Group Members must be Memoirists!

[Deanna]

Wanted to share updates on personal journey memoir, SILENT SCREAMS. Free chapters are available on AUDIO at http://soundcloud.com/dcrossauthor, and ebook samples at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Googlebooks. Also visit me on facebook.com/authordcross. Love a psychological "take" on favorite books.

[Elizabeth]

Hi there, am planning to write two memoirs: one's a pet memoir, the other one a collection of essays on my faith journey. It's still in development, however.

[CeeCee]

I would love if you all would add Lost No More to your reading list. It's the sequel to Ghost No More, and just released this week. Thanks so much! Lost No More

[Dahlia]

Hi Ceecee,

Could you tell me a bit about it?

Dahlia :)

[CeeCee]

Sure! It's about a boy who grows up with his father as the town drunk. He vows to never be like his dad, even though everyone tells him he's just like him. It's a coming of age story. :)

[Dahlia]

Sounds good!

I'll be looking out for it on Amazon

Dahlia :)

[CeeCee]

Thank you so much! It is on Amazon! :)

[Dahlia]

Hi Ceecee,

I just now purchased your first memoir "Ghost no more" and I'll be leaving a review on Amazon and I'll be tweeting about it. Anything to help a fellow memoirist :)

Dahlia

[CeeCee]

You are so sweet!! Thank you so much. I should have said it's free with Kindle Unlimited, if you have that.
*hugs*

[Dahlia]

It's my pleasure :) unfortunately we don't have Kindle unlimited down here in Australia. We only have Scribd

[CeeCee]

Oh, I'm sorry. :(

[Dahlia]

Noooo don't be sorry!

[Elizabeth]

Hi everyone. I'm an unpublished writer, just finished (aside from the endless revisions, of course) my memoir and am looking for advice/ideas/connections as to how to go about finding a publisher. My story ranges from fairly dark - think The Glass Castle and A Child Called It - to pretty unique adventures working my way across country and overseas, later in life. I think it's a pretty unique story but am unsure how to go about marketing it. Everything I hear so far is all about online followings and blogs....None of which I have. Any advice? :)

[Dahlia]

Hi Elizabeth,

I'm in the same boat too and have just started marketing my book. The platform of your book should be a website/blog. Wordpress is the easiest to set up and there are a heap of tutorials online to help you get started. Once you've done that start commenting on other blogs similar to yours so that you gain exposure.

You also need to set up Facebook, Twitter and other social media outlets that you wish to use.

Check out this guide http://bookmarketingtools.com/freeguide

I hope that helps
Dahlia :)

[CeeCee]

Are you in select, Elizabeth? Their countdown deal has helped me.

[Elizabeth]

thanks, Dahlia! I'll check wordpress out. I have been hesitant to do a blog, one because I have little idea how that works, and two, because I am wondering if that makes my material open for theft? It's not copyrighted and if I'm putting unpublished stuff out there in cyberspace, can't it be stolen? I am on FB but am not sure how to use it to market my book. Set up it's own page, like a business? and CeeCee - sorry, I don't know what select is?!

[Dahlia]

Hi Elizabeth,

If you use Wordpress you are able to add a Copywrite notice to your blog so that no one steals your work http://youtu.be/mpvata7cHT0

You might want to check out this site to help you get started http://www.theblogbuilders.com starting a blog can be pretty stressful but this guy makes the process very easy.

As for Facebook, it depends on whether you're planning to write more books in the future, in which case I'd do a fan page promoting yourself and your book, and you can add more books later on. If you only plan on writing one book then a fan page for your book would be the way to go. I hope I'm not confusing you!

http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2010/1...

Good luck and let me know how you go
Dahlia :)

[Jack]

My name is Jack from Sheffield, England. It wasn't a choice but a calling. A extraordinary incomprehensible life alchemy experience. Born an orphaned runt, mute, dysfunctional, defunct and failing. Called by God to be a warrior. A memoir of an epic journey of survival, trials,events, barriers and enemies. Unable to connect with any living phenomena. God The Devil And I

[Mary]

Great group. I enjoy the comments and will add just one tip about selling a self published memoir. A western boutique that sells more clothes and jewelry than books is selling my memoir You Fall Off, You Get Back On better than any bookstore! You have to think outside the box in marketing. Also, one big bookstore in Boulder has my book in New Nonfiction and they are selling books, too. If anyone has tips on how to sell self published books in bookstores, please let me know.

[Meran]

I'm just beginning mine. I've only written a bit and don't intend to blog it.

I had a very upsetting (for the reader for sure) 2 1/2 yrs in a foster home that I'll be writing about. I can talk about it here if you like, even post bits, but otherwise I can't prove I'm writing one.

Is this a problem?

I do have a short first draft of the first (of many) segments I can post, if there's a thread for that.

I've shown one person, who is a new online friend, who assures me it's a story that needs to be told. So I'm writing it, whether it ever gets published or not.

It's all true. It'll be shocking in its truth, and hard to read because of the content (I won't be making it that way for sensationalism), and it will expose Ohio's Children's Services lack of services in the early 60s.

