Writing Your Family Memoir in 5 Simple Steps
Gain clarity, get started!
Writing your family memoir is an experience that matches few others in life. Though I will agree that it can be an exhausting and confusing feat.
But because it’s so exhilarating and exciting, that’s probably why those of us up for a literary thrill sign ourselves up for the challenge!
The fact the idea of writing your family memoir is a bit scary creates a level of motivation that something familiar to us does not. And that’s awesome, right?
So then, how can we use that to our advantage and make the family memoir a success?
Below I’ve broken down the huge, monstrous project of researching, writing, editing, and publishing your family memoir into five easy, achievable steps:
1. Start writing.
- Don’t let incomplete research hold you back from writing your family memoir. If you wait for everything to be “ready,” your chances of distraction and even abandonment will increase. Since you probably already know at least some information about your family’s history, begin to flesh these out on paper (or the screen, depending on your style) while you continue your research.
2. Details, then dates.
You don’t need to write your family’s story in chronological order at first. This is because memoirs are about the people, places, relationships, and experiences. So, go ahead and create a scene for that funny story your aunt always tells at Christmas dinner, or draft the epic dialog of how your father proposed to your mother. Write now, arrange later!
3. Be flexible.
Writing your family memoir sometimes creates contention between relatives. This is because memories are tricky and sometimes we all disagree about dates, locations, people, etc. As a result, no memoir is 100% accurate, but that’s okay. Consider including as many memories from relatives as you can and simply telling your readers the content includes memories from many people and may have discrepancies.
4. Seek help.
While you are the one doing the nitty-gritty work, don’t think you must go it entirely alone. When writing my family memoir I relied heavily on content published in the local newspaper regarding an incident my great-grandparents experienced. This was entirely outside my realm of experience! What did I do? I asked for help from professionals at the newspaper company and in the research and historical space.
5. Get permission.
Not every item included in your book will require user permission. However, it’s always better to be safe. A good rule of thumb is to document any and all photos, articles, letters, etc. with clear notation. If it’s Copyrighted material, get permission from the owner and mark it as “used with permission.” If a relative shared a photo, mark it as “photo courtesy of.”
Writing your family history is an exciting adventure. While it may seem overwhelming now, always remember one major plus: the story is already there, you just have to put the pieces together!
Do you want to write your family memoir but aren’t sure how to get started? Click here to contact me with any questions.