When teaching, I often tell students that I believe most people have a book hidden inside them. Most students are surprised to learn that I believe this book is more than likely nonfiction. When they look at me in disbelief, I often use family and friends as examples to demonstrate what I mean. At the moment these are my three favorite examples of friends (and they are real) that I use:
- Friend one owns three dogs. She enjoyed the training aspect of pet ownership so much she recently completed a professional dog-training course. I am confident she knows enough to be able to write an informative book about dogs from the owner and trainer's point of view.
- Friend two studied garden design and ran her own garden design business. She also volunteered to help at her children's school. During that time she designed a child-friendly garden and gardening projects. I'm sure she could produce a great book aimed at parents and teachers who want to encourage children to love all things that grow. I also believe she could write another aimed at adults who want to design their own dream garden.
- Friend three is extremely gifted when it comes to crafts. However, she has decided to specialize in working with porcelain. I have no doubt she could write an informative book covering porcelain techniques and designing porcelain projects readers can recreate.
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Lynne:
ReplyDeleteI agree. I think sometimes it takes someone like you (or another friend) to tell us--people would like to read about this; you could write a book. I don't think people realize their talents and interests would be interesting to someone else. :) Would you agree? Sounds like a great class.
I agree with Margo. Sometimes it just takes someone else to point out that we do, indeed, have something interesting to say. I love reading all kinds of non-fiction books and learning-- it makes a great topic.
ReplyDeleteIt does sound like a really helpful class.
Lynn:
ReplyDeleteWonderful words of wisdom to pass on to your students. It's great to read that you simplified your friends lives to be something everyone can do instead of glorifying something to be magnificent.
When I think non-fiction I used to think boring and hearing about someone's life but to make it specific makes it achievable by even the worst critic.
Bravo, thanks for encouraging and reading,
Sarah Butland author of Sending You Sammy, Arm Farm and Brain Tales - Volume One