[Leila]

Meran, no proof needed :) If you are a writer and have, are or are intending to write your memoir, then this group is for you!

[Meran]

Thanks, Leila!

[Kevin]

Hello All! My name is Kevin E Beasley. I published a memoir about my experiences trekking through the Alaskan Bush. I learned a whole bunch of life lessons over 7 trips and had a blast sharing the stories in "What if... Why not? Through the Doors of Adventure." I look forward to connecting on the site!

[Patricia]

Hi. I'm new to the group, too. Recently published "First Friends, Love, Loss and Life in Humboldt County." The book chronicles a period in my life in northern California as fledging attorney, newly-married, developing love for long-distance running and building friendships as an adult. My marriage disintegrated, I became a single mother, and my friends helped me find the internal strength to survive and to thrive. The "place" of northern California was very integral to my life and the events that transpired, so physicality is an important element to the book. I'm marketing it on FB and twitter and through my personal website: www.paburgess.com. It's available in paperback and Kindle on Amazon. Would love for you to check it out and add it to your to read list. Six Amazon reviews so far, very positive. Thanks!

[Kate]

Getting excited. my memoir pub date is June 16, 2015.
Looking for a Kiss: A Chronicle of Downtown Heartbreak and Healing, Heliotrope Books. Have several book events
lined up in NYC in June. for more info: www.katewalter.com

[Gladys]

It is obvious from the few words you wrote here that you are passionate about the story. Stay with it, Meran.

Best wishes,
Gladys

[Gladys]

Hello Kate,

Congratulations on your newly published memoir. Best wishes for much success.

And please excuse me. I was writing to two people and sent you a note that belongs to meran. Maybe you need to know about her effort as well.

Gladys!

[Moon]

I have a general question that I hope can give me some feedback. When I am writing my memoir, I am finding myself becoming reluctant in revealing some details as it might make others mad...has anyone else experienced/does experience this type of emotion while writing? If so, how do you deal with it?

[Leila]

@Moon I was advised in the beginning to just write my story without any editing of words, thoughts, or feelings. It helps to just get it down on paper. If I had to keep worrying about what my mother-in-law would think about what I was writing, I wouldn't have written any of it! Then, we you are in the editing phase, you can make some decisions on possibly leaving out some hurtful or embarrassing content, or changing names and identifying facts and so on. But for now, don't worry about anything... just write!

[Moon]

Thank you Leila! That helps!!! I will keep writing.

[Meran]

I agree with Leila. Besides, the person could pass in the meantime. My mother has, and she was the only one I worried about respecting. Though honestly, in most cases, she didn't deserve it. She was the poster child for Bad Mothers. And still, there were times that she proved she knew me.

Save what you edit out. In fact, save versions of your work. Call it "mother in law approved" or some such ;)

--------

I've been thinking of covers. I want to use the old black and white photos, not generic or copyright free images. Any thoughts?

[Rian]

Meran, given that you are writing about deeply personal experiences and thoughts, I'd say use period photographs that are meaningful to you. Normally, a catchy cover is helpful in grabbing potential readers' attention - and there is no reason you can't create one with the photographs you have.

(Joined this group recently...)

[Mark]

Hi, group...I'm just finishing a memoirish book, and I'm finding the observations and questions on this group very interesting and enlightening.
My book is "memoirish" because it is a fictionalized recounting of actual events. I'm struggling with the "genre" issue - how do you identify something that's a very personal story, but also (technically) a novel (or "novelization"?).
There was a thread about this issue a couple of years ago, and it pointed to an interesting post by Judith Hannan. I'd like to ask if anyone has any more recent thoughts about this? I suspect it's a pretty common problem.

[Paul Douglas]

Mark wrote: "Hi, group...I'm just finishing a memoirish book, and I'm finding the observations and questions on this group very interesting and enlightening.
My book is "memoirish" because it is a fictionalized..." I believe memoirs is the correct genre when using SOME biographical events in a fictitious novel. Auto biography is more the complete story in chronological order. I hope so anyway.

http://www.writersdigest.com/online-e...

[Mark]

Thanks Paul. Autobiography isn't the issue here – my book is about a year in the life, where the events are mostly (but not all) real and the characters are mostly (but not all) fictional or composites.
If it's more than 50% fictional, is it really a memoire? Is it a memoire novel? Fictional memoire? Novel based on actual events?
Genres are less forgiving than these approximations. Anyone else have a suggestion?

[Rian]

Mark wrote: "Thanks Paul. Autobiography isn't the issue here – my book is about a year in the life, where the events are mostly (but not all) real and the characters are mostly (but not all) fictional or compos..."

Mark, if what you've written about is "mostly" real, but not entirely so, and you've changed names and places to avoid ready identification, one could say that your work is fiction based upon true events, or inspired by true events, depending on how much fiction content you have in there.

I have been told the genre that fits an entirely factual work with names etc. changed is Narrative Nonfiction. And, despite a pseudonym and other changed names, it falls under the Memoir genre as well, especially if it is written in the first person.

Hope this helps...

