You’re already a practiced writer if you follow this blog. Getting your skills honed isn’t your focus right now. What you’re here to learn is writing the genre called “biofiction,” or telling true-life stories in dialogue format.
So how do you get started? Where do you find true-life stories worth telling? The sources are endless and require only a little digging.
- My first biofiction novel, Without Spot or Wrinkle developed out of a friendship at church. As I got to know the couple whose story is told in those pages, I was intrigued by the man’s approach to ensuring he and his bride were following God’s leading in their marriage. The hoops he jumped through made for an interesting story; and the safeguards he put in place might be helpful to others approaching holy matrimony. Now 8 years later, the story is a free ebook on this blog (see blog post Oct. 23, 2009 – “Free Christian Romance Ebook.”
- My second biofiction novel, And Then Came Life grew out of talking with the guy who cut my and my wife’s hair. It was a story he’d been wanting to tell for 20 years and had prayed for the right author to assist him
- Now my mother wants me to write about her grandmother’s amazing pioneer life. There are a couple of incidents which might make for a good story, complete with romance, drama, devastation and rebuilding, but considerable research will be needed/
Where can you find biofiction stories: Here are 5 suggestions:
- Grandparents or elderly friends or relatives with interesting life stories. There’s richness in their tales. Talk with them, discover how they overcame certain situations (plot) and what inner resources (character) helped them succeed, or not. Even failure is worth recounting if it helps the next generation.
- Friends who’ve moved from one country to another. The wife of a friend immigrated illegally to the U.S. and became an American citizen. Now they’re missionaries to her home country.
- Neighbors who’ve survived terminal illnesses. Cancer survivors, especially, are numerous and often the circumstances they overcame to live another day can encourage or inspire others.
- Biblical narratives. The Bible is full of fascinating life chronicles. While biblical accounts may be brief, it’s often not difficult to imagine the emotions, the fears, the thoughts of personalities. Several authors have successfully done this, calling it fiction rather than biofiction.
- Local residents with interesting hobbies. Some of your neighbors have offbeat hobbies and some can become the basis for a good story. How did your neighbor get into wood-carving or (list unusual hobbies). Did they inherit the interest or talent? What’s the story surrounding the hobby? How did it come to be? What’s the status today?
The key to all biofiction is discovering the heartbeat of the protagonist and conveying that to your readers. Real people always resonate with readers, especially when they become minor heroes.
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