The Ins and Outs of Penning a Memoir for Self Publication

Chances are you’re aware of the ease with which one can self-publish a book nowadays. Self-publishing has overtaken (and overrun) traditional publishing, with the Toronto Star declaring that 2013 was “the year of self-publishing”, with hundreds of thousands of books estimated to have been self-published in Canada (with just 35 million people) last year alone. That dwarfed the traditional market by a factor of 5 or more.

Many writers have been spurred on by the overwhelming self-publishing success of E.L James and her Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy, which has surpassed 100 million in sales according to NPR. The erotic trilogy is far from the only self-published work finding prominent sales success though; the self-published memoir Hippie Boy landed on the New York Times e-book bestseller list last year, as did several other self-published efforts.

While gargantuan sales and global recognition are wonderful, they are not the driving catalysts behind the creative steam pouring out of the ears of most writers or aspiring writers. For aspiring writers in particular, the sheer certainty that they can get their work published one way or another is a game changer.

Writers were often inhibited by their own fears of failure, and by the knowledge of the minuscule chances they would have of finding a traditional publisher for their work. While the actual process of marketing a self-published book and drawing attention to it is still challenging in a market loaded with competition, it’s a profoundly encouraging and motivating thing to know that you will get your book published no matter what.

Putting digits to keys (or pen to paper if you’re really old-school)

While fiction writing is popular, not everyone has the capacity to churn out a riveting tale borne largely from the imagination. However, writing a personal memoir of one’s experiences is something that just about anyone can do, and which many people naturally feel inclined to do. This is where self-publishing has proven of immense value to so many.

We all have our own personal story to tell, of the hardships, triumphs, laughs, and embarrassments that we experienced on our life’s journey which molded us into the person we are today. Condensing our life into a book is no easy feat though, and takes forethought and planning.

You’ll need to determine the overall tone or theme of your memoir, and then figure out what events will be included in it that will express that. As Thewritepractice.com explains, you need to focus first and foremost on interesting aspects that enhance your overall theme. Focus not on cramming as many standalone details and moments into your memoir as you can, but rather focus and expand on the key moments.

Readers will be fascinated with experiences which they are unlikely to have, and battles with demons they may or may not have to fight during their lifetime. Substance abuse is highly engaging for this reason, as people are inevitably drawn to stories of those who have been derailed in their dreams by addiction, and the heartbreaking consequences that can ensue as a result. As Drugtreatment.com says, drug addiction can lead to lying, stealing from loved ones, abandonment of one’s children and participation in illegal activities to support their habit. Likewise, the intense battle to overcome those addictions and break free makes for riveting and very profound reading.

Bare your soul

Regardless of your theme or story, it’s important to be open and honest. If you aren’t ready to bare your soul to an audience of strangers, and perhaps even dig deep to uncover truths about yourself you didn’t even know, then writing a memoir may not be for you; at least not yet. Likewise, honesty should be a top priority. It may be tempting to want to fictionalize small details of your story to make them more interesting or achieve some other desired result, but that’s going against the faith the reader is putting in you to become invested in your story. They want to read someone’s personal experiences and get a picture of them as a person and of their life; they don’t want to read fiction. Again, if you’re not ready to completely honest, you may not be ready to write a memoir.

Writing a memoir is no easy task; not in the recollecting, not in the soul searching, and not in the writing itself. It takes a lot of dedication and effort to reach the point where you can write “the end”. As Writeyourbookinsixmonths.com says, you’ll need consistency in your writing habits, have a set of goals that you can push yourself to reach, and the patience and fortitude to get your story out.

Do that, and you’ll be the newest proud author of a self-published book; with the potential rewards and accolades that come along with the satisfaction and sense of fulfillment.