The Life Writer’s Guide
By D. N. Smith
Smashwords Edition
Copyright 2011 D. Norton-Smith
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Wendigo Wars
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Table of Contents
Chapter One - What is a Memoir?
Chapter Two - Researching Your Memoir
Chapter Three - Prepare to Write an Autobiography
Chapter Four - Pen Versus Computer
Chapter Five - Setting Up a Writing Space for Productivity
Chapter Six - Multimedia Autobiographies
Chapter Seven - Derivative Autobiographies
Chapter Eight - School Project
Chapter Nine - Choose a Biography Subject
Chapter Ten - Biographies – Death Scenes
Chapter Eleven - Internet Memoir Blogs
Chapter Twelve - Career Biographies
Chapter Thirteen - Alphabetical Autobiographies
Chapter Fourteen - Historical Period Inspiration
Chapter Fifteen - Changing Points Of View in Autobiographies
Chapter Sixteen - Honesty and Ethics in Writing Non-Fiction
Chapter Seventeen - How to Keep a Clear Conscience and Avoid a Law Suit
Chapter Eighteen - Resources for Military Biography Research
Chapter Nineteen - How to Get Important Factual Information for Military Life Stories
Chapter Twenty - Researching to Write an Artist's Biography
Chapter Twenty One - Resources to Utilise When Investigating the World of Art
Chapter Twenty Two - Research for an Author Biography
Chapter Twenty Three - Sources of Information on Famous Contemporary and Historical Writers
Chapter Twenty Four - How to Write a Catchy Title and Blurb
Chapter Twenty Five - Writing the Perfect Book Cover to Attract Readers
Chapter Twenty Six - Permissions for Use
Chapter Twenty Seven - How to Gain Use of Copyrighted Items
Chapter Twenty Eight - How to End a Memoir
Chapter Twenty Nine - Make the Final Line as Memorable as the First
Chapter One - What is a Memoir?
The word memoir conjures up ideas of tales about exotic travel and overcoming personal tragedy but what is a memoir and does it really have to be exciting?
It is often said that along with the 15 minutes of fame we all have to look forward to we also all have a book in us. In essence that is true as every single one of us, no matter how boring we feel our life is, have an autobiography in us. The age of the autobiography has left us for the moment however to make room for a more inspirational book. The memoir.
Memoir comes from the Latin word "memoria" meaning memory. A memoir is an evolution of the autobiography. An autobiography is a story written by yourself about your life. Your life story so far. A memoir, in the style which the publishing market are flooded with at the moment, tends to deal with a more specific period or theme in your life. Despite their seemingly new modern popularity the memoir has been around for as long as man has felt the need to write about himself. Although true, some memoirs will sometimes seem fictional due to their emotionally charged story like quality. Despite what common reading trends lead us to believe a memoir does not need to be a blockbuster written for the whole world to read. A memoir is a very personal product and can be written for personal reasons rather than for publication.
Anything and everything can be in a memoir and they can be in any emotional range however the most saleable style in recent years has been the inspirational memoir and the Mis Lit (Misery Literature) memoir, with memoirs of survivors of traumatic events and victims of abuse flying off the shelves.
Some good reasons to write a memoir are:
You feel you have an important story to tell. Maybe you are the sole survivor of a disaster or have been treated badly by a big company. Maybe you have been misrepresented in the press or worked for a famous recluse. Whatever the story if you feel that a particular part of your life is an interesting story then write it in a memoir.
For future generations. Maybe you are struggling through a divorce and want your children to understand in their adulthood what had happened. Maybe you want your grandchildren to know you better. Maybe you have emigrated and you want future generations to know what their heritage is. A memoir can be like a piece of you reaching out to your descendants long after you have gone.
To document your success. Your rags to riches struggle; your journey from crackpot inventor to innovative millionaire; your struggles as a freelance writer leading eventually to that one best seller. Both inspirational and interesting everyone likes to read how people triumph in the face of adversity.
To document how you handle an illness. Whether you have an illness which will reduce your mobility, sight or attention span or have been diagnosed with a degenerative disease a memoir can be a good way to document your illness and treatment for others in a similar situation to read or to help their relatives understand how they may be feeling.
As therapy. Writing or talking about your feelings and past events can be an excellent way to work through your feelings and find some peace or resolution.
To remember. Writing a memoir can help to unlock memories you had forgotten you had and as a result can help you to understand yourself better or relive happy events.
Chapter Two - Researching Your Memoir
Despite being a personal account most memoirs designed for commercial publication will need some degree of research to be critically acclaimed or accepted. It may seem like a strange concept to do research for a memoir. After all the very point of a memoir is that it is about the writer's own life - the one thing for which no research should be necessary. Unless the writer is a hermit however then there will almost always be some research which needs to be done when writing a memoir
A family memoir or a memoir which mentions family members may need different levels of research from just talking with people, to formal interviews to a spot of genealogy. Sources of information can be family trees, genealogy websites, birth, death and marriages registrations, censuses and newspaper clippings. Even other family member's diaries or memoirs can come in handy.
