I have a strong belief, that everyone has a life story sitting dormant inside of them.
Yet, the reality of the matter is that many amazing or heart wrenching life stories will go untold or become lost forever. Indeed, there can be many genuine reasons why this occurs; and in honesty I've lost count of the number of times I've discussed the need to write a memoir with people, and then heard consistent responses such as “I want to write a memoir for my family, but don't seem to get around to it, plus I wouldn't know where to start...”
Similarly, most of the discussions that I've had in the past, tend to surface some consensus - in that, their stories of childhood, adolescence, early career life, travels, heartaches, achievements, etc. would make excellent storytelling and fascinate future family generations or others.
But, what really holds people back from taking that illusive first step?
Maybe your just one of the masses who wants to write a memoir - but, you simply just don't know where to start. Maybe, you've attempted to narrate some notes, then got frustrated or disheartened and gave up. Maybe, you simply don't think you'll have the time or you worry about the cost. Maybe, you feel that your not very good at writing, or you think your inner life story wouldn't be of much interest to others.
Hold some comfort in your mind, because you're not alone when you think this way. This is why I say 'Knowledge is Power' and the more knowledge you can gain about memoir writing, the more insight and confidence you can gain to make that illusive decision.
There are a number of valid reasons for wanting to write a memoir. For instance,
Similarly, you may have a strong inner desire just to pass on your story to your
children, grandchildren or even your great grandchildren - just because you want to. And, let's not ignore another reason. This being, that millions of memoirs have gone on to hit the global best seller list - which, is why I say;
Do not let your Life Memories Fade Away!
As I pointed out earlier, its not uncommon for people to lack the ability to write their memoir, and they worry about the time and cost or lack motivation. Indeed, the very thought of writing a memoir can be a harrowing experience to some and many fearful questions can often surface - What will my friends or family think of me if I tell the truth? Where do I find a writer who will show compassion and listen?
When it comes to memoirs, many people can be very apprehensive about sharing their life story, and this is understandable as many life stories have strong emotional attachments.
This, is why I strive to portray a high level of sensitivity, empathy and privacy in my dealings with prospective clients. Researching, writing and publishing an individual's life story is a high-end skill.
This is why you need a writer who is qualified, experienced, well-organized, and one whom effectively listens more than they speak.
Besides being a very spiritual and compassionate person - the task of memoir writing also dovetails well with my personality; as, I enjoy meeting interesting people who have an interesting life story to tell. I see memoir writing as a journey, where my ultimate aim is to connect with you in a shared space to form an early bond and a friendship.
Although, I have strong interviewing and meticulous research, writing and self-publishing skills - there also needs to be the 'right fit' or what I refer to as 'a meeting of minds'
before moving forward with any proposed memoir project. This is why I
offer a free one-hour consultation to ascertain whether a project is
good match for both parties.
As a well published author of 10 non-fiction books, I can offer prospects my high-end MBA qualified research, writing and book design skills and that means I can use my abilities to skillfully craft your life story into stunning and unique privately published book. Plus, I also have the added ability to manage the whole memoir writing process from start to finish - which means 'no outsourcing' to third parties.
Its important to be mindful that a memoir is not a bibliographical life story (e.g. a chronological life story). Memoir writing has a stronger focus upon surfacing a specific period of your life, to expressing a personal experience or a life changing event that you wish to share with others. Therefore, adopting the correct writing style is very important.
This means that I have to ensure any dialogue is captured exactly the way its portrayed and words are crafted so the book flows naturally into a moving or compelling story. In short - I strive to find 'your voice' so it can en-capture and convey a range of emotions (e.g. sadness, strength, or humor). Many memoir's are written in the 1st person (e.g. I, we, me, our, us) and this is where the skill come in, as my part
in narrating your story - is to unfold and structure the story as if it was written by yourself.
On the other hand - some life story memoirs may need to be narrated in a biography style format and written in the 3rd person (e.g. he, his, she, her, it).
In order for you to start to unfold your story and allow me to provide you with quality customer service - a project management process needs to be followed. Subsequently, I have a 5 stage memoir writing process which outlines how I normally work and collaborate with prospect memoir book clients.
Once, you make initial contact I will send you a some useful memoir writing resources and my 'Memoir Writing Collaboration and Pricing Guide' for your scrutiny.
Let's connect so you can express your interest in working with me.
Send me an email to arrange a free consultation about your life history project.
swhite.writer@gmail.com