We call memoir professionals those individuals who are helping people to write their memoirs whether as a teacher of memoir writing or as a memoir coach, editor or ghostwriter.
A continuing trend
We’ve noticed—as you must have—that interest in memoir writing is running higher than ever. Perhaps you’ve asked yourself why shouldn’t you, too, capitalize on this fact to make best use of your talents and interest by helping people to write their memoirs!
Well, by helping people to write their memoirs, you can capitalize on this trend. There’s no reason you shouldn’t. Let the posts below inspire you to set yourself up to be a successful Memoir Professional.
In the posts below, you will find much information about how to launch and sustain yourself to be helping people to write their memoirs. The intent of these posts is to assist you in learning to be a contented and profitable memoir professional.
Denis Ledoux’s Memoir Professional materials are an excellent, comprehensive training focused on how to start and operate a memoir business successfully.
—Robin Waldron, Memoir Professional
The Write Source, Franklin, Indiana
A learning medium
These articles—plus our our university-quality training—will guide you in the process of becoming better at helping people to write their memoirs. There is no need to reinvent the wheel. We lay out here for you much of what we learned over a number of years.
Being a memoir professional requires adherence to some best practices of of business. Some things work and some things don’t! You have to learn the difference.
In the end, unless you are supported by a pension or a trust fund, you will have to make your helping people to write their memoirs support you. It can be done. Many others—just like you—have done so.
In conclusion
Good luck and let us know how helping people to write their memoirs has worked for you.
How I Launched Myself Publicly in the Creative Life
Editor: This post first appeared in February 2014 at a time when covid as not part of our lives. It advocates marketing that I undertook in pre-covid days but which I believe will soon be available and viable again.
I believe that implicit in every publication is access to an audience. Whether you hope to support yourself or to merely attract a more substantial audience, this post—written about a time half a life ago—has something for you.
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“Is it possible to find readers who will support me in the creative life?” I wanted to know.
One day on 1988, I stood in front of a door, on the other side of which was a group of Foster Grandparents. I had in hand a copy of my book of autobiographical short stories, What Became of Them and Other Stories from Franco-America, which my wife Martha Blowen and I had published through my brand-new imprint, Soleil Press. Soleil means sun in French and Martha who was a paper maker called her studio Moon Papers. So Soleil Press and Moon Papers seemed to us a great combo for a couple (hovering on both sides of 40) who were seeking to live a creative life. [Free Membership required to read more. See below. ]
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How The Memoir Network Evolved
The Memoir Network evolved with thought. Its services—which are necessary for the success of writers and of the Memoir Network—grew regularly over a decade.
Giving the Memoir Workshop Structure. Winging It Doesn’t Work
The Curriculum Manual focuses on the memoir workshop structure. “Winging it” has a certain value at times, but structure always leads to faster learning.
My Love Story with Memoir Writing: How I Started to Teach Memoir Workshops
In October of 1988, following upon the publication of my book of short stories, What Became of Them and Other Stories from Franco America, I was asked to read from this collection of autobiographical fiction to a group of foster grandparents. It was to prove how I started to teach memoir workshops.
It seemed good marketing to present to another group of people—potential book buyers. The reading would also give me an opportunity to send in a release to the local newspaper.
I accepted the invitation, but not without some hesitation. Might this group be too small?
Mary, the woman who coordinated the meeting, had told me however that, after my book program, she was confident many people in the room—Franco-Americans themselves— would want to hear the stories and share theirs. At that time, I had no mind to teach a memoir workshop.
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Leading a Conference Workshop as a Guest Presenter
Participating in writing conferences, either as a panelist, lecturer, or as a workshop leader is a great way to get your name and book out in public and to network with other writers like you—especially when you are leading a conference workshop.
Being a presenter comes with tasks, but the challenge is not impossible. I’d like to offer you some guidelines to help you be as successful as you can be to:
- Respond to a presenters’ request for proposal,
- Adhere to a list of conference presenter’s guidelines, and
- Develop a workshop that keeps the promises you proposed – in the specified allotted time.<!–more–>
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Launching Your Memoir Teaching – 6 Steps To More Success
Many memoir writers secretly, or not so secretly, want to help other people to write their memoirs. Sometimes they do this informally with a friend or two, and at other times, they get a bit more organized and offer a class at a library or other institution. One thing is certain, launching your memoir teaching will take some attention.
I have taught workshops for decades and can attest to the deep satisfaction I have derived from working with writers. I have formed friendships that have lasted these many years.
If you would like to offer a memoir class here are a few tips to do so more successfully. They are garnered from sound business practices, but don’t worry as they are easy for anyone to implement.
(I have written about the curriculum elsewhere.)
1. Reconnect with people who told you they want to be in a workshop within a few days of having first spoken to them.
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Retiring to Memoir Writing: Justine Powell Kuntz
Editor’s note: We came across this guest article published by Justine Kuntz back in 2013, and were so taken with her story of retiring to memoir writing that we decided to publish it again. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did and that it inspires reflections on your own life and memoir.
Eight years ago as a retirement project for church, I introduced memoir writing at St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church in Boca Raton, FL. Earlier, after twenty-two years of teaching English, I chose to flee the regimen of teaching and accepted a position in the business world. The new position required learning more about computers than what I had used in the classroom but that turned out to be a blessing in disguise when I fully retired nine years later. While in business, I had missed teaching, so developing a curriculum for memoir writing made me feel at home once again and helped ease me into retirement and doing what I loved most—teaching.
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The Spirit of Villarosa: A Father’s Extraordinary Adventures / A Son’s Challenge
Libby Atwater is a memoir writer and long supporter of The Memoir Network. It is our pleasure to share her excellent work with you.
By Horace Dade Ashton and Marc Ashton with Libby J. Atwater
When Marc Ashton was kidnapped at gunpoint in Haiti, he fought to survive. Accosted by four armed thugs, Marc realized how life changes in moments. He made two promises: he would escape his captors, and he would tell his father’s amazing life story. I am proud to have helped tell the stories of both these men in this memoir of a kidnapping.
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Teaching Memoir Writing – 3 Tips For Making Your Vision Real
Writing a vision statement about teaching memoir writing can be stimulating for you as a Memoir Professional. Your memoir writing company’s vision statement is a personal reminder you make to yourself about how the work you are planning will sustain you emotionally and make you into a better person. A vision statement is usually about the person writing it. (The mission statement, on the other hand, is about what you will give to the public.)
Here are some ideas for writing a great vision statement. (No venture should be without one!)
1. In your vision statement, your eros needs to be written large.
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What Kind of Person Does Well as a Memoir Network Affiliate?
I have identified the kind of person who does well as a Memoir Network Affiliate. Are you one of these sorts of people? If so you are probably a person who could do well as a Memoir Network Affiliate.