Tips For Writing An Awesome Vocation Story

[Piccoli Fiori JMJ]

+JMJ

So, I've probably started writing my vocation story about a million times. I may have finished or ran out of steam at the end. But now, preparing paperwork and such for Laboure and Mater Ecclesiae, I need to prepare a [i][b]good[/b][/i] 1 or 2 page vocation story. So, I have a few questions [size="1"](surprise, surprise!)[/size]...

What are the important things that need to be included?
What are the important parts?
How much childhood/history should be included?
What are the important events/stories that need to be there?
What should be left out?
How do you keep things brief?
Should I outline before I write? (I never have, unless I was forced to at school)

Any other tips, comments, suggestions, etc. are [i]very[/i] welcome!

[MithLuin]

Outlining will save you the trouble of trying to pare down the 20-page tome you 'accidentally' wrote to a mere two pages.


Hehe, but no, seriously, an informal outline can help you to organize your thoughts. If you can do that without bothering to outline, all power to you.


I would think you would want it to reflect [i]your[/i] story. So, include events that you think are uniquely 'you' and speak to your journey thus far. You want the person reading it to know...what? Keep that question in mind as you choose what to include. That should determine the 'flavor' of what you write.

Hope that helps!

[ksterling]

I started to do this too. I'm a pretty organized person and I like to write so I started with the following outline:

1. family history (just my parents and immediate family not back to the Flood)
2. my early childhood (again, very brief - happy, stay at home mom, fun summer vacations, camp usual kid stuff)
3. education -high school, college, grad school, professional designations
4. job history
5. religious history - that's easy - none really until the last few years - my parents were non-practicing Catholics
6. what made me return to the church
7. activities in my parish (I teach Sunday school and am a leader for our youth group)
8. what started me thinking about religious life - Any life-altering events - my dad died a few years ago and that really got me thinking about what I really believed in and what I really wanted out of life
9. how I have begun to develop a spiritual life with the assistance of my SD
10. where I am in the discernment process
11. what type of community and apostolate attracts me
12. what my plans are



I am spending more time on the last few items, which I think would be a more interest to any community that the first.

Edited August 23, 2010 by ksterling

[Piccoli Fiori JMJ]

Now, I am not writing this for a community, does this make anything really different?
[size="1"]
(Thanks for the advice and tips though, ladies)[/size]

[krissylou]

[quote name='FutureNunJMJ' timestamp='1282702636' post='2162730']
Now, I am not writing this for a community, does this make anything really different?
[size="1"]
(Thanks for the advice and tips though, ladies)[/size]
[/quote]

This is a crass way of putting it but essentially true -- this is an Advertisement Of You.

It's less like writing an essay for school, or even like writing a spiritual autobiography. You aren't like Therese writing Story of a Soul -- you're the FutureNunJMJ PR Firm.

(That doesn't mean that the enterprise is bad! Not remotely!)

Writing for a community may be more like a spiritual autobiography. For this, emphasize the areas of your story that are most compelling and important to you. That's going to vary from person to person. But don't think of yourself as having to cover a certain list of points. All those points could be a good way to structure your brainstorms but of course you cannot include them all in a couple pages. The criteria I'd use is simply "what elements form the most compelling story?"

[Winchester]

Put in something about ninjas.

[OnlySunshine]

[quote name='Winchester' timestamp='1282772222' post='2163186']
Put in something about ninjas.
[/quote]

LOL, your avatar is ridiculous. I can't stop laughing.

Edited August 26, 2010 by MaterMisericordiae

[Piccoli Fiori JMJ]

+JMJ

Would someone be willing to look over my vocation story? I need some suggestions, commentary, criticism, and anything else yo do with a vocation story.

[ksterling]

I would be happy to look it over for you if that would be helpful - perhaps at some point in the future, you can do the same for me.

Kat

[Piccoli Fiori JMJ]

[quote name='ksterling' timestamp='1286901259' post='2179306']
I would be happy to look it over for you if that would be helpful - perhaps at some point in the future, you can do the same for me.

Kat
[/quote]

I'll send you a PM

[TeresaBenedicta]

[quote name='FutureNunJMJ' timestamp='1286899284' post='2179303']
+JMJ

Would someone be willing to look over my vocation story? I need some suggestions, commentary, criticism, and anything else yo do with a vocation story.
[/quote]

I'd be willing to look it over.

[Piccoli Fiori JMJ]

[quote name='TeresaBenedicta' timestamp='1286904369' post='2179315']
I'd be willing to look it over.
[/quote]

Awesome! I'm sending you a PM!

You all are so awesome... I love VS

[Shana]

I could look it over if you'd like.

[Deus te Amat]

Me too. I can't think of a better way to procrastinate on writing my paper.

[Piccoli Fiori JMJ]

If anyone is interested in reading over my vocation story, I've uploaded it to Google Docs and here is [url="https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0ByIgvUnv91fdOTZiNjYyNzgtMGYyOS00NGFhLTk1NDEtZWE2MjBlZGRkYjJm&hl=en&authkey=CNy9xBM"]the link[/url].

[Chiquitunga]

Just bumping this because .. [url="http://labouresociety.org/angela-hain"]http://labouresociety.org/angela-hain[/url]

[OnlySunshine]

[quote name='Chiquitunga' timestamp='1347684856' post='2482611']
Just bumping this because .. [url="http://labouresociety.org/angela-hain"]http://labouresociety.org/angela-hain[/url]
[/quote]

I remember reading that before she entered. I had a few laughs about the stealing pens and eating pudding mix.

[Kylie Spinelli]

WOW! I just finished reading your story and I must say, your introduction is quite wonderful, as was the rest! But I love how you kept a common theme - invitation! I'm in the process of writing my college essay and I think I want to write it about my reversion, but I found your story extremely moving! :D Great job!
God bless you!!!
~Kylie

[emmaberry]

I have been coming back to this thread, as [s]our[/s] the new couple leading the youth at our parish (from Steubenville!) asked me to give the youth a vocations talk. I am not sure of the length, but I would love to hear whether the same points apply in presenting a vocation-themed talk and writing a vocations story for the ME and Laboure Society. May God reward you!

Edited September 17, 2012 by emmaberry

[PhuturePriest]

This thread has inspired me to write my totally [s]lame[/s] [i]a[/i]wesome vocation story. To the documents!