Your Story Matters: Find Your Voice, Sharpen Your Skills, Tell Your Story

Written by Nikesh Shukla

Narrated by Nikesh Shukla

Stories can be powerful tools for our aspirations. Stories that reflect the society we want to be in, that show the multitudinousness and multiculturalism of the UK, make us citizens of everywhere. And that’s why, to me, stories matter.

Your Story Matters is an indispensable and inclusive guide not only to the how of writing, but also the why. Nikesh Shukla, author, writing mentor and bestselling editor of The Good Immigrant, knows better than most the power that every unique voice has to effect change. Everyone has a story inside that only they can tell; all you need is the friendly, informal and practical advice in this book to help draw it out and let you know that your story is worthy of being told. Whether it's a novel, personal essay, non-fiction work or short story – or even just the formless desire to write something – Your Story Matters will hone your skill and help you along the way.

This book includes exercises and prompts that will develop your idea, no matter what genre you're writing in. It is practical, to the point and focused on letting you figure out WHAT you want to write, HOW you want to write and WHY this is the best use of your voice. This book will challenge you to write in styles you don't like as well as styles you feel comfortable with, inspiring you to push against the boundaries of others' expectations - and your own. Accessible and thought-provoking, Your Story Matters will inspire you to keep thinking about writing, even when you don't have the time to put pen to paper.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pan Macmillan
• Release date: Apr 14, 2022
• ISBN: 9781529052374

Nikesh Shukla

Nikesh Shukla is an author, screenwriter and one of the most prominent UK voices on diversity and inclusion in the arts. He is the editor of bestselling essay collection The Good Immigrant, which won the Reader’s Choice at the Books Are My Bag Awards, and was shortlisted for Book of the Year at the British Book Awards. He is the author of a number of novels for both adults and young adults including Coconut Unlimited (shortlisted for the Costa First Novel Award and longlisted for the Desmond Elliott Prize), Meatspace, Run Riot, The Boxer, Brown Baby and co-editor of The Good Immigrant USA. Nikesh is the co-founder of the literary journal, The Good Journal and The Good Literary Agency and a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and a member of the Folio Academy. He has been awarded honorary doctorates from Roehampton University and the University of Bath. He hosts the 'Brown Baby' podcast which explores how we raise our kids with joy and wonder in uncertain and bleak times.