The Memoir Writer’s Blog offers a regular online newsletter to help you write the best memoir you are capable of. This help is available through the generosity of fellow writers who form the network part of our name. Not the least of these are our guest bloggers.
Below we have collected and published articles other memoir writers have submitted for your development. Please interact with these writers by leaving a note to continue the conversation.
Working in Saudi Arabia
DL: The following is a guest post by a write who co-incidently bears the family name of Guest—Colin Guest. It presents his first days working in Saudi Arabia. The excerpt is form Follow in the Tigerman’s Footsteps / The Memoirs of a Serial Expat.
On my arrival at Jeddah Airport, now called the King Abdulaziz International Airport, Harold was there to meet me. As it was lunchtime by the time we arrived on site, Harold took me straight to the canteen. As we walked in, I noticed two seated English guys having lunch. On seeing me walk in, one looked up.
“Do you have my passport?” he asked. [Free Membership required to read more. See below. ]
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The Personal Memoir: Keep the “Me” in your MEmoir
Editor’s Note: The Personal Memoir: Keep the “Me” in your MEmoir was originally published on Bookbaby Blog and is used with the permission of the author. This piece was originally published on this blog in 20017. Comments are still being accepted. Without the “me” in your memoir – the fragile and imperfect person who lived the […]
A Journey of Healing via Memoir Writing With Susan Yerburgh
Denis Ledoux: I had the pleasure of working with Susan Yerburgh for several years as she articulated her message in Shadows & Light: A Journey of Healing and Empowerment and used it to continue her own healing journey. Because of the significance of her writing and life experience, I am delighted she agreed to do […]
TO OZ? YES, TO OZ!
Editor: In this memoir excerpt which uses fiction technique to emphasize feeling, Sara Etgen Baker writes about a defining moment of her childhood as the Cuban Missile Crisis unfolded.
It was an autumn day, October 22, 1962—far enough from summer to have lost the heat and not close enough to winter to have that bite of cold. Above me, brilliant shafts of sunlight ignited the color in each falling leaf. Below me, each leaf fell, not knowing that this was its last dance in the sunlight—its last chance to play in the crisp October air. It tumbled with such elegance, but all too soon it was lost in the sea of autumn leaves swirling around my feet. Part of me wanted to find it, pick it up again, and toss it high so that perhaps it would have a second time around. But time was short; and whether I liked it or not, twilight stole away the opportunity and the vibrant colors of the day. So I scurried home crunching the dried leaves under my feet.
“Where have you been, young lady!” Mother peered around her newspaper.
[Free Membership required to read more. See below. ]
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How to Market Your Memoir Through KDP Select
Writing a memoir can be a pretty arduous task — dredging up old memories, mining complex emotions, and trying to frame your experiences in a way that will engage and provide value to readers. It’s no wonder that most authors, having finished their memoirs, feel like the hard part is over and they can finally relax. But, no, it’s time to market your memoir!
But if you’re planning to self-publish your memoir on Amazon, don’t get complacent just yet. While traditionally publishing memoirists often have their marketing plans laid out for them, those on the self-publishing track need to put in a little more personal effort. And while there are tons of great resources to help you along, it’s also important to know how to market on Amazon specifically, as it’s by far the largest retailer in the biz. [Free Membership required to read more. See below. ]
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Three Ways to Find Podcast Opportunities
If you’re in business, you need to market yourself. There’s no two ways about it.
If people don’t know you exist, they don’t know what products and services you offer.
Regardless of whether you sell books, coaching and/or consulting services, widgets or done for you programs, people have to hear about you.
Another reality is this; the more of an expert people see you as, the more you stand apart from the competition.
One of the best ways to do this is by being featured on podcast and radio shows.
In the years I’ve shown experts how to get on shows, the #1 challenge for most people is the amount of time it takes to find outstanding shows to be featured on.
Three simple ways to find shows are: [Free Membership required to read more. See below. ]
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Build Your Audience from the Comfort of Your Home
Imagine being able to build your audience and get your message out to hundreds, even thousands, of potential clients in one fell swoop. Now imagine, because of the platform you use, being viewed as the go-to expert. Now imagine being able to do this without leaving the comfort of your home.
How is this possible? With podcast appearances. Hands down, podcast shows offer one of the best opportunities to get in front of your target market in the easiest way possible.
In as little as an hour, you can get your message out around the globe and build your audience.
Benefits When You Build Your Audience
There are definitely lots of great benefits to podcast appearances. Three of my favorite are… [Free Membership required to read more. See below. ]
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Writing a First Memoir Draft Was Daunting
At age 54, I wrote the first 56,500 words of my first memoir draft of my book, Showbiz Survival Memoir.
It was cathartic writing a first memoir draft and getting it out of me. Honestly, it was a bit grueling though, — emotionally and even physically — to relive some of the most painful times in my life. [Free Membership required to read more. See below. ]
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Do You Have a Foodoir in You?
The continuing popularity of books about food and cookery is well demonstrated by the vast range available—just look along the cookery and food shelves in any bookshop or at the long lists available online. Many are collections of recipes by well-known chefs and bakers, but there is also another genre which combines memoir writing with recipes or food-related experiences. [Free Membership required to read more. See below. ]