Why Write a Memoir?

The simple answer is – because you have a story to tell.

It might be the story of your life, or a part of your life, perhaps a particularly important, time or experience. Or it might be the story of a member of your family, someone whose life you want to record and pass on. Committing the story to print is empowering and exciting.

A Personal Memoir

A memoir is a lasting reminder for you and a valuable legacy to pass on as part of your family history, for your children, your grandchildren, your family and your friends. Putting the story together and remembering events can be great fun to do, and hugely rewarding too. Sometimes couples or family members choose to tell their story together. Adding photographs, letters, documents or illustrations can make it even more special. Paul recorded the story of his father, a pioneering doctor; Jim recorded his experiences of building a family business. Amber wrote her father’s story to give him as a 70^th birthday present and Jane did the same for both her parents, weaving their stories together into a family memoir.

Family History

Everyone is fascinated by the history of their family. Where family members lived, what they did, what their relationships were and their circumstances. Some families have roots deep in one area, some have uprooted from one continent to another and others seem to have been scattered across the world. Some families have been involved in world events and others have lived lives that reflected their times.
To create a memoir in your lifetime is a valuable contribution to the history of your family, something that family members, and generations to come, will treasure.

A Memoir for Publication

While some people simply want a personal record, others feel they have a story to tell that deserves a wider audience. Publishers have always looked for interesting and original memoirs; many have become best-sellers. A few years ago I worked on the memoir of a young Romany man; it became Gypsy Boy and was a best-seller. Then there was the memoir of Jenny Tomlin, mother of actress Martine McCutcheon, her account of her tough East End

childhood, Behind Closed Doors, became a huge success. Or take the story of the couple who moved to Italy and found the small dog who had waited patiently in an empty house for two years after his owner died. Lawrence and Louise bought the house, adopted Todo and wrote Todo: The Dog at the Villa, a funny and touching tribute to an amazing pet.

Don’t Wait

If you’ve been thinking about a memoir, the story rattling about at the back of your mind, never quite getting around to it, then why not get in touch with one of our ghostwriters and start making it a reality.

Caro Handley is a bestselling writer and editor and offers a variety of services to publishers, authors and potential authors, including autobiographies, personal memoirs and self-help books.

www.carohandley.com