I ghostwrite three types of nonfiction books: Memoirs, business books, and expository essays. Of these, people most often contact me wanting help writing a memoir.
This doesn’t surprise me. Memoirs are among the most popular adult nonfiction books. On Amazon alone, there are more than 30,500 memoir titles. What used to be reserved for famous people has given way to anyone with a compelling story. I recently checked Amazon’s top 100 memoir titles and recognized 48 celebrity authors. That means a little more than half are regular people with great stories. They obviously have successfully reached people who want to understand more about the human experience, find inspiration and connect with personal adventures, events, and occurrences.
When people approach me to help them with their memoirs, I’m looking for the following parts that comprise a memoir:
1. Focus/Theme — Every once in a while, people tell me they want to write an autobiography. I usually tell them that nobody’s complete life is that interesting, and it’s better to focus on a specific period, event, or theme in the author’s life. That’s what a memoir is. Those stories associated with that time, event, or theme provide a narrative thread that connects everything in the memoir. They also should be more emotional and reflective.
A common memoir theme is when the author wants to tell a story around an overarching subject, such as “strategies and concepts for successfully navigating through life’s difficulties.” In this case, the author would have lists of strategies and concepts he or she wants to include, the specific difficult times in life to cover, and the stories that fit.
2. Emotional Journey — Memoirs are driven by emotional beats and shifts, which are triggered by specific events and experiences. These events and experiences need to be true, related to a theme, told in the author’s voice (helped by a ghostwriter if needed), and told while the author looks back on the events and experiences. The author’s emotional journey—that is, what was so important or significant about these events and experiences—is what connects with the reader and makes the story relatable.
Nearly dying from a heart ailment, surviving marriage to a psychopath, and living through the Holocaust in France are examples I’ve worked on that were very emotional and relatable. They included vivid descriptions, dialogue, and character development.
3. First-Person Perspective — Memoirs are told from the author’s point of view, using first-pronouns such as “I,” “me,” and “my.” This creates an intimate and personal narrative.
4. Honesty and Truth — Memoirs should be truthful and honest, reflecting the author’s experiences and emotions accurately. Readers appreciate the vulnerability and authenticity of a memoir.
I should mention that almost no memoir is completely true because human memories are faulty and inconsistent. For example, an author will tell me the same story twice and slightly change a quote here or there. Which quote is the most accurate? I don’t know, and I don’t think the author remembers, either. But the reader expects to be reading a truthful representation of the author’s actual experiences, so the author had better not be inventing details.
5. Voice — The author’s unique writing style and voice are crucial in making the memoir feel personal and engaging. Voice encompasses the author’s perspective, tone, and style.
6. Memory and Musing — Memoirs rely on the author’s memories and reflections to bring the past to life. The author uses these reflections to explore the deeper meaning and significance of past events. The nonprofit Poynter Institute said a memoir represents a “higher truth—reality as it is experienced, not as it is documented.”
7. Storytelling — Memoirs use storytelling techniques, such as plot, character development, setting, and dialogue, to create a compelling narrative. They should have a beginning, middle, and end. They should have a hook that sends the tory on its way, builds tension or conflict, and resolves itself.
8. Structure — Memoirs can be structured in various ways, such as chronologically, thematically, or with a braided structure that interleaves different timelines or themes.
9. Conflict and Obstacles — Memoirs often explore the challenges and obstacles the author faced, which adds depth and complexity to the story.
10. Characters — Memoirs feature real people, including the author and others who played significant roles in his or her life.
If you would like to discuss this or any other post, feel free to leave a message. Just click on the Contact tab and use the provided form.
Let's Start A New Project Together
Contact me and we can explore how a ghostwriter or editor can benefit you.
