ProActive Blog

ProActive Blog

How to Write Your Memoir

by ProActive Writer's Group on 03/11/23

There are as many ways to write a memoir as there are people. This is your story. While others may share memories of the event, only you can know how YOU perceived it. Only you can tell it from your perspective. Just write it.

Like any book, there needs to be a message or a lesson. There will be research. Accuracy is important in any book. You will learn more about the main character (yourself) as you write. Your memoir is a personal journey. That journey will be best received if it is written in your voice – straight from the heart. Write as if you were talking to a friend, or musing to yourself.

What you have to say is irrelevant if you don’t write it down. Many people WANT to write their memoirs, but they never start. They get hung up on the idea that they are not writers. Nonsense. If you write; you are a writer. So, write!

In the beginning, don’t worry about your audience. Don’t even think about them until the first two chapters are written. Just write. Formatting, editing and structuring can wait until you know where you are going. You might feel like you are running in circles, and you might be, but that can easily be fixed.

When the first two chapters are written, stop and read them from the perspective of the reader. Don’t worry about the spelling or grammar. What is the overall mood and direction?

The reason this works so well is because it is your voice. This is your style. Embrace it, even if it is different from what you have ever read. There is no right or wrong style. It is yours alone. If the editing is done correctly, your readers will quickly become accustomed to your style, regardless of what it is.

 Okay, so you’ve written the first two chapters. You have read them from the perspective of your readers. What do you think will resonate with your readers most? What is the best part of those two chapters? What do YOU like best?

Don’t panic if you don’t know. If you are confused about your direction, just set it aside and think about it for a few days or a week. Don’t wait a month, though. Haste makes waste, but procrastination often leads to defeat. You can do this if you don’t give up.

Sometimes our perception of things changes when we write it down or think of it from another viewpoint. The fact that your perception has changed doesn’t mean you have to start over. Examine what made you think differently and use it to improve the memoir. You may discover that there is a more important message than your original thought.

 

Satisfied with the overall direction? Now, write it on an index card and keep looking at it as you write the book. It is easy to slide off the trail and get lost on your journey. It happens to the best writers.

 When you have completed your book, read it again. Again, you aren’t looking for spelling and grammatical errors. You are looking for continuity. Does each chapter leave an opening to the next? Is the overall message consistent?

 Editing is a long and tedious process. I read my books at least 6 times before they go to beta readers. Then I read them again several times when I get them back from the beta readers. Each time, I always find something to correct. I think that means that you get caught up in the story and miss things.

 If you are part of a good writing group, reading the first chapter to others not only garners valuable feedback, but helps you get a better feel for your book. Reading your book out loud gives you the advantage of an echo. You notice hiccups in the flow and often think of additional points to address. Reading out loud to someone and anticipating their reaction helps you identify slow areas or areas that need more explanation.

 In conclusion, the most important part of writing your memoir is to start writing. This is your story and don’t be surprised if you discover you didn’t know it as well as you thought you did.

Alpha and Beta Readers

by ProActive Writer's Group on 03/03/22

Writing a book requires more than talent. It requires weeks, months and often years of dedicated work. Even fiction books require research for authenticity. Regardless of research and self-editing, sometimes even the simplest mistakes can be overlooked. The writer already knows the story, so it is easy to skip something vital.

You may want someone to read your story before you complete it, or after you've completed your first draft. This person is an alpha reader. They aren't looking for grammar and spelling errors. They are looking at content. Does the story flow? Is it logical?

Once you have completed your book and made the changes the alpha reader suggested, you are ready for a beta reader. Beta readers are looking, not only at the content, but for grammar and spelling errors as well. Beta readers help you polish your book and get it ready to send to a publisher.

So, where do you find alpha and beta readers, and how much do they cost? Often, they are free, but if you can't find someone, there are online services like Fiverr.com and Upwork.com where you can select the person and the service you require. Depending on the service and the length of your manuscript, the cost may range from $50 to $200 or more.

A good alpha reader may be free and as close as friends and relatives. Alpha readers don't need to be experts on writing, but they should be readers. Beta readers should have good grammar and spelling as well. If you use a friend or relative, make sure they feel comfortable about being completely honest. The downfall of this choice is that often friends and relatives are concerned about discouraging you or hurting your feelings. It is best to have more than one reader – even 4 or 5, but too many readers can cause confusion and conflicting opinions.

Many authors often read each other's manuscripts. Their feedback can be more pertinent. You will probably want to swap with an author who has a compatible writing style and writes in your genre.

The best source, if it is available in your area, may be critique groups. Critique group members are generally authors who are willing to help other authors. You will probably have more qualified and diversified assistance there, as there are likely to be published authors in various genres present. Critique groups can be helpful even if you haven't started your book yet.

On that note, Elkins Public Library in Elkins Arkansas is starting a critique group. Meetings are the 2nd Saturday of every month from 10 am until noon. The meetings are free and open to the public. For more information, contact the library at (479) 643-2904 elkinspubliclibrary@gmail.com or Linda Rigsbee via email at lindarigsbee@gmail.com

 

Linda Rigsbee, Author

Self-Publishing Competition

by ProActive Writer's Group on 02/11/22

In my last blog, I compared self-publishing to opening a book store when there are already three on the block. On average, around 2,700 new titles are self-published every day. That's a lot of competition! Your book will have to take its place, not only in books published that day, but in books published before yours – millions of books. Writing competition is so overwhelming that you'd better provide something different or unique.

So, how do you compete? To that, I will ask another question. Do you really want to compete? This goes back to your goals. If this book is for friends and family, then your answer is probably no. If you