A technical memoir will need quite specific research. If the memoir is centered in a specific industry research may be needed to create broader picture of what was going on in that industry at the time which affected the writer. Sources of information can be records held by the company, the company website, trade union information, leaflets, business plans and reports, newspaper and business journal reports and interviewing people working for the company.
A medical memoir will need research even if writing about a condition from which you suffer yourself. Research may be needed to write about symptoms, treatments and statistics. Sources of research could be medical websites, medical books and journals, memoirs of other sufferers of the disease, interviews with relatives and friends of the sufferer and again news reports.
Even if no other research is needed it is likely that, in any style of memoir, basic research will be done by using a dictionary, thesaurus and grammatical guide. Writing itself may also cause a need for research. Someone new to memoir writing may want to research how to get started with writing or how to find inspiration. Sources of research would usually be in the form of writer's websites and books, talking to other memoir writers and of course articles like this.
If an integral part of the memoir relies on the understanding of a place such as a house, town or country then research might take the form of library research on local history, reading news reports and information of political climate, geographical climate, economical climate, architectural influences, well known local characters and social and moral standards of the time.
Does every memoir have to be researched? Most definitely no. If the writer is writing the memoir purely for personal reasons then there are no rules. If the memoir is for public consumption, however, then research, at least a little research, is recommended. For every reader who reads without judgment there will be two readers who read with a critical eye and three readers who love to point out flaws, inaccuracies and inconsistencies.
To avoid a literary slaughtering at the hand of readers and critics then the writer should be 100% confident in the accuracy of everything they write. That isn't to say that personal views and opinions can't be voiced as that is the beauty of memoirs but the writer should always keep in mind that any facts they mention should be exactly that. Facts.
Chapter Three - Prepare to Write an Autobiography
You can avoid writing a dry and boring autobiography by researching and brainstorming first. Using brainstorming charts can get your creative juices flowing.It is easy to assume that an autobiography is the easiest book to write. It is the story of the writer's own life so the old adage "write about what you know" would seem to apply. For anyone who sits down to write an autobiography unprepared however it is a disappointing truth that, at some point, the inspiration will dry up. These are the times where some preliminary research will be a blessed relief.
A good way to focus your efforts is with three different brainstorming charts. The most popular and easiest to use style of chart is done by drawing a bubble and writing a thought in it then another bubble for another thought and so on. The thought bubbles can then be linked with lines to show linked thoughts. This can be a very useful device when there are a lot of thoughts jostling for room and it is proving hard to sort through them.
For an autobiography three good charts to start with are:
Memories of the writer's life: The beauty of a brainstorming chart is that it doesn't have to be chronological or linear. As a thought pops up it gets written down. The first though can be a first kiss, the second an embarrassing time at school the third the first house you bought. Anything and everything gets written down and every bubble will spark those little gray cells into remembering more long forgotten moments. Don't be surprised if this chart grows and grows.
Some memories you might want to include are:
•First memory
•First love, crush and kiss
•Most embarrassing moment
•Best friend as a child and favorite pets
•Most frightening teacher
•Favorite toy
•First job
•Leaving or being sacked from a job
•Scariest moment
•Most peaceful memory
Memories of other people's lives: An autobiography rarely just covers the life of the writer. There are invariably also many bit players, friends, family, enemies and colleagues. With each bit player there will be a back story, incidents, relationships, physical descriptions and their link to the writer. Getting these bit players down on paper can often inspire new digressions to flesh out the main autobiography.
Other people who may have played a part in your life may be:
•Memorable strange or eccentric characters
•People remembered because of childhood legend or rumors
•Brothers, sisters or cousins
•Parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles
•Best friend as a teenager
•Inspirational person
•In – laws
•People remembered from a news story
•The person who inspired you to write your autobiography
Facts: How many people really know how their mother went into labor, where their father went to school or about their grandparent's wedding day? Getting these basic facts down on paper can help to put everything into perspective and focus the writer on remembering that they aren't a person in isolation but are a product of their parent's and grandparent's past.
For the factual chart create a bubble for each person with smaller bubbles coming off each one for relevant facts such as:
•Place and date of birth
•Immediate family
•Relationship to the writer
•Education and career
•Children
•Marriages
•Dates, cause and place of death (if applicable)
So why should you research your autobiography?Although it may seem like an unnecessary, time consuming step this will eventually act as a road map and a muse to reduce the chance of the autobiography ending up as a dull “what I did this summer” style monologue. Try it. There is nothing to lose.
Chapter Four - Pen Versus Computer
When writing a memoir, autobiography or biography which is mightier - the pen or the keyboard? One inspires and the other is more efficient and flexible. So which one will work the best for you?
It is an age old curiosity of writers in the 21st century. Many writers have their favorite medium to write in and just as many are curious about which method other writers choose. So which is the best method for writing a memoir or biography? Each has unique benefits.
Writing a Book by Hand
For many writers the allure of getting back to pen and paper is undeniable. The sense of being back to writing origins like the great masters inspires great things.
When writing by hand a writer can choose a pen and book they feel inspires them or even a number of books. A small pocket sized book for those moments of lightening strike inspiration, a big book for writing at home, a book for random thoughts and brainstorming and one for writing the actual memoir or biography. Maybe just one big book to fit everything in or loose sheets which can be put in a folder and rearranged at will. As writing by hand will inspire a flow of consciousness style of writing the results can sometimes be wonderful and unexpected.
