Parenting & Guardianship

with Roberta Smart

You might be wondering why I am asking you this question. Lately, with the advent of selfpublishing and print-ondemand, coupled with massive online retail websites making buying books a ‘one-click affair’, there really has never been a better time to write a book.

This is the case for any human, but in the spirit of this column I am going to suggest something radical: why not write a book with your kids?!

Your children have amazing imaginations, they see the world differently than you do and they are incredibly adept at saying what needs to be said.

So consider this – you collate amazing things your kids have said and done, questions they ask, amazing ways they see the world, or simply observe their nuanced approach to living within your family.

Now bring these observations together in a document of maybe 15,000 words – use lots of white space, add in some shapes or drawings, create a snazzy title and allow yourself to go mad with a cover design. In very little time, you too can self-publish a book that anyone can buy!

The world is changing and we no longer crave the words of experts and specialists. We much prefer to understand how to navigate life from others who are just like us; who mess it up, make mistakes, can laugh at themselves and make us feel part of a team, rather than simply feeling envious that we don’t have the wonderful privileged life of a celebrity author. Short stories can be published easily as text only PDFs, which people can then download and read for themselves. You could easily create a whole series of books based on your own children, your pets, or focusing on the idiosyncrasies within your own family.

Are you a blended family muddling along? Are you living with a personal challenge due to health issues within the family? Do you feel ‘different’ to everyone else, but in your heart know that you are not alone and there are, in fact, others out there just like you? Create a community with your readers

This is the joy of writing and publishing your story; you create a community and build lasting relationships with your readers. You could even find yourself launching a whole new business venture before you realise it; developing colouring books, notebooks, diaries, stickers, merchandise and more! The internet can help to introduce your ideas and products to the whole world and you simply never know what lies around the corner. So, this October, why not get the family together to come up with ideas for your first family publication and discover a wonderful way to spend time together as winter approaches. The Local Answer To advertise call 01242 510500 Page 13

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