Best Books About How to Write Your Memoir
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As a memoir ghostwriter, I’ve spent the last seven years consuming memoirs—and yes, books about how to write said memoirs!
I’ve always loved reading books about the craft of writing (particularly On Writing by Stephen King, which is my all-time favorite) but I wanted to compile this list because it’s harder to find the hidden gems when it comes to understanding the craft itself of what it takes to write a memoir (yours, or someone else’s!)
Below I’ll share my breakdown of the best books about memoir writing:
What is the Best Book to Read Before Writing a Memoir?
To get this book list, you can go to my Amazon Storefront.*
My favorite read in this space is The Art of the Memoir by Mary Karr. It’s my absolute favorite book detailing how to write a memoir. She’s a professor who teaches the subject of capturing your autobiography, so Karr is an expert in both breaking down the process and inspiring her readers to pick up a pen and go for it. I also love how she captures the emotional side of putting your life story on paper, and the difficulties that come along with airing your dirty laundry for everyone to read.
Old Friend from Far Away: The Practice of Writing a Memoir by Natalie Goldberg. This is a good book if you need some help digging deep and unlocking your memory vault in the process of writing your memoir.
The Memoir Project: A Thoroughly Non-Standardized Text for Writing & Life by Marion Roach Smith. This book provides practical advice for writing a memoir, including tips on structure, voice, and pacing.
Remember, you don’t have to read all of these books: I recommend downloading the sample of each book to your Kindle, picking the one that speaks to you, and then reading just one of these through to the end. One or two books on the craft of memoir writing will do the trick: you’ll learn more by doing the actual writing.
There’s one caveat to this: you should invest some serious time in reading other memoirs before you decide to write one. Theory is one thing, seeing what works and what doesn’t in bestselling memoirs will help you develop a sense for the best way to tell a life story!
What Other Books Should You Read Before Writing a Memoir?
If you’re new to writing, I suggest that you also pick up these books about the general craft of writing:
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King. As I mentioned before, this is one of my all-time favorite books on writing that also happens to be a semi-memoir of sorts, with personal stories from King's own writing career.
The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White. This classic guide to writing is a must-read for anyone who wants to improve their writing skills.
The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield. This book offers insights into the creative process, as well as strategies for overcoming the resistance that can hold writers back.
Elements of Eloquence by Mark Forsythe. I love how this author breaks down the building blocks of what good writing looks like on the page. A few tiny concepts in this book have stuck with me throughout my entire career!
You can find my full list of book and product recommendations on my Amazon Storefront.*
Hire a Memoir Ghostwriter
In the past seven years, I’ve served as a memoir ghostwriter for some pretty impressive people all over the world. My clients have graced the stages of TED, found themselves on bestseller lists, and have gone on to flourish in their careers and lives. Writing a memoir is an honorable way to share the lessons you learned on your journey in this lifetime, and a great way for you to pass on your memories to future generations.
You can check out my services here and learn more about my process, or you can read any of the below articles I’ve written on the subject of memoir ghostwriting:
Cheers to living a life worth writing about! 🥂
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