Writing a biography, autobiography or memoir by hand can be a very useful approach as it allows the writer to write where and when they want, sitting on a bus, in a cafe or, most usefully, in a research library where the writer of biographies ,in particular, will often be found.
Writing by hand also allows the benefit of being able to stick into the book newspaper clippings, photos and other mixed media evidence. Writing by presents writers with the luxury of being able to write 24 hours a day which is not always possible when jostling for a computer in a busy household.
If writing a memoir purely for personal reasons then writing by hand is the way to go as future generations will feel closer to the writer as they see the actual paper that the writer touched and what their handwriting was like.
The drawback of writing by hand? Well if the writer is writing with publication in mind at some point all of that handwritten information will have to be put onto a computer.
Writing a Book on the Computer
Writing straight onto a computer also has unique advantages. When writing a book on a computer it is far easier to amend and edit at any point. The writer can experiment by rearranging sections and cutting and pasting paragraphs to create various versions of the book which can all be saved.
If doing a of research via the internet it is a lot easier to be able to cut and paste sections into a research document and to cut and paste the source name than it is to hand write the whole section or print out numerous pieces of information.
For a lot of writers handwriting will take a lot more endurance and stamina than typing, with hands cramping up after about an hour. This makes working at a computer a more productive writing experience. It can also be easy to attach photographs and press cuttings into an existing or new document.
If the book is planned as an ebook it is very user friendly to export the existing document into this format. If planned for print publication it is easy to copy and paste the whole of the book into a new document and from this begin to reduce, reduce , reduce until a detailed and concise synopsis is created.
Authors who are said to have written by hand are:
•Biography and bibliography writer Edna O'Brian
•Novelist Sarah Lovett writes both by computer and long hand
•Children's author JK Rowling writes a lot of her preliminary ideas by hand
•Author Neil Gaiman is said to write by hand
•Horror writer Stephen King writes a lot of his works by hand
Chapter Five - Setting Up a Writing Space for Productivity
Every writer has a favorite place to write. For those lucky enough to have an entire room (or corner of a room), you can easily decorate it for inspiration and productivity
All writing areas should have the essentials; a coffee cup or water glass, tissues, pens and paper, a computer or typewriter, a waste paper basket, a dictionary, a thesaurus and any minor essentials like lip balm which can help minimize excuses to take a “5 minute break”.
The savvy writer can also decorate according to the genre they write in.
Biography Writers
Biography writers will need both practical decorations and also some inspirational memorabilia. For example;
•Photographs, posters or postcard paintings of the subject of the biography
•The same of related settings or time periods
•Items which relate to the subject e.g. a globe for Christopher Columbus or a baseball for Babe Ruth
•Other biographies on the subject
•Reference guides to the times, cultures or places in which the subject lived/ lives
•Newspaper and magazine articles
Autobiography Writers
Autobiography writers will need some more personal items such as:
•Boxes and albums of family photos
•Contact numbers of relatives for those off the cuff questions
•A notebook for writing down dates and times
•Diaries or journals
•Autobiography software
•Birth, marriage and death certificates
•Diploma and degree certificates
•Newspaper clippings (birth announcements, etc)
•School photos
•A cork board, push pins and cards to write thoughts and memories on
•Collectables from the life being written about; figurines, badges, tickets from events attended, etc
Memoir Writers
Memoirs often evoke the specific emotions of a specific time in the individual's life. A memoir writer's desk would benefit from all of the decorations of the autobiographer's desk plus a few extras:
•Photographs of that specific time in your or your subject's life
•Items from that time such as a wedding bouquet, a childhood toy, etc
•Colors, pictures and items which evoke the emotions most prevalent in the memoir
•Music from that time. Writing about the 70's? Have a spot of ABBA playing in the background
•Perfumes or scents to evoke memories
•Books and movies that bring back memories of that time
•Tissues. Lots of tissues!
For Those Who Do Not Have a Writing Area
For the poor writers who, through artistic poverty or family clutter, have no special writing room or corner all is not lost. Here are a few ways to have a virtual writing space:
•Have a bag – anything from a plastic bag to a suitcase – to keep your “writing desk” in
•Have an electronic “writing desk”. On your computer desktop have links to all of your inspiration music, scan in your family photos to view as a slide show, use journaling/ autobiography software
•Give yourself a 10 minute time out every couple of hours to browse the internet for inspiration (but stick to the 10 minute time limit and only browse relevant sites)
•Set up quick links to research websites
Limit Distractions
All writers have their Achilles Heel; that little distraction that for some will inspire but for others will bring an entire writing schedule to a halt. So when setting up a writing area be aware of whatyou’re your Achilles Heel is. If it is the internet, turn off the connection. If it is music, don't listen to it.
So be inspired, be productive and good luck.
Chapter Six - Multimedia Autobiographies
Biography and genealogy software can make writing an autobiography an easy flowing experience and is essential if tackling a family saga. With a new electronic world at our fingers autobiographies and memoirs are no longer just a paper based affair. There are now a growing number of software packages which help people writing for pleasure to document their lives in mixed media. What follows is a list of just a few of the most popular resources available.
