Back to Basics: Writing & Publishing Memoir

It can be very difficult to sell a memoir when you're
not famous. Without
a celebrity's fan base, or a loyal and captive audience, then you
need to write like a master, or have such a fantastical story that no one
can divert their attention from it!

The other question that often arises with memoir is: How true does it have to be? That may sound like a funny question, but it's a valid one.

Below you'll find links to the most useful advice I've seen (or offered) in the past couple years on writing and publishing memoir.

OR: If you prefer to have someone present material to you in a focused and interactive format, then I highly recommend How to Write a Marketable Memoir presented by Paula Balzer. This online event is apart of Writer's Digest's free writing webinar series.

From Writer's Digest magazine

The Key Elements of Writing a Good Memoir (July/August 2010), on story arc

A Hook for Every Book (July/August 2010), by agent Paula Balzer on finding a salable hook for your memoir

Do Memoirs Have to Be True? (July/August 2010)

Full Disclosure by Laurie Rosin (July/August 2010), on why you shouldn't gloss over the tough stuff when writing your memoir (look on right-hand side of site for link to article)

My own advice at NO RULES

Your No. 1 Challenge If You’re Writing a Memoir

Guest posts at NO RULES

My favorite agent & editor advice on memoir

Agent Rachelle Gardner on writing memoir [similar to above, but different angle]

My favorite book on personal stories & memoir

What are your favorite articles, blog posts, or books that specifically address memoir writing? Share in the comments! I'd love to find more resources. In my mind, this is a topic that's not covered often enough.

Photo credit: godutchbaby