Dorothy Ann Skarles, my critique partner and a guest-blogger here at Enter the Between, is back with some questions to help generate ideas for your story/memoir. With a little research, she says, this could also be a good article for a magazine or local newspaper. Welcome Dorothy.
Humor and Research
Today, taking a side road from bereavement, my funny bone got tickled when I read the following quote.
“The reason why so few good books are written is that so few people who can write know anything.” ~Walter Baghot
This struck me as funny because I have written for three newspapers, had a cooking column, wrote a suspense/mystery, Scent Of Diamonds, a fantasy/suspense, Enchanted Hunt, and a nonfiction book, Learning To Write The Easy Way, published by Twilight Times Books. And I didn’t know anything.
But I did learn.
When I say you can write a story from personal knowledge, it’s true. And you can sell it, too.
I wrote my first short story about a poker game my father told me about, and it sold. I called it, “The Poker Game.”
So now it’s your turn to begin—
Dash Off A Memory / Create A Memoir
Here are ten questions to help generate ideas to write your own story for all who play (or don’t play) golf.
With a little research, this could also be a good article for a magazine or a local newspaper.
Keep an open mind and give it a try.
Rules At Local Golf Links
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Does the golf course you play on have any strange local rules? Louisiana golfers,for instance, are warned not to wade into a pound in search of their balls—because of alligators. And on the Saturday golf channel it was announced that golfer Ryiyi Imada was assessed a 26-stroke penalty after he failed to read the local rules sheet at a tournament in China.
- Do you ever take it out on your clubs while playing with someone or during a tournament?
- Do you ever do something not approved of in official play?
- Ever break your putter?
- What kind of golf course was it? Was it difficult and why?
- Ever use profane language? What happened when you did?
- Play on any famous golf courses and how much did it cost you?
- Ever fined? How much and what did you do to get fined?
- Did you play with a partner and why? Or do you like to play alone, and why?
- Ever makeup a rule?
Remember, a good memoir is doing a little research about every day things by a person who has personal knowledge of their topic .
Good luck writing.
daskarles © 2011
Hi Dorothy, You are absolutely right. I met my husband 'dear sweet george' at a golf course. I was the secretary-receptionist and he joined the club as a new member. We met 'with a handshake and a smile'..and yes, I did write a story about it – more than once, for various markets.
As I always say, there is a story in every moment of everyone's life, you just have to be creative enough to 'see it' then 'write about it'.
Your post is good informaton for everyone! bernadine
Bernadine thanks for the comment. I bet your George would have some great golf stories for his memoir. Dorothy
These are good ideas for jumping off points.
Thanks Judy, have a good writing day.