled with inspiring quotes. I especially love this one:
“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.”
Anaïs Nin

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” – Nelson Mandela “Real co…

20/06/2017

"There are many stories that still need to be told, collective and personal ones, some that will be difficult to hear. But that's what we do – we tell stories to make sense of things. It's in our blood, regardless from where we come." A fabulous book by Lia Hill set around Alice Springs and the desert heart of Australia.

Lia Hill's road trip back to The Crying Place blurs the line between fact and fiction.

20/05/2017

For the love of figs ...

Every so often, you encounter a fig. It might turn up as a decorative aside to a dessert at a smart restaurant you occasionally go to when you want to mark a special occasion; from a couple of years back you remember there were baskets of them in the market in Cadiz which caught your eye, but you co

16/04/2017

"When we own our stories and share our stories with one another and we see ourselves reflected back in the stories of people in our lives, we know we are not alone." Brene Brown

An animated illustration of Brene Brown in conversation with Krista Tippett. I came across this conversation through the recommendation of a friend years ago...

14/04/2017

Stories of love, life, death and racism make up the highly contested field for this year's $50,000 Stella Prize.

08/04/2017

Another list of favourites.

The Hallelujah Anyway author is known for inspiring her readers. But what books inspire her? Here are her five picks.

31/03/2017

I can see I'll have to get reading ...

Think essays are just something boring you write for class? These masterpieces will make you totally reconsider.