This is Part 4 in a five part series on “Preparing to Write Your Memoir”.
In Part 2 of our series, you may have made some notes about people with whom you could talk to add more insight to your stories. Now is great time to make those phone calls or send e-mail messages with specific questions. You may be surprised to find that talking about it will even help you recall more of the details.
Although you may want to make your memoir a surprise gift to your family and friends, telling them about it during the process can prove to be quite motivational. They may also have suggestions for stories you should include. You might even want to ask those who are most special to you, if they have any memories that stand out of something you did together. If you don’t wish to reveal that you are writing a memoir, you can always just start a conversation with “Remember when…” or “The other night I was dreaming about…”.
You may also have some notes from Part 2, regarding facts and dates that you don’t know right off the top of your head. Some of the answers can be found on the Internet, but others may be in photos, scrapbooks or old calendars. If not yours, maybe a friend or relative can help fill in the blanks.
There may be more information that needs to be gathered once you start writing, but completing this step should give you a good head start.
“Preparing to Write Your Memoir” – a five part series
- Gather Your Tools
- Getting Out of the Gate
- Test Your Dictation Tools
- Filling in the Gaps – You Are Here
- “A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words”
Let us know what you think!