"Every man's work, whether it is literature or music or pictures or architecture or anything else, is always a portrait of himself . . ." - Samuel Butler

No matter how much we try to keep our professional life out of our writing it is almost impossible to do. Who we are and what weve done generally govern our writing.

So, if you can't remove real life from your writing maybe you can learn to use your life as a point of strength in your writing.

"It is no use lying to one's self." - Henrick Ibsen

Some schools teach a technique called "Narrative Timeline". This technique allows students to focus on a fixed number of details about their life and develop a creative presentation about those events.

A writer can do the same thing for the sake of their writing. In this case a narrative timeline will not be viewed by anyone other than the originating author.

"When fight begins within himself, a man's worth something." - Sir Frederick Browning

In the exercise of producing a narrative timeline you do not have to dredge up painful memories. Simply write about the general events that have helped shaped you into the person you now are. This exercise can provide details about your family, special events that altered your view of life, or special people that have helped encourage you along the way.

For a period of time, take a few minutes daily to simply write about your life experience. Because this exercise is so personal you should not think of this writing as something you will ever share with anyone else. Write these missives very personally and honestly. In this way you come to understand why you do the things you do and discover where your true passion for life comes from.

"This above all,--to thine own self be true; and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man." - William Shakespeare

When you understand who you are you are better able to capture human experience in your writing. You are more capable of connecting with readers simply because you can honestly evaluate who you are, where you came from and what you can contribute through your writing.

"No man, for any considerable period, can wear one face to himself and another to the multitude, without finally getting bewildered as to which may be the true." - Nathaniel Hawthorne

Scott Lindsay
http://www.faithwriters.com