Step 1: Reflect on Your Experiences with Fear of Childbirth

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Question:

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• What story do I want to tell?

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Maybe you’re finding it hard to make a start. Here are some possible storylines to help you:

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• Your Experience During Pregnancy: Share what it’s like to fear childbirth during pregnancy.

• Your Fears: Talk about what you are afraid of.

• Manifestation of Fear: tell a story about how this fear manifests or arises and how you feel when it does.

• Reactions of Others: tell a story about how people around you react when you talk about your fear.

• Coping with Fear: tell a story about how you manage this fear.

• Message to Other Women: tell a story about what you would like to tell other women in the same situation.

• Other Stories: Tell any other story that is important to you and reflects your experiences and insights.

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Step 2: Let Your Emotions Speak

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Questions:

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• What emotions am I experiencing or have I experienced?

• Can I identify specific moments when I felt these emotions?

• Have I experienced more than one emotion?

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We want to understand the emotional resonance of your story. By identifying the emotions in your story, you can decide which emotions to include and how to convey them to your audience.

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Step 3: Start Writing Your Story Script

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We encourage you to create a first draft of your story script, approximately 400 to 800 words, in about sixty minutes. Follow this simple approach. Remember, there is no right or wrong; this is your story, and it belongs only to you.

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The “Four Cs Structure”

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Instead of telling your story chronologically, use the power of flashbacks to make your story lively and engaging. Flashbacks interrupt the chronological sequence of events to revisit earlier times, adding depth and complexity to your story.

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How the “Four Cs Structure” Works:

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• Connect: Start in the middle of a decisive moment in your experiences with fear of childbirth. Imagine beginning the story just before an important decision or action and then leaving it hanging. This creates suspense!

• Context: Now, provide just enough background information for the audience to understand why this scene is important. What was happening in your life that led to this moment

• Change: Return to the original moment or a subsequent moment related to the first. Show what changed and how the event led to a shift in direction.

• Closure: Give the audience a concluding statement that suggests the new situation. Perhaps a statement that shows how you have dealt with the events without summarizing or explaining the story.

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Remember: Your story does not need to have a fixed ending. It can remain open, leaving room for further reflections and developments.

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Congratulations!

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You have now completed your first draft of the story script. Well done!

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We warmly invite you to share your story with us! Go to the “Tell Your Story” section and submit your story there. Please also leave your email address or phone number so we can contact you for further support.

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Your story is important and can help other women. We look forward to hearing from you!

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