Personal Author Software
This software is published by Biography Software Corporation and can be used to create a family history and also to write a biography or autobiography. It has areas in which to complete a daily journal, add videos, photos and audio. There are hints and tips to writing a good story and “Memory Jogging Questions” designed to stop writer's block. There is a book building feature to guide the writer through creating an index, contents page and title page and the capability to create and merge multiple biographies.
Familyware
Familyware is one of the few free software packages and is online based. It was created by a man named John Ward after the death of his friend in his 40s. This inspired him to create a way to document his life for his children and he chose to share this software with the world. There is a Premium Membership with many additional benefits but there is also a free membership which gives the subscriber the facility to write their own life story and add up to 100 photos. The way the writer is inspired to write is through choices such as creating their own topic headings such as “Education” and “Work”, sending questions to relatives with the answers automatically populating the program, being asked questions generated by the program to jog your memory, a “Memory Jogger” page to enter little thoughts which may later develop and the facility to add photos.
Family Tree and Genealogy Software
For anyone writing a legacy or epic of an autobiography then a family tree program could be a useful way to go. The better packages do all of the above and also give a more flexible and larger facility for adding details about a large number of relatives. There are many software packages out there for genealogy and the better ones can be quite expensive so anyone interested in buying one to help them write their autobiography should research the options fully
The Future of Autobiographies
The world is now turning rapidly towards becoming 100% technology based and the number of mobile devices such as PDAs, Kindles, ebook readers, iPads and iPhones increases day by day. Already the autobiographies, biographies and memoirs of thousands of people are available not only in paperback and hardback but also in multi media downloadable files on a world of hand held devices.
Chapter Seven - Derivative Autobiographies
Many writers decide to write an autobiography but on sitting down to begin have no idea where to start. After research and brainstorming has been done an unusual but effective way to plan an autobiography is to steal someone else's life! Not as plagiarism or lies but as a template. Using the already published autobiography or biography of a famous person as a template can be a great source of inspiration and structure.
The first step is for the writer to choose a famous figure whose biography or autobiography they have enjoyed. After doing this is is a series of easy steps to create a template.
Step One
Whether an old favourite or a new find skim read the book of choice Write each of the major events as a title on a clean sheet of paper. Use a new page for each title Under each title write the minor events which link each major event to the next Was there a theme running through the book? If so make a note of that too
Step Two
Try to link the major and minor events to your own life. Rewrite a notable battle as your divorce, rewrite a major political triumph as the day you began a new career, rewrite a public sex scandal shaming as the day after you embarrassed yourself at an office party. Write your life fitting under each title and covering the minor themes
Step Three
Begin writing from scratch now with a good base to start from and guide to how the autobiography will read. Try to keep some of the color and feel of the book used as a template Once finished reread to check it does not feel like an unbelievable patchwork of events.
So why bother using someone else's book as a template? This is not a method for everyone but if you are struggling to structure an autobiography it is a good way to get focused. One benefit is that the book can be as exciting or mundane as the you choose, dependant upon whose biography/ autobiography you choose for a template. Another is that the book being used as a template is already tried and tested and judged as successful enough to reach publication. A final benefit is that if you long to write your autobiography but are scared that your life is just too boring for anyone to want to read about this method can help make even the most mundane struggles seem interesting.
A Final Warning About Plagiarism!
Make sure that the final product is in no way copied from the original work used as a template. This is a method to help create a structured and new approach to writing not a legitimate way to steal someone else's work.
Chapter Eight - School Project: Autobiography
So your child has been tasked with writing an autobiography or family tree for school and you don’t know where to start. Worry not because here is a guide on how to help your child write an autobiography or do a family tree project for school.
Most parents will at some time have an exercise book slapped in front of them by a perplexed looking child who has just been given the school assignment to create an autobiography or family tree. A family tree is quite easy but to add an autobiography to it will often be a little more difficult. Here are some ideas to help based on the two most likely school subjects which often set an autobiography project.
History Class
To decide how to write the autobiography the biggest guide is the subject it is set for. When set as a history project the emphasis will usually be around dates so try to include the following ideas:
•A chronological account of when and where family members were born and died. If for an older child make the family tree a bit more complex by adding in occupations, dates of marriage and one interesting fact per person. Try to go a few generations back. Represent the family tree in the typical flow chart style. If for a younger child the usual list of siblings, parents and grandparents will suffice. Perhaps with the addition of the child's pet or favorite toy. For the younger child a picture of a tree with branches or roots used as adjoining lines is usually a favorite.
•The rest of the project should then be in a story or essay style. For the older child stick with an essay format. For the younger child maybe try a “Once upon a time...” style.
•As this is for a history class try to include historical facts, especially for the older child. If a grandparent or parent fought in a war or battle mention this with a brief explanation of the political climate or cause of the war. If a parent was a hippy in their youth include a couple of sentences on what hippy's were and the music and fashion of the time.
•Add a few fun facts such as the first member of the family to get a telephone or television.
•As a large part of history class emphasizes research, primary and secondary sources of evidence try to add a final page on sources used (but keep it at the appropriate level for the child) e.g. “For this project I looked at birth and death certificates and some newspaper clippings.”