[Mark]

This is very helpful, Rian. I'm thinking about some variant of "A novel based on a true story" or some such.
I like the "Narrative Nonfiction" genre, but alas, it doesn't fit into the Amazon categories. The first decision has to be "Literature and Fiction" vs. "BIography and Memoir." Tough choice if it's a novel based on events.
Thanks!

[Suzanne]

Hey Memoiristas ... Been waiting to hunker down with my memoir to add cogent comments. Also writing a novel a the same time (my paid gig) so this is tricky, but damn if that memoir just won't wait. I know if I post here, I will screw up my courage and just write the damn thing.

It's tentatively called Lessons From the Afterlife. About the radical transformation I've been through in the last three years since my 22 year old daughter suddenly dropped dead from a medically unexplainable cardiac arrest. She was studying to be a healer -- and so has healed me of many issues by 'speaking to me' through various means, including the iPod in my car (she was a pro blues singer.) Kind of crazy, I know, but hey ... this wouldn't be the only spiritual memoir of this type out there.

My sense is that if I check in here periodically it will be keep me accountable ... Thanks for listening. All encouragement appreciated!

Suzanne Falter

[Rian]

Suzanne wrote: "Hey Memoiristas ... Been waiting to hunker down with my memoir to add cogent comments. Also writing a novel a the same time (my paid gig) so this is tricky, but damn if that memoir just won't wait...."

Susanne, there is nothing more hopeful, more endearing, and poignant, than a deep filial connection that endures long after...for some, mothers especially, the connection never ends. My mother speaks often of her youngest, my little sister, lost when young in a traffic accident that eventually led to my father's passing on three years hence. She is lucky - for she talks to her in dreams often, something I've had happen only once.

I'd say your memoir takes precedence... :-)

[Suzanne]

Thank you so much for your support on this Rian ... that totally inspires me. And isn't it interesting how MANY stories there are like this? Something in particular about the children who die (even if young adults like my Teal) ... I appreciate your kindness in replying. Off to it in the AM!

Suzanne

[Anthony]

Further to what Mark and Rian say - my memoir usually doesn't even crop up in "Memoirs" on amazon. My original publisher says that they can't organise for amazon to list books in the category they want and that it's all to do with the words written in the description and the algowhatsits......
So our hands are tied.
By the way, I did find that what success I had with my first book was because the book had a leitmotif running through it of a particular subject.I'll have to see what happens with the second one that isn't so subject oriented.

[Felicia]

I plan to attempt writing in this style for NaNoWriMo...At least I think it is Memoir, in the sense that Anne LaMott's Bird by Bird is Memoir.

[Wendy]

Hi Suzanne, I'm so sorry to hear about your daughter.
I think your book will offer a lot of comfort to others and it is certainly the type of book that is very popular. I for one would love to read it when you have finished it.

[Suzanne]

Thanks Wendy ... That is so kind of you. Sorry for the delayed reply -- traveling. Now I'm home and digging in with current book projects (main one a novel.) I appreciate the support!

[Suzanne]

Elizabeth wrote: "Interesting discussion because I, too, have had thoughts about how to categorize my new memoir. There are references to sex in it, so at first I thought "adult", but as Nina reminds me, kids these ..."

Agreed -- I'd say 'Adult' is for steamy sex scenes, not clinical. SVF

[Suzanne]

Meran wrote: "I agree with Leila. Besides, the person could pass in the meantime. My mother has, and she was the only one I worried about respecting. Though honestly, in most cases, she didn't deserve it. She wa..."

I've had some experience with this as I did a book with a big 5 publisher that was a novel about a particular town (name changed) but had a reference to a real person who was disfigured. It was simply an observation, but I was severely called to task for it at the time by local people. Then I was 25 and learning about life. Now I regret that I did that -- it would have been so easy to change the details so no one was hurt. But at the time I thought I was Hemmingway. Which I no longer do. ;-) Which means now I can relax and be a little more sensitive. (Not saying YOU think you're Hemmingway ... that was just my experience. SVF

[Nina]

Hello, Everyone.

Hope you've had a fantastic Thanksgiving. There are many things we can be grateful for, and one is the ability to write about our journey. I'm sure we've seen the dark side of life, but we're here in this forum and made it through. That speaks to the miracles of what our Maker can do.

Suzanne, I too am so sorry to hear about your loss. It's been said that parents should never have to bury their children. But when we do, it can be one of the most unthinkable acts. Life can be so precious; especially, for our little Angels that God gifted us with.

I agree (with Wendy), I feel your book will offer comfort too many. For those that have walked that journey, there's comfort in knowing "you're not alone."

I'm always interested in reader genres of the category.

[Suzanne]

Hi all. Agreed on the Thanksgiving gratitude. My writing has been a steadfast tool throughout my entire life and without it and the support of my readers I couldn't have made it back to happiness.

Thanks for your kind w

[Suzanne]

Nina. Thanks for your kind words about the loss of my daughter. Just yesterday she paid me an angelic visit suggesting I buy a pickle ornament for our Xmas tree. Done! With a smile!

[Suzanne]

Question memoir friends: Does it help or hinder your process as you write to read other memoirs?