Release date: December 6, 2011 | Series: The Complete Idiot's Guide
Writing a memoir is more than making a list of life's big moments. A good memoir tells a true story in the same way as a novel tells a fictional one. Therefore, memoirists must employ the same tactics as novelists to tell a unique personal story.
The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Writing a Memoir enables readers to learn to:
* Select a focus--the period of time or series of events on which to concentrate and explore the theme that arises from this pivotal time in their lives.
* Invoke and recreate essential pieces of conversations and scenes that took place long ago in order to accurately recreate them in a narrative with a beginning, middle and end.
* Hone their craft--plot, dialogue, setting, pacing, and point of view are the essential ingredients for writing a compelling memoir.
* Add a pinch of drama
* Write, re-write, edit and consider the possibility of publication
Through prompts, exercises and inspirational examples from published memoirists, this guide will help readers learn and refine their personal writing in order to create a memoir they'll wish to share with others.
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"Do I really need a whole book to tell me how to write about myself?" began Brian Feinblum of BookMarketingBuzzBlog in his review. "But then I realized the key is to write about yourself in ways others would find to be interesting and worthy of their attention. I found the chapter about truth telling most interesting."
From the Author
Like the labor and delivery of childbirth, writing our lives can be as challenging and painful as it is ultimately healing and rewarding. Nothing good ever came out of a small labor, but in this book I set out to make your efforts flow easier with information that demystifies all aspects of memoir writing--including content and craft.
There is also guidance on the "rules" for writing truth, and the business of publishing and marketing memoirs.
I hope you'll get your copy and then join me on my website to share progress, ideas and inspiration:
Victoria Costello is an Emmy Award winning author of six books published in psychology, mental wellness, parenting and memoir. She blogs on HuffingtonPost, Mamapedia, PsychCentral, All About Psychology, Tween Parent, DivineCaroline, and Yahoo Health & Wellness News.
She is also a consumer with lived experience in recovery from lifelong major depresssion. In her work as a mental health advocate, she is a board member of the Mental Health Association of San Francisco, a producer of strength based recovery training materials for care managers at S.F.'s Family Services Agency and a speaker for parents and care providers around the country.
After co-authoring four books with medical and psychological experts, Victoria has two of her own titles releasing in 2011-2012.
Using memoir and the latest findings from genetics, brain imaging and behavioral science she tells a far reaching, and yet intimate story that will resonate with anyone who has dealt with mental illness in the family in A Lethal Inheritance, A Mother Uncovers the Science Behind Three Generations of Mental Illness, coming from Prometheus Books on January 24, 2012.
Visit the book website at: http://alethalinheritance.com
Also this year, Alpha Books releases Costello's how to on writing a healing memoir. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Writing a Memoir goes on sale December 6, 2011.
Currently available books include the psychology primer she coauthored for parents and college students, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Child and Adolescent Psychology, written with child psychiatrist Dr. Jack Westman. Her Everything Parent's Guide to Children with OCD written with Stephen Martin, MFT, is a well established parental resource.
In addition to her publishing activities in the mental health field she has hands on experience as the Executive Director of a community mental health center in Santa Rosa, CA.
Speaking and workshops topics include: prevention of mental health disorders for parents and children, using the latest science to interpret your personal risk based on family mental health histories, building emotional resilience and positive communication in families, strength based recovery, and self healing through memoir writing.
I'm a bit of a snob when it comes to books. Anything that first insults my intelligence and then proceeds to teach me about something is not likely to end up on my bookshelf.
That said, I received a copy of this book to review, and who hasn't dreamed of writing a memoir or some type? I know I have, so I decided to see what it had to say.
What I found was a book that is great in helping you organize your ideas, pointing out what is important, what to leave out, and of course what to put in your story! It had pointers for how to handle dialogue. I know I enjoy well-written dialogue, but if it's not well written, I tend to skip over it. This is true not only for memoirs but for any book I read! There were suggestions on how to recreate a conversation that may have happened decades ago.
Of course there is basic writing tips such as plot and structure, as well as information on self-publishing, and even legal issues that can arise. (Thinking of writing a tell-all about your family? Might want to think again if they are still alive because it could be a lawsuit waiting to happen, but this book addresses the stickier issues you may not have considered.)
The quick prompts would be great for those who have less of an idea where they are going with their book. With the book I would like to write someday, I have it somewhat structured in my mind and they weren't as helpful to me. I did, however, find myself taking notes and jotting things down as they came to mind that I hope to add to my manuscript.
Overall, this is an excellent book and one I would recommend to anyone who is thinking of writing a memoir, even if it is just to give to your grandchildren!
FTC disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review.... In no way did that influence my opinion of the book.Read more ›
When I recently began thinking about writing my own life story, I thought certainly it would be a relatively straight forward project. Why not? I had all the credentials and experience to accomplish my mission. I had a solid liberal arts and journalism school education from a good public university and more than 25 years of experience working in the journalism profession during which I have published hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles covering a wide range of subjects.
But as I discovered from Victoria Castello's guide, writing a memoir is a different - and much more complex - process than writing news stories and magazine features. In a news or feature article, you tend to answer the questions: What is this and what about it? When writing a memoir, the writer goes a step further and answers a third question: So what? To answer this third question, and make your writing come alive, Castello explains that a memoirist has to incorporate a host of literary techniques into the narrative, such as voice, plot, character development, dialogue, scenes, and much more.
Castello does an admirable job of explaining these terms and how to incorporate them into your memoir. Her book has helped me make the transition from the short news story to book-length narrative through this very easy-to-follow guide that makes you think about both the big picture and the details. The book not only covers the writing process, but also delves into legal issues and how to get your memoir published. I recommend this book for anyone who is thinking about, or is in the process of, telling his or her own life story through a memoir or similar writing vehicle, regardless of whether you're a beginner or veteran journalist.
This book was extremely helpful in guiding me to the completion of my first memoir genre book. The author's seasoned, realistic approach to writing a memoir is second to none. Highly recommend it!
This book is a useful guide for someone wanting to write a memoir or an autobiography. It's not so much an idiot's guide but a thorough investigation of how to write either of these books or family stories. Lots of examples and many great ideas on how to start writing. Well worth buying.
The title made it appear generic. It was anything, but. The author had done her homework. it is a comprehensive treatment of the genre. i have several hundred books on writing in my library. Victoria's book is one of ten that i keep on my desk for immediate review. It's an invaluable resource.
Costello's guide to writing a memoir is an extremely well crafted, specific, nuts-and-bolts description of the elements required not only for a memoir but for most kinds of novels as well. It provides practical advice on how to approach such a project, and how to get through it, and how to have it reviewed in manuscript form by one's peers. And, beyond that, how to get it into print. Most such guides tend to be vague about important steps in the process. This one is comprehensively detailed. Even if you don't plan to write a memoir, you'll find it fascinating if you like to write.
This is a book that explains all the nuts and bolts of building a memoir-it is fantastic! I am in the middle of writing one, and am stuck in several area's-this has helped solve my sticking points and will help you too. it goes into great detail about the actual formats, the forms to take, as well as other writing issues. i can't praise it enough. it's just what i needed!