•As the subject is history the emphasis should be on the past so for the older child put a lot in about previous generations all leading up to the final section about the child. For the younger child create most of the autobiography around them with the other relatives as just elements in their own story. After all what young child doesn't think they are the centre of the universe?
English Class
The emphasis in an English class set project will be on story-telling rather than historical fact. The above tips can still be used however some of the below will help to direct the project in the correct way:
•Try to have a beginning e.g. “Once upon a time/ My name is/ I was born on/ It was a rainy day the day my grandfather was born/ My grandmother was born in the last months of World War II....”
•Have a middle covering all of the family things and the life of the child
•Have an ending which ties all of the family together and is based primarily on the child e.g. “I am now 6 years old and live with my mother and father and my little brother. We see my grandmother every Sunday. I have a tree house in my Uncle's garden and after I have spent the day playing in it my Aunt always takes me out for my favorite ice cream.”
•In the case of an older child the ending can be more insightful e.g. “As I write this and am looking forward to playing football with my dad this evening I can't help but wonder if that is what he did with his dad (my grandpa) when he was young” or “My favorite subject at school is now Social Studies and thanks to my great grandmother and the other suffragettes perhaps one day I will be able to be the President.
What Extras To Add
To make it an interesting project, try to add some extras such as;
•Photos
•Newspaper clippings
•Birthday cards
•First drawings
•First bootees
Chapter Nine - Choose a Biography Subject
When choosing a biography subject the choice should be made with a clear head. The writer should choose their subject as if choosing a soul mate to marry. Some writers know that they would like to write a biography but have no-one in particular they plan to write about. So where is the best place to start to decide who would be a good subject?
To Love Honor and Obey
When writing about a person the you will need to honor your promise that the person's life will be documented accurately and love at least some of the process as you do this. This can be difficult if the subject of the biography is an often demonized figure such as a murderer.
The way to deal with this is to realize the difference between loving the person and loving the quest for knowledge. It can also help the writing process if you can find some compassion or empathy for the character by first reading about who the person was as a young child.
In Sickness and In Health
Your health should be considered when choosing a subject. If you are suffering from ill health you have to consider how much energy you can commit to the book and let that influence who you write about. The life of a long dead English king will require a lot more research than the life of a young and current pop star.
For Richer or Poorer
You need to be honest in your intentions. If your aim is to document an interesting life whilst keeping artistic integrity then you may remain a starving writer. If your aim is to earn money then you may need to choose a more popular or contentious figure. Alternatively you could check out the curriculum of local college or university courses and see who they study. A book on one of the lesser documented figures covered in a popular course could be a big success.
Till Death Do Us Part
You should remember this vow on two levels. The first is the actual death of the subject. If they are already dead then the book needs to cover their life all the way to their death even if their later years were less than interesting. The second death is a metaphorical one. A biography can be a long and drawn out project and you need to keep a sense of momentum to the very end. This is a commitment entered into for the long run.
Any Objections to This Union?
Before you begin the long process of researching a person, a brief check as to whether there would be any legal objections should be done. For most historical figures there will not be any problems but for the majority of people who are still alive it is worth checking out whether there is any legislation, copyright or previous civil law suit which would prevent a writer publishing a biography about them.
So good luck and may yours be a marriage made in paradise.
Chapter Ten - Biographies - Death of a Subject
There are many different ways to die and just as many ways to write about a death. Here we look at some different options to consider when writing the death of a subject. Due to their very nature, an inevitable part of all biographies is a death scene. Death is the ultimate conclusion to the subject's personal life but need not necessarily be the conclusion of the book. Here are some options as to how and where the death of the subject should be placed.
The Final Chapter
The most obvious choice is to place a death at the very end of a book. However as the subject of a biography will usually be an interesting or important character there will often be social or political changes or consequences in the wake of their death. This is the reason that many biographies do not actually end with the death scene.
The subjects which work best with a last chapter death scene are those outside of the popular eye either due to their reclusive nature or the times they lived in for example pre 20th Century authors such as Jane Austen whose death can easily be followed by a one paragraph concluding thought. Subjects who are not suitable for this style of ending are those such as Malcolm X whose death created social and political instability or John F. Kennedy whose death led to a hunt for his killer and various conspiracy theories.
The Three Quarter Death
For figures whose death had an immediate or lasting impact upon the world or whose life began a chain of socially important events the perfect place to write the death scene is about three quarters through the book. This leaves a final quarter in which to establish why the subject's life or death was so important and how it impacted upon the future.
A perfect example would be Princess Diana whose death changed the course and public opinion of the British monarchy and of which conspiracy theories are still ongoing.
To Die at the Beginning
For a little used twist why not put the death in the first chapter? This is a great method if writing about someone who lived a long life and died a natural death which caused no ripples in society. It is also a great way to get a reader to connect with a subject who has not appeared in hundreds of history books or magazines.
By writing a full first chapter around the death of the subject the reader becomes emotionally invested right from the start and as a result wants to read through to the end. It is an approach which says “this is a real person who died a real death leaving family behind. Now you have shared the most intimate event in their life, don't you want to know what came before?”.
