At a business networking meeting this morning, my friend and colleague Anne gave me a referral slip with a name and phone number. “This young man’s story is amazing! I told him he should turn it into a book, and that you could help him!”
I called the number and had an interesting conversation with the gentleman. He told me he had come here about 9 years ago seeking political asylum, and that he had a harrowing tale — of the political asylum situation; of people who died; of how he made it. “But,” he said, “my English isn’t good enough to write this up.”
His story deserves to be told, and heard by many. I suggested he post an ad on Craig’s List (free) for a writing partner — perhaps an English or journalism student, who would undertake to partner with him in the creation of the book.
I mentioned low-cost publishing alternatives like Lulu.com.
He asked if I thought he might first do a screenplay. I suggested that he work on the book first. “Getting a screenplay written from a book is a well-defined task,” I said. “A book serves many purposes, and can be sold and presented in different ways. A screenplay has only one function, and it is not an easy task to sell one.” (What do you think, dear reader?)
If you have a book inside you, there is a way to get it out — whether or not you can write.
