Welcome to Nothing but the Words.

I’m your Author Coach, Candice L Davis.

In this episode, I want to share with you how much to include in your memoir and what you can leave out if you want to write a phenomenal book.

In a previous episode, episode #7, I shared some specific actions you can take to keep writing during times of crisis. My husband and I went on a walk and had a long conversation about how we can make this time of self-quarantine work out for our good. Not by profiting from it. But by using the time and space we’ve been given to really concentrate on our goals.

I hope you’re in a position to do the same.

Right now, you get to choose your how you want to think about the coronavirus situation and self-quarantining. I encourage you to choose thoughts that will protect your family and your community. I also encourage you to choose thoughts to support you in creating the life you want to have in the next weeks, months, and years. Those thoughts will determine how you feel about our current circumstances and the way you behave. Ultimately, those thoughts will determine what you create from what we’ve been given to deal with.

So if one of the goals you’re working on is to. if one of your goals is to write a memoir or a personal development or professional development book with elements of your story, this episode is for you too.

Many people confuse memoir and autobiography.

autobiography: the entire timeline of your life (famous people) from birth to a time close to when the book is written.

In the simplest terms, an autobiography is your life story. A memoir is the story of a specific time, specific event, or specific theme in your life.

memoir: a specific time frame or aspect of your life. Typically, will dive more into the author’s memories, feelings, thoughts, and insights.

Your memoir could cover:

an experience when you created something, 

when you learned something that transformed you

or when you discovered something,

you’re the timeline of your career

your experience in building a business

a travel experience

a relationship experience

your experience in overcoming a specific challenge, like addiction, bankruptcy, or a significant loss

your experience in achieving something, like competing as a high-level athlete, landing your dream C-suite position, whatever looks like success in your life or your field

Your memoir could be a coming-of-age story that ends when you reach adulthood

a midlife reinvention story or a midlife crisis story

your time in college or in the military or at boarding school

Here are a few things your memoir should include.

Should tell a story with a beginning, middle, and end.

Should have a goal you’re trying to achieve. (You’re the protagonist, the main character, and the hero.)

Should have obstacles you overcome.

Should focus on your choices, actions, and reactions, not just a passive character to whom things happen.

Now let’s look at what your memoir shouldn’t do, be, or include.

Should not tell your life story from birth to the time you write the book. (Living Past Your Pain to Live Your Dreams) hybrid memoir-personal development book.

Should not be a victim story.

Should not tell “all your business.” (April Moncrief)

Should not include cool or attention-getting stories that don’t relate, directly or indirectly to the subject of the memoir. 

Should not libel anyone.

Should not reveal anything you’re uncomfortable having your momma, your children, your boss, your clients, and strangers read.

If you’re just getting started on your book, I have a free resource that can help you. Visit CandiceLDavis.com/jumpstart (Candice with an ice).

Or find it in the show notes at candiceldavis.com/7. That’s the number 7, the episode number.