A Factual or an Emotional Death
This is completely the decision of the author and depends entirely upon how they want the reader to connect with the subject.
A factual, objective death scene is best used:
•If the book is of an academic nature
•If you want the reader to see the subject as inhuman e.g. a serial killer
•If the subject is from far back in history and little is known of their family, loved ones or death
An emotional death scene is best used:
•If the subject led an emotionally charged life
•If you want the reader to connect with the subject on a personal level
•If you want the readers to see the subject as a real person instead of a media caricature or demonized figure
•If the you want to successfully portray a long dead historical figure as a once living, breathing and feeling person
Chapter Eleven - Memoir Blogs
For a modern and stress free way to create a memoir or autobiography, a blog is an easy (and free) tool to use. To sit down and set your mind to work on writing a full length book is a mammoth task. A slightly less over-facing task is to write a daily diary in the form of a blog.
Why Write a Memoir as a Blog?
Once you have created a blog most providers will give you the choice of either making it viewable by the world or kept private.
If you plan to include names, places and other personal details then you should opt to keep it private. You can choose to be the only person with access to view it or can invite other friends or family to view and contribute too. If kept private in this way then the world at large will not be able to view the blog.
On the face of it to write a blog then keep it private seems illogical however the benefits of using a blog to write a memoir do not rely on the world seeing what has been written.
There are several main benefits of writing a memoir by blogging. It is easier and more fun to write short diary style entries each day than to sit down and write three chapters of a memoir once a week. The chatty style of a blog encourages a less forced and more natural style of writing. You can also invite other members of the family to write on the blog to create a family memoir By using services such as “Blog Book” the blog can quickly and easily be transformed into a paperback or hardback book complete with pictures to give to people as a gift
How To Write a Memoir Blog
Writing a memoir blog best fits a diary, stream of consciousness style of writing. The entries are listed chronologically with the latest entry at the top of the home page. Entries can also be put into categories.
When writing a memoir blog you may want to:
•Invite friends or family to join in with their own memories about the memoir subject or even their own life stories
•Include not only your own life events but also snippets of what is happening in the world each day
•Add photographs
•Write whenever you want to. The memoir blog will just grow gradually so there is no pressure to write every single day just as there is no rule saying to only do one entry per day
•Write wherever you want. As the blog is on the internet it can be populated from any internet ready computer in the world.
•Use categories such as “School Stories”, “Stories about Dad”, “Hopes for the future”, ”Love”. This will not change the order which the blog entries appear in but it will enable people to just read about one category or person
•Publish the blog as a book for someone's birthday present
How To Create a Blog
For the blogging virgin this may seem a scary proposition but creating a blog is both quick and easy. For the serious blogger who also wants a very specific website address then there are many paid options. For the beginner or for someone wanting to blog for personal rather than commercial reasons one of the many free service providers is more suitable. The best way to decide is to Google the words “free blog”.
Chapter Twelve - Career Biographies
Biographies are not just the stories of someone else's life. They can also be used in a career when a CV just isn't enough. Career Biographies serve both as a more personal Curriculum Vitae or as a profile of an employee, for example on a company website. Despite the name they are most often written by the subject themselves so are perhaps better described as an autobiography. The term biography is most often used because the profile will be written in third person and can be written by the subject or by someone else.
Who Should Write a Career Biography?
A Career Biography is a more interesting, reader friendly way for a job seeker to present themselves to a company, especially if you have a lot of impressive achievements which read less impressive in a CV style. At the other end of the scale it can be a good tool to use for anyone with little recent work history which, if written in a CV, would look unimpressive. People who would benefit from a Career Biography are:
•Anyone struggling to decide what they want to do or unsure about what they have to offer
•Anyone wanting to create an internet presence or get work via the internet
•Anyone with an impressive portfolio which would seem long winded in normal CV form
•Anyone who has been out of work for a while but has been keeping busy with other things e.g. a student, stay at home mom, someone who has been doing charity work or travelling or a home husband.
•All freelancers. This provides a good opportunity to outdo the big businesses by showing potential clients a personal profile of the person they will be hiring
•Freelance writers – an excellent opportunity to demonstrate those writing skills!
•Anyone wanting to prove their credibility in their field in a memorable way
How To Write a Career Biography
To write a punchy and memorable Career Biography make every word and sentence count. To maintain a biography style rather than a CV style don't use bullet points or numbers.
For shorter Career Biographies intended for on-line or brochure publication avoid headings and subheadings and try to limit it to 400 words. Where a subheading would usually be used just begin a new paragraph instead.
For longer Career Biographies created to submit with job applications go up to 1000 words and use two to three subheadings. Be sure to include an application form or traditional CV if it has been requested in a job advert.
Career Biographies can be written using these prompts:
One to two sentences of introduction including the subject's level of education and main previous employment history and future goals (keeping it brief).
A paragraph on the purpose of the biography e.g. Looking for a career change, looking to move up the ladder, returning to work. Then go on to say what the subject is currently doing within their work life and what experience or skills this has equipped them with.
A paragraph or two on various previous work and training along with what the subject's strengths are. Next the immediate and then future goals and aims of the subject within their working life. This is the place to put any impressive or outstanding accomplishments
A final paragraph with the subject's unique selling points and personal philosophy in a working environment.
