Dirkin

My father wants me to write his memoirs for him. I agreed to do it, but I don't know the best way to go about it. I want to make it a narrative tableaux of his life, perhaps written in first person, but I really don't know how to plot it...

Has anyone ever written memoirs, or read any interesting memoirs that could give me some advice how best to go about this?

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"As the celerity took its horrid grip on his body, he turned to the right to see the bullet coming. In his twisted sense of time he had hardly a second to duck out of the way. Before the second bullet could leave the chamber, Saede was feeding.

'How easily your life flows. The adrenaline only serves makes the sensation sweeter,' the assamite said through blood-soaked lips."

mammamaia

best thing you can do is go to the library and take out as many memoirs as you can manage, that are similar to what you have in mind... see how they've been done and you should get a better idea of how you'd like to structure your father's...

main things to consider:

is your dad famous for something?... an expert in some field?... part of some well-known group or took part in some event that will make his story of interest to non-family members?...

or, does he just want this done for the family?

will you try to get it published?

or, publish it yourselves with a vanity house, pod, or such?

a lot of those i mentor want to see their memoirs in print, so if you need any help along the way, just drop me a line 'at home'...

love and hugs, maia
maia3maia@Hotmail.com

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Dirkin

almost a full no count on those. My dad has just led a very interesting life and is full of stories. He wants to see them written down so that when he's gone they'll still be able to be told. Or something like that.

__________________
"As the celerity took its horrid grip on his body, he turned to the right to see the bullet coming. In his twisted sense of time he had hardly a second to duck out of the way. Before the second bullet could leave the chamber, Saede was feeding.

'How easily your life flows. The adrenaline only serves makes the sensation sweeter,' the assamite said through blood-soaked lips."

mammamaia

well, then you'll have to face the fact that probably the only way it'll be a book, is if you pay to have it printed... or go with a pod, which is still going to cost you some money to get the finished books, even if you don't have to put any up to start with... and they'll not be marketable quality, but that seems to not be an issue...

self-publishing isn't cheap... it'll cost several thousand dollars, at the very least... but, if only a few copies for family are wanted, you could print it yourself in 'booklet' form, rather than as a normal, bound book...

i've worked with folks who've done all the above, so if you need any help, just email me, ok?

__________________
For 100% free writing help/mentoring:
www.saysmom.com

"You must BE the change you wish to see in the world." Gandhi

Stewart

My suggestion for writing a memoir would be, once you have all the stories, identify a common theme and use this as a framework.

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