Monthly Inspiration for Writers Contributing to Chicken Soup for the Soul®
Cooked up by Tracy Crump
Tip: Write a Focused Story
November 2024
Last month, I had the opportunity to share about the “Power of Story” with residents of a local assisted living facility. Seniors (myself included) have thousands of stories we could share in Chicken Soup for the Soul books, but as I told them, Chicken Soup doesn’t want our whole life story. They just want what I call a “snapshot.”
We have to tightly focus on an event that fits with the theme of one of their upcoming books and avoid including all those wonderful memories associated with it that don’t pertain to the main story. That’s when it helps to get someone who will be honest with us to read over our submissions and point out details that don’t advance the story we are trying to tell.
Whether you’re a senior or not, steer clear of long-winded accounts your grandpa might have told and write a clear, sharp, focused tale for Chicken Soup for the Soul®.
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