Today’s writer is Peggy Kennedy, whom we first presented to you on June 5, 2009. Approaching Neverland, her memoir of a mentally-ill mother and a family that struggled to survive, is amazing—and redemptive. I hope you will procure a copy. To read Cindy Doucette’s interview in this series of “How to Write a Successful Memoir,” click here. Cindy is the author of It Can Happen to Any Family. Denis Ledoux: Can you tell our readers what your book is about and why you were impelled to write it? What was driving you to spend the time, energy and money to get this book (more…)

Choose A Voice To Write From Choosing a voice is imperative. This may sound like a joke, but it’s not. In fact, it is a very serious question that will determine-or at least greatly influence-the tone and the theme of your narrative. “But, I’m writing my memoirs!” you might answer. Yes, of course. It’s you! But, which you? We’ve all had the experience of the various parts of ourselves in internal debate. For instance, a friend asks you to go to the movies. One part of you thinks, “Sure!” Another part responds, “Wait a minute. You still have yard work (more…)

Writing My Memoir: Zero to Seventeen / Life Lessons in Story At the beginning, I was concerned about the way to write a memoir of my grandchildren’s stories. My three grandchildren and I had collected a memory list based on completing the sentence “Do you remember when…” Together we built a list of dozens of their earliest memories through their elementary school years. Then we wrote a short paragraph about each memory with the intention to write a children’s story book based on our memories. I felt uncertain how to pull the grandchildren’s memory list into a story that read well and (more…)

Clients will often come to me after having done a considerable amount of writing. Sometimes I will receive 200- and 300-page manuscripts all formatted and seemingly ready for publication. Among them are manuscripts that are really at an end stage of writing and need only a bit of editing, but… There are too many that are still—in spite of their polished look on the page—in an early stage of development. The writer has not mastered voice, or perhaps it’s pacing and shaping. Perhaps the writer is still angry over events in his/her life and is writing too closely—but doesn’t see (more…)

Realize Your Dream: Choose a Ghostwriter “Between you and me, I’m never going to do this,” said the woman on the other end of the phone line, a woman who was signed up for my forthcoming workshop here in Maine. As soon as she said that—actually as soon as she had announced herself, I thought, “Oh, I suppose this is going to be the usual!” She had registered for several of my Turning Memories Into Memoirs™ workshops and had always, somewhat at the last minute, asked to have the tuition rolled over to the next session to be held in (more…)

Ready to hire a ghostwriter? Here’s what to ask. 1. Will the ghostwriter “work for hire” or will s/he want a stake in the product? A for-hire writer is paid either by the hour or by the project and has no legal authorship rights. The rights to such a book are entirely yours. This is the most usual arrangement for a memoir of a person who has no public presence—no fame. A writer who works with a financial investment in a project does have legal rights, as do the inheritors of that writer on his/her death. While sharing the rights (more…)

I wrote a lengthy reply to Gayle to her question concerning my recent post, “Another Memoir Finished: What Was the Writing Process?” She asked a legitimate question about whether A Sugary Frosting is really a memoir: “Can you call it a memoir when you embellish the writings of your wife and even added stories that she told but never wrote?” If you haven’t read her question in its entirety (much longer than I provide here) and my response, I hope you will as it addresses an important consideration in memoir writing. Read the entire stream (the original post and the (more…)

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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Should you write your memoir? This is such a basic question that perhaps everyone who contemplates writing a memoir will be—or should be—asking him/herself that question. Below is a great response to “should you write your memoir?” When I found Paul LaRosa’s answer to this question on the Huffington Post, I immediately wanted to share it with you. I hope you enjoy it. What answer have you come up with? For Paul LaRosa’s book, Leaving Story Avenue, click here. (more…)

How to Write a Successful Memoir: Approaching Neverland

By Peggy Kennedy

Denis Ledoux: Can you tell our readers what your successful memoir is about and why you were impelled to write it? What was driving you to spend the time, energy and money to get this book out into the world? Peggy Kennedy: The name of my book is Approaching Neverland, A Memoir of Epic Tragedy […]

Which Voice Will Write Your Memoir?

By Denis Ledoux

Writing My Memoir: Zero to Seventeen

By Sharmay Rose Leudtke

Writing My Memoir: Zero to Seventeen / Life Lessons in Story Writing My Memoir: Zero to Seventeen / Life Lessons in Story I took my concern about leaving a legacy of my grandchildren’s stories and wrote a book. My three grandchildren and I had collected a memory list based on completing the sentence “Do you […]

Why You Should Work With a Coach or an Editor Early in the Process

By Denis Ledoux

Clients will often come to me after having done a considerable amount of writing. Sometimes I will receive 200- and 300-page manuscripts. Among them are manuscripts that are really at the editing stage, but… There are too many that are still—in spite of their polished look on the page—in an early stage of development. (more…)

checking a memoir ghostwriter's references

Why Choose a Ghostwriter?

By Denis Ledoux

Ready to hire a ghostwriter? Here’s what to ask.

By Denis Ledoux

Is this really a memoir? You tell me…

By Denis Ledoux

Teaching Memoir Writing – 3 Tips For Making Your Vision Real

By Denis Ledoux

Teaching Memoir Writing – Your Vision Can Become Real Writing a vision statement can be stimulating for you as a teacher. 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 […]

Why Should You Write Your Memoir?

By Denis Ledoux

Should you write your memoir? This is such a basic question that perhaps everyone who contemplates writing will be—or should be—asking him/herself that question. (more…)