My Story
Welcome to the partners area for My Story, the BBC's biggest search for the most remarkable real-life stories in the UK. True life stories have the power to inspire and engage us like no others and have prompted some of the most successful books and films of all time. My Story is a storytelling and creative writing project: people will be asked to tell a true, personal story and send in to share with others. The best stories will be made into short films and shown on BBC One in summer 2010.
Visit the My Story website to read stories, be inspired by Ray Winstone or Fiona Phillips, get writing tips and enter the competition.
We want to encourage the widest possible audience to write and publish their own stories, particularly those with low literacy levels. To support practitioners and others who work with adults, we are creating free, downloadable resources to use with learners.
We'll be adding more resources to support writing over the coming months. As ever we're keen to get your feedback about what we've produced so far, or other materials you'd like us to create so please do contact us.
Downloadable resources
Getting started
Getting started - Welsh
Getting started (PDF - 76kb)
Getting started - Welsh (PDF - 88kb)
Inspiring icebreakers to encourage adults to create their personal story.
Planning your writing
Planning your writing - Welsh
Planning your writing (PDF - 1.7mb)
Planning your writing - Welsh (PDF - 1.8mb)
A resource pack covering different approaches for planning writing; lists, writing frames and mind maps. The pack includes factsheets, worksheets and example writing plans based on stories from Adult Learner's Week award winners.
When is a story someone's own work?
When is a story someone's own work? (PDF - kb)
Guidance to those who support adult learners about how much support they should give to people entering the My Story competition.
Story writing tools
Story writing tools (PDF - 76kb)
Three worksheets which can be used with adults to help them structure the different stages of the writing process.
Planning sheet
A Word document to use for planning stories. Please note that this is not an official submission form, and you should not use it to submit stories.
Workshop plans and quizzes
Taster workshop
Taster workshop (PDF
- 74kb)
A one-hour workshop which can be used in venues with or without internet access, to introduce adults to the My Story competition and to inspire them to come up with a story idea.
Shaping your story
Shaping your story - Welsh
Shaping your story (PDF - 69kb)
Shaping your story - Welsh (PDF - 77kb)
A session plan to help learners learn how to shape their story.
Finding your writing style
Finding your writing style - Welsh
Finding your writing style (PDF - 68kb)
Finding your writing style - Welsh (PDF - 75kb)
A session plan to encourage learners to explore their writing style.
Train the Trainer workshop
Train the Trainer workshop (PDF - 87kb)
A workshop plan for specialists wishing to train Librarians/ULRs/non-specialists on how to use My Story with learners.
Quiz pack
Quiz pack - Welsh
Quiz pack (PDF - 1.8mb)
Quiz pack - Welsh (PDF - 2mb)
A quiz pack including guidance on running a stand alone My Story quiz as a learner recruitment activity or taster session. It's a six round quiz with question and answer sheets.
Posters and certificates
My Story poster (PDF - 1.9mb)
My Story 'share your story here' poster - use this to promote My Story in your computer area.
Blank My Story poster (PDF - 1.7mb)
My Story 'empty belly' poster - add the information for your own My Story workshop or event.
Blank My Story certificate
My Story certificate - add your pupil's name to show they've successfully submitted a story.
To download, right click on the link and select 'Save Target As'. You will need to have the Adobe Reader (formerly known as Acrobat Reader) plug-in installed to view the PDFs. For more information on dowloading plug-ins visit WebWise.
In order to see this content you need to have both Javascript enabled and Flash installed. Visit BBC Webwise for full instructions
This is my story, what's yours?
Celebrities including Jodie Kidd, Ray Winstone, Gail Porter, the original Calendar Girls and others describe some of the most important events in their lives.
In order to see this content you need to have both Javascript enabled and Flash installed. Visit BBC Webwise for full instructions
What makes a good story?
Fiona Phillips, Steve Jones, Konnie Huq, Scott Mills and others say what they think makes a good story.
© MMIX