I wrote Underground Legacy for two reasons. Number one; I realized that I had done something significant in my lifetime and wanted to share that experience. One could say that Underground Legacy is the defining event of my life.

Number two; I wanted to preserve my history. I didn't want to repeat the mistakes that my grandparents made, leaving no history. Because I wrote Underground Legacy, my grandchildren and my great-grandchildren will know me, long after I'm gone.

The purpose of this tutorial is to inform you that you too can write your life story, and you can get it published. Writing a book is not just for the elite. It is not just for the highly educated nor the intellectual. Writing a book is for anyone with desire. And you will soon learn how to do it. The information given here is free.

Let's discuss how to get some ideas down on paper.

Start by setting the mood. I like it quiet when I write. Some people like soft music in the background. Soft music is fine, but personally, I find it impossible to write if there is singing. The words are distracting. After a bit, I find myself singing along with the music rather than writing. If you find outside noises distracting, turn on a fan. The "white noise" tends to cover other noises. Some folks will go to a bookstore to write. That's fun sometimes. I love bookstores, but again, I get distracted watching people.

Set aside time to write. When you enter into a right-brained activity, time will fly. My most productive writing time is early morning on Saturday and Sunday. I start about 6:30 or 7:00, but before I know it, it's time for lunch. So set aside some time when you least expect interruptions. Turn off the TV, turn off the phone. If you need to get out of the house, take your pen and paper to the public library or local coffee shop. Better yet, go to the coffee shop in the next town over. No one will recognize you and want to start chatting.

Don't start writing your life story with, I was born on a stormy night on September 23, bla, bla, bla. No one will ever read it. Start by writing a story. Here's how.

Start with, I remember when... then think of an event in your past. It sounds too simple, but it's that easy. As soon as you write I remember when, thoughts and memories will flood into your mind faster than you can write them down. Here's an actual example. While writing the rough draft of this website, I stopped and wrote down, I remember when...

"I remember when we had a big maple tree out in front of the house on Bourland Street in Peoria. I must have been in third grade then." (The concept of the house on Bourland Street causes a new memory to flash into my mind.) We moved from that house the summer between 4th and 5th grade. I hated leaving all my friends, Jan, Ray, and the others. I never saw Ray again. We used to play in the creek and my mother got so mad. I write this new thought at the end of the page. It will become a whole new story.

I continue with the original story. "The yard sloped down to the street away from the tree and we tied a fat, knotted rope to a branch. We used to spend hours swinging out over the street on that rope. One day we played out there in the rain and the hill was so slippery with mud that we could barely get back up to swing again." (The concept of mud causes a new memory to flash into my mind.) I remember the time when Jim, Buster and I played in the mud in the back yard. We had an area back there that we built forts in. One day we got so muddy, mom wouldn't let us in the house. We had to spray each other down with the hose. Jim put the hose in his mouth and I turn it on full blast and water came out his nose! We laughed so hard I thought that I was going to throw up. Mom was mad, and I think our laughing just made her madder. She whipped us all when we got in the house. I write this new thought at the end of the page. It too will become a whole new story.

I continue with the original story. "One night a big windstorm came through, and the branch with the rope swing broke off. Dad had some men come and cut the whole tree down. I remember the inside of the tree was hollow, and the stump was big enough that we could build a fort in."

What you have just read are my actual thoughts, my memories, as they flooded into my mind. It took about two minutes and I have the beginning of three stories. Or, is it three chapters of my life story?

Because of space constraints, this tutorial is continued at my personal website link above. It's free. No log in required.

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