Getting To The Heart Of Why You Are Writing A Memoir

I’ll let you into a secret, I have unpublished a short memoir that I wrote many years ago. The reason is that I want to restructure it so that it is more than a short collection of stories. I want to use it to support others who have lived a life where they have not felt worthy because of early childhood abuse.

At the time of writing it, I found it healing to get all of this stuff out and that is all the reason you need. You do not need to publish your memoir, you can write it to heal.

I have this one to re-do and there is another idea I have on the back burner. However, I have Manifesting Magic to finish first.

Manifesting Magic is all about who you become on the way to getting what you want. Dancing With Dark Angels my first memoir is really the precursor to that because it explores the stories that held me back. Finding My Wild which is my other memoir is about finding me, inner peace and my place in the world. They are all connected.

Let’s explore why you are writing a memoir

It is, I believe a very personal journey and one that you need to get right, otherwise, your memoir will never get written.

Writing is healing and as I have said, I have a few books that I have written that are not published, but writing them was deeply cathartic and at the time that was incredibly important.

If you are here and think mmmm I don’t really know what to do next, I do have a short course called Kickstart Your Memoir which will help you to explore your life.

Find your why and it will be easier to write – I promise.

About You and Why You Are Writing A Memoir

You will, of course, have noticed that books don’t write themselves, you do need that all-important ingredient called motivation. Motivation starts, I believe with getting your head around the why of your book.

Why do you want to write a Memoir?

This is a great question. Why oh why do you want to write a memoir?

Write because what you have to say matters to you and your ideal reader. Write because it fulfils a purpose, it gives you meaning and certainly write because you want to make an impact with your words.

Writing a memoir will help you to find you, your voice and your message, or at least clarify it.

And a book will help you to be seen as an expert and that increases your credibility and desirability. This is important if you want to perhaps coach or create a course around the content in your memoir.

How do you perceive writing a memoir will change your life?

Writing a memoir will change your life in many ways. First and foremost you will learn new skills and find resources that you didn’t know that you possessed.

You will heal because writing is cathartic. I find that despite feeling that I have healed something else always comes up that needs looking at.

When you become better known you will attract more of your ideal client to you and that will certainly change your life.

Why do you want to share your story, knowledge, skills or experience?

For me, I am a teacher and an educator so I want to teach you what I know. I also want to inspire and entertain you, so that you go on to inspire others. I want to connect my heart with yours so that you know that you can do whatever you want.

Most of all I want to inspire you to know that you can share your story – warts and all. Obviously, you will be careful of the legal aspects of your version of the truth, won’t you?

I believe there is little point in keeping what you know to yourself. Stories, experiences and Knowledge is meant to be shared.

How do you feel about sharing your words?

I invite you to fully connect to this question. You may be feeling scared and asking who am I to be doing this? This is good old imposter syndrome. I understand this and it is quite common. I have worked with some incredible people who are always scared to share their words but do anyway. If they can, so can you.

Breathe. Believe and go for it.

One of the things I suggest to my clients is to?create a book cover journal?so that they have been through the process of publishing and get to hold their book in their hands. When they come to do it for real it’s not so bad.

I’d hope that you are feeling excited and looking forward to sharing your words. Embrace your butterflies and enjoy the process.

Why are you the best person to be writing this book?

You are the best person because this is your story, knowledge, skills and experience shared in your unique way.

What else? Own this because it’s important.

Are you writing a book you would like to read?

“If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.”?–Stephen King

First of all, look at your bookcase and grab some books that you have really enjoyed reading. You may not have any memoirs or autobiographies and if not look at what you do have. Also, consider the novels you adore and get lost in. What do you love?

• Short chapters?
• Good storytelling?
• The use of language so that it weaves a spell?
• Written in first or third person?
• The pace or flow?
• Intriguing questions?
• Detailed or just enough to let you paint the picture yourself?

Then consider the books that you didn’t enjoy and ask why?

I remember buying a book that had the most gorgeous cover and brilliant title. It turned out to be a collection of journal entries, which while meaningful to the writer were boring. I burnt this book. I know harsh, but I couldn’t in honesty pass it on.

Other memoirs I have read have been compelling and harrowing to read because they have mirrored some of the things that happened to me. I needed to read them to know that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Plus they were incredibly well written.

Next, the kind of memoir that you are going to write will depend on your purpose, goals and possibly what you want to create in the world.

I always say to anyone writing, why write a book that you wouldn’t enjoy reading.

In the past, I have written a few healing memoirs and never published them. They weren’t right for me. Just recently I have been looking at these and working out how I could turn them into journaling books.

I love books that are story and self-help with a section on questions for my journal.

What do you love?

Naturally, you can write any book because you want to. Writing should be fun and if you want to write something for pleasure – then do so. Just know why.

An invitation or several invitations

If writing a book is

1.???Something you think you want to do, and then consider?one of these courses.

2.???A burning desire and you know you need support, then?book a call.

You can?grab a copy of my book Plan your non-fiction book in a weekend on Amazon.?Your lowest cost entry into planning and writing the right book.

First published on www.daledarley.com on 1/11/2021