Memoir Writing: The Inside Story of - Part I

According to Writer’s Digest July/August 2010 issue, there is a viable market for Memoir writing. However, Literary Agents do not want to read another story about “lovely you”. They want the same page turning suspense and interest compelling fiction has. Literary Agent Byrd Leavell of Waxman Literary Agency asks “Why would John Q. Bookbrowser spend $25 and commit hours of his life reading about you? Answer that question and your golden.”

One thing Memoir writing has in common with fiction and non-fiction is the Query letter or Book proposal. Do your homework and pay special attention to guidelines. Some agents want proposals while some want queries.

A Few Key Points about Memoirs

• Distinguish Hook from Theme
• Know where your book fits
• Break your story into Key pieces
• Never underestimate the power of the smallest memory

Below is an opening/introduction draft to my memoir. Does it peak your interest or does it leave you looking for something else? Any thoughts?

It was August in L.A. 1962 and Billy Graham’s crusade was at the Coliseum. Here was my chance to challenge…. no….dare God to save me. I took a taxi from the all-girl boarding house I had moved into a few weeks earlier. As the majority of the crowd squeezed for seats near the stage, I climbed the molded concrete stairs to the nose bleed section to smoke. Truth was I didn’t want to make it easy for God to find me and I did not want to get too close to the power of the Word. The top row was my fig leaf. Besides if God was there He would reach me no matter how high I sat. 

I defied Reverend Graham’s words to touch me with Truth. The invitation was given; I lit another cigarette. “Sinner, come home”, Beverly Shea sang. I watched hundreds move forward toward the stage. God made it to L.A. that August but I didn’t leave with Him. I turned aside, squashed my cigarette onto the stadium steps and with a military toe heel turn I entered the wide gate to destruction.

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.” Matthew 7:13


Come back Wednesday for Part II – Memoir Writing - Don’t Gloss Over the Tough Stuff.

Truth is Stranger than Fiction,
Carma

When Your In-laws Have the Keys to Your House

I was discussing schedules with a friend and she began to tell me what was going on the day of her daughter’s high school graduation party. In the course of the conversation, she mentioned that while she would be at her daughter’s graduation her in-laws would already be camped out in her house. I asked her what she meant.

Do you mean they have keys to your house? I asked.

Yes, for twenty-five years.

I don’t know about you but this is carrying family loyalty a little too far.

Two of my daughters have a key to my house to use in case of an emergency. For instance, if I was in a coma and they could not get permission to go into my house, then and only then would it be acceptable. My friend’s husband takes the saying “Mi Casa, Su Casa” very literally.

However, we all have in-laws with odd quirks. Maybe your family is a little mixed up but whose isn’t? The sooner we realize who our in-laws are, the sooner we can accept them and realize that they probably do not have a conspiracy against you.

Get to know your in-laws early on. If you can’t get direct answers from your spouse try searching the stars here.
Most in-laws want to get along as much as you do because they want their favorite child to be happy. In-laws are not your parents. They don’t abide by the same set of rules your parents do, so compromises may be in order for a while.

Write it down,

Carma

This Egg IS For You

Found on Flickr

You are familiar with Easter Egg hunts, right? How many of you have or do color hard boiled eggs with your children or grandchildren? Show of hands please. Ah ha! Just as I thought. You all are familiar with the ritual and I will tell you that the lesson you should learn about egg coloring with small children is usually learned in hindsight.

For instance, coloring eggs with my children when they were between the ages of 6 to 9 was not a favorite thing to do. The preferred solution for me would have been to buy plastic eggs and fill them with candy but that was more expensive. Also, what 4, 5, or 6 year old wants to eat hard boiled eggs? They will sit in your refrigerator evocative from last months Easter egg hunt, complete with twigs leaves and all and rot before you get a chance to use them in your lunches.

In reality, coloring eggs is not about coloring eggs at all. It is about family relationships. It is about that rare moment when your five or six year old looks up at you and says “Mommy (or Daddy), I’m going to color this egg for you”.

I was reminded of this special tradition today as my granddaughters, four and six, colored hard boiled eggs with me. I didn’t want to make a mess and I didn’t want to get out six cups filled with water while my little ones dipped eggs with the little wire holder that is sized for miniature chicken eggs. Ha! I didn’t want to watch them spill the colored water all over as they spooned the color over the egg. Right at that moment, my six year old granddaughter looked up at me and said, “Grandma, I’m making this egg for you.”

Four Legs And An Interview

I have learned that it is always wise to interview a potential client before you hire them. Anne Wayman over at The Golden Pencil commented on how to handle interviews with clients on March 19. I used Rocky's experience to demonstrate that this theory is good in all areas of our lives.

This is my dog Rocky. Legally his name is Rocky II and he is two years old. My husband and I adopted him from a rescue shelter when he was about four months old.

The shelter told us he was a cross between a Labrador Retriever and an Akita. I love the looks of an Akita and almost looked for one, but I settled for half of an Akita.

If you can see half of an Akita in that face then your eyes are better than mine. I must admit I have never had a Labrador Retriever either. Well, I have discovered that Rocky is neither one. There must have been a third party around when he was conceived.

As expected, Rocky immediately bonded with my husband and I and my toddler grandchildren. However, Rocky decided that his bonding duties ended with us. Rocky is afraid of people. It was evident that Rocky was in sore need of some type of training.

I interviewed a trainer from Bark Busters, a dog training franchise. The local franchise in our area advertised they employed an advanced training method which guaranteed the successful training of any breed of dog or they would give you a free session.

When the trainer arrived to demonstrate his advanced dog training method, I thought it was unusal that the trainer began to growl (explaining to me he was speaking Rocky's language). He threw a short piece of link chain on the floor near Rocky with a loud hacking, ack, ack, gutteral sound, akin to clearing your throat before you spit. I began to have second thoughts.

This interview wasn't going too well since Rocky had by that time retreated to his crate. After 30 minutes of coaxing and pleading, the trainer conceded that he and Rocky had obvioulsy got off on the wrong foot. Rocky had a definite advantage with four feet. The idea was for the trainer to leave the house and come back in to start all over.

The minute the trainer went out the door, I noticed his briefcase still sitting next to the chair directly in front of Rocky's crate. I was not the only one in the room who noticed this.

In comes the trainer. Rocky feels secure in his crate and the trainer feels secure in peering into the crate until the growl (Rocky's, not the trainer's). The trainer never did offer me a free training session. I guess he was too much in a hurry to leave.

I love Rocky and his four legs help keep me in shape when we walk to the park and I can feel confident that he will not try to attack anyone.

Is it your practice to interview potential clients? Or do you think they should interview you? I guess it works both ways.

(Disclaimer. I am sure Bark Busters is a fine business. It just was not a fit for me and Rocky)

Write it down,

Karma

Safeguard the Web for Chidren

Harmony at Writer in the Making, has tagged me for a worthy cause and I am happy to step up and join the fight for protecting our youth. I have entered a comment on the Blogger Power website.