Organizing and Plotting

Once you begin writing about the funny, poignant, sad, happy moments in your life, you will soon tap into which of your own stories mean the most to you. Actually, it is likely that you will start remembering a lot of important parts of your life--and you will want to share them all. There are, after all, joys to be shared, sadnesses to "get off your chest," and memories from which others can benefit. Is this not why we all share our stories and experiences with one another every day of our lives? It's about connection; it's about immortality; it's about sharing important parts of life that should never be forgotten, sidelined, or minimized.
Here comes the hard part: organizing your memories. Start by coding and filing your "index cards" of experiences and memories. One of the easiest and most effective ways to do this is simply by placing them in chronological order. By doing this, you might categorize your life and your memories by years, decades, development stages, places where you lived during set periods of time.
Why is this important? It is the first step toward finding your central theme. What is the key message you want to deliver in your writing? If you find that many of the memories you have begun writing are focused on your children, your marriage, your experiences in a war, your childhood years with a single parent--well, then you are tapping into a core issue for YOU.
This is a key to unlocking what is most important in your life. It may lead to your understanding what the central question is or was in your life. Were you really a bad child? (Of course not! But you may have felt that way.) How did the war change your views of your own life? Did you make a mistake that cost you one love, but led to your gaining another love?
Or are there other central questions in your life--questions that you have answered or are ready to answer? If so, you are well on your way to writing a fascinating, focused story. It could be completely factual. Or you may choose to change names and use metaphors to avoid hurting others or revealing deep secrets that could harm someone.
Whatever you choose, just keep writing. Organize your memories chronologically. And ask yourself: What is one dramatic or humorous question that you can answer by sharing your story with the world?