| p>Eventually, after you have written awhile, you | | | | theme that is of interest to you. In this way, your |
| will likely have amassed a number of vignettes, | | | | story might be a story about labor unions or |
| story segments, and stories. You will want to | | | | about dedication to art. Everything is chosen or |
| group them together to make a statement, a | | | | omitted according to how it develops your theme. |
| bigger picture. How will you do it? Below are four | | | | This can make for a very focused book. |
| ideas for organizing stories. | | | | Alternately, you can choose topics across the |
| Remember: These suggestions do not refer to | | | | generations or among family members. These |
| the sequence in which the stories are written but | | | | topics might include religion, careers, marriage, etc. |
| rather to how they can be ordered after they | | | | For example, you might look at the relationship to |
| have been written. | | | | work in your family during your childhood. You |
| 1)Chronology--If you choose a chronological order, | | | | might write about your grandparents' and your |
| you organize your stories in a way that most | | | | parents' work attitudes and practices during this |
| nearly replicates the sequence in which events | | | | time. Then you can give your attention to other |
| happened. For example, what happened in your | | | | themes in their lives during your childhood: |
| childhood is placed first in the narration and what | | | | parenting, religion, etc. |
| happened in your youth is placed second and in | | | | Another possibility is to write about a theme in |
| your middle-age, third; what happened in the | | | | your grandparents' lives and then go on to its |
| spring is placed first, in the summer, second, etc. | | | | appearance in your parents' lives and then in |
| If you organize all your stories in this way, there | | | | yours and lastly in your children's. You can choose |
| will be a natural continuum among them based on | | | | to give an internal chronological development to |
| time connection. This is the way most people | | | | each of your themes: start with youth and |
| choose to link their stories and it is an easy | | | | proceed to old age or the present with each |
| organization for the reader to follow. | | | | generation. Then start the whole process over |
| 2) Subject--You might choose to put together | | | | again with another theme. |
| everything about one person in one chapter and | | | | 4) Both chronology and theme--Although you |
| everything about another in a second chapter. | | | | may begin to write your pieces chronologically or |
| This gives a clear account of your subject but | | | | thematically, you may find yourself combining |
| omits interactions that might change the way we | | | | both of these elements in your final product. |
| perceive a character. The collection of stories | | | | These approaches can easily be integrated into |
| may seem disconnected. | | | | your life story as a whole. |
| 3) Theme--You might write about a specific | | | | |