Chapter Thirteen - Alphabetical Autobiographies: Lesson Plan for Writing Autobiographies and Memoirs
When setting a school project to write an autobiography this lesson plan both provides prompts and makes a sometimes dry task into a fun one.
This lesson plan can be adapted to use with any age as it is both fun enough to keep younger children interested and practical enough for high school learners to benefit. For the very young learner (age 6 – 8) it is a useful tool to also prompt them to think about the alphabet and what letters words begin with.
How Does an Alphabet Autobiography Work?
Each of the twenty six letters must be used in sequence to create the autobiography. The autobiography can be one page, twenty six paragraphs or twenty six pages depending upon the size of the project and the age of the student.
The letters are used to inspire memories to add to the autobiography.
Tips for success:
•Decide in advance what word count and format to set for the students
•Decide whether to set the project as an autobiography (their whole life) or a memoir (can be about a more specific period of their life)
•Allow the X word to be a word containing x not necessarily just those which begin with x
•Suggest that the students first think of a word for each letter and then once this is done begin to fill in the blanks
A Short Example of an Alphabetical Autobiography
Here is a fictional and very brief example of how an Alphabetical Autobiography could read.
My Aunt Eliza died on the day I was born. I was born in Canada in the December of 1978. When I was eleven we moved to France to be nearer to my Grandmother, Helena. When I was eighteen I enrolled at the Institute de Jaquard where my best friend, Kate, and I studied Life Drawing and Museum Studies. It was here that I met my future husband who was posing as one of our nude models. From the moment we met we felt a connection and by October of the following year my husband to be had proposed and shortly after Quentin and I were married. Robert, our first son, was born just eleven months later and two years after that saw the birth of our second son Sam. Two children felt like just the right size for our family. Until I had my boys I just didn't know what unconditional love was. When the boys were at high school my Aunt Victoria died (yes those elderly Aunts dropped like flies!). We inherited her house which prompted the family move to Wisconsin. The boys were not as excited as Quentin and I as they thought they would miss their friends but the lake near to our new house inspired their daydreams of yachting. We have lived in our Wisconsin dream house for five years now. With a house containing two adults, two teenage boys and a veritable zoo of pets, life is never quiet.
Reference:
With many thanks to Allison Anderson. Mother, teacher and creator of the original lesson plan which inspired this article.
Chapter Fourteen - Historical Period Inspiration
Suggestions on Biography Subjects From Interesting Eras
In European and American history there are many interesting periods which could set the scene for a biography.
When deciding to write a biography and struggling with the plethora of famous people that could be the subject a good way to narrow down the selection is to first choose an inspirational period.
Here are some inspirational periods and some characters from that time who could be the subject of your next biography.
Renaissance Period
The European Renaissance period was from 1350 – 1550 AD. It was an interesting period for art and science and bridged the gap between the Medieval Era and the modern world. The developments in science also brought about great religious concerns as the Church and science began to contradict each other.
Some personalities from this period who could inspire a biography are:
•Galileo Galilei
•Nicolaus Copernicus
•Nicolo Machiavelli
•William Shakespeare
•Marco Polo
•Pieter Brugel the Elder
•Titian
•Queen Elizabeth I
Colonial Period
The American Colonial Period was from 1607 – 1776 and was the time in American history when Europeans first set up permanent settlements on the North American continent. Some personalities from this period are:
•Benjamin Franklin
•Patrick Henry
•Samuel Adams
•John Hancock
•Pocahontas
1920s
Flappers, jazz music and prohibition. A daring time with some interesting figures:
•Bessie Smith
•Duke Ellington
•Al Capone
•Henry Ford
•Ernest Hemingway
•F. Scott Fitzgerald
•Charlie Chaplin
•Al Jolson
1960s
The 1960s saw a wealth of icons in the entertainment industry and a wealth of heroes and villains in the political arena. With exciting times including the hippy revolution, daring times in the line of fashion and revolutionary times in the world of music and cultural figures there is a biography subject for everyone in the swinging sixties:
•John F Kennedy
•Maria Callas
•Che Guevara
•Marilyn Monroe
•Andy Warhol
•Miles Davis
•Martin Luthur King
•John Lennon
•Mary Quant
•Twiggy
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was a period when the world was ruled by Rome. A time of religion and war there are legions of subjects to write about. Warning! Tackling any subject in this period will necessitate a lot of research in order to understand all of the political and cultural background of the time.
Some possible subjects are:
•Emperor Claudius
•Emperor Caligula
•Queen Boudica
•Queen Cleopatra
•Emperor Caeser
•Hannibal
20th Century
It is not just the distant past that provides interesting personalities to look at. Try looking a bit closer to our modern world for some world changing characters:
•Tim Berners-Lee – father of the Internet
•Xavier Roberts – inventor of the Cabbage Patch Kids
•Ruth Handler – creator of the Barbie Doll
•Bill Gates
•Nelson Mandela
•J.K. Rowling
•Steven Speilberg
•Marie Curie
Which Period To Choose?
When deciding which period to choose first think through which period you enjoy. Does the 1940s inspire your dress sense? Do you love to watch movies about the Tudors? Have you always wanted to learn about Ancient Egypt? By choosing a period which you find interesting you can reduce the risk of boredom when you begin your research.
Another way to narrow down the periods which may interest you is to decide on a country for which you have an affinity then choose an era which was interesting in that country.
Once you have selected the period to concentrate on don't jump straight in and choose a famous person to write about. Those people have probably already been the subject of many biographies. Instead do some research and you may just come up with a less famous but far more interesting character to write about.
Chapter Fifteen - Changing Points Of View in Autobiographies
For any writer who suffers from the seven chapter itch, having a basic but drastic change happen mid book can have brilliant results.
Many writers get writer's block or become bored part way through their book. This is true of all genres, even autobiographies. After seven chapters of rattling on about your own life it can begin to seem pointless or self obsessed. Changing the point of view from which the autobiography is written can help to avoid this slump.
One Mid Story Change
Perhaps the simplest way to do this, especially for writers wanting to stay true to the traditional autobiography style, is to have one temporary change mid story.
The writer should wait until a point in the autobiography where another person plays a large part then, starting a new chapter, switch to that person's point of view. Alternatively they could choose someone who was on the edge of the writer's life at a specific time.
Possible situations and people to choose;
The bride on the run up to the male writer's wedding
The grandmother on the birth of the writer's first child (a good point for the grandmother to tell her side of the story possibly already told in chapter 1 of the birth of the writer)
The school counselor during the divorce of the writer's parents
The writer's brother or sister during an estrangement
Several Changes Throughout
If a daring writer looking for a different approach tries the mid story point of view change and enjoys it they could try to have regular changes throughout the book. Picking up from the above suggestions the book of a female autobiographer could read like this:
•The writer's birth as told by their mother.
•Switch to the writer's point of view for their early school years perhaps with a short paragraph from their mother's point of view on their first day of school and one story by their primary school teacher.
•The teenage years as told by the school counselor, the best friend and the writer.
•The meeting of the husband to be as told by the writer.
•The engagement and run up as told by the husband to be.
•The wedding day as told by the writer's father.
•The birth of the first child as told by the writer and the grandmother
•The death of a grandparent as told by the writer and the grandparent's son/ daughter
And so on!
Pros of Changing Point Of Views
The main pro of changing points of view is that it makes for a far more interesting story. It reminds the writer and reader that their lives aren't lived in isolation. It also serves as a good way to highlight the 'circle of life' – that people's lives are linked to and sometimes dramatically similar to their parents and grandparents before them.
Cons of Changing Points of View
The most obvious con is that in writing this way the writer can begin to weave a confusing story and appear like they are just trying to be too clever and wacky. Something which turns many readers and critics off instantly. The other main con is that it is not the typical autobiography format. The point of an autobiography is that it is a factual story of the writer's life. Writing from other people's point of view risks turning an autobiography into a semi-fictional book. How to tackle this? Well the obvious way is to actually interview the people concerned so as to get an accurate and truthful story.
The Unchangeable Con
The con which the writer can do nothing about is that there will be many autobiography purists out there who dislike a book in this style being labeled an autobiography. If a writer really takes to this style, however, then they should not let this put them off. They just need to be prepared to sell, sell, sell in order to get a literary agent or publisher then let the marketing department do the rest.
Chapter Sixteen - Honesty and Ethics in Writing Non-Fiction
How to Keep a Clear Conscience and Avoid a Law Suit
Honesty and ethics are essential elements in non-fiction writing and never more so than in the memoir, autobiography and biography genres.
All writers about to attempt a memoir, autobiography or biography must first sit down and do a little soul searching. The questions the author must ask themselves are those of honesty and ethics.
Although most elements differ for each genre, honesty and ethics are concerns which must be considered in both.
Honesty and Ethics in Memoirs and Autobiographies
In both of these genres the main thing for a writer to contemplate upon is honesty. The thing implicitly promised to the reader of an autobiography or memoir is the truth (although a recent surge in fake memoirs has been seen). These forms of writing are the true story of someone's life or a part of their life. If not offering the truth then the book would really sit in the fiction genre.
The question the writer needs to ask themselves is “Can I really be honest?”. Not an easy quest. To be honest with the reader the writer needs to be honest with themselves. In the case of an autobiography this may mean consciously realising for the first time the unpleasant characteristics of a loved one or taking accountability for times when life has not gone well. For the memoir writer this can be a drastically more difficult task. The very bones of a memoir are usually the raw emotions of a specific period in a writer's life. Emotions that sometimes may not have been confronted before. For the truly successful memoir writer these emotions, however unpleasant, cannot be shied away from. Honesty in a memoir writer is essential despite the sometimes terrifying prospect of digging up the past.
So what about ethics? Well in any memoir or autobiography there will rarely be just the one character. The writer will have parents, grandparents, siblings, children, friends or lovers. The writer owes it to them to protect them even when being honest.
The memoir could become very public as could the people within it. If the writer is about to out a relative as being gay or accuse a friend of an affair then they would be advised to stop and think about the consequences in their relationships. If even hinting at someone having committed a crime then the law may also be a consideration. It may be a great twist in the story that your mother is in love with her brother in law but is it worth ruining your parent's marriage for?
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