How ‘myself’ can I be in my memoir or life story?

Kia ora fellow writer,

How are things coming along this week?

I love it when people ask me questions and last week a farmer called me asked me ‘will you need to write it all proper and formal? There’s a lot of humour in my family and we do swear sometimes.’

Great question. Here’s what I said, and I thought I’d share it with you too.

Be yourself in your memoir. Communicate in the way you feel most comfortable. If you want to swear, go for it!

What we want is to feel like we’re in the room with you, when we read your book. The last thing we want it to feel like a stranger wrote it, someone who speaks in a totally different way than you.

Humour is great. Spread it liberally throughout your story.

Be honest about your feelings as you speak – it makes it easier to connect with your story.

Write it as if you’re at the kitchen table sharing a story with someone you trust, face to face.

Back your story with a rough frame work, a plan, and try to be accurate, that’ll help people understand where you’re going with your story, and trust what you’re saying.

And around that, be yourself, because that’s why they’ll read your story, to connect with you.

Write on,

Charlotte x

PS for those who haven’t yet enrolled, my year long memoir programme (an encouraging road map to help you write your first memoir, packed full of over 40 lessons that I’ve personally learned during my 20 plus years of writing) is on special for a 20% discount until April 3rd. And to those who join, I’ll also read the first chapter of your story and give you my honest feedback on what I think’s working, and what you might like to consider changing. Learn about the programme here. 

Write your memoir in one year – the programme for every day people with stories to share

Find out more about my work teaching beginners to write their memoirs, life stories and histories here:

http://www.charlottesquire.co.nz

Sign up here to watch Beginner’s Guide to Writing Your Memoir, the free workshop enjoyed by hundreds of people across Aotearoa New Zealand who are now writing their memoirs! Go from overwhelm to an exciting plan in less than 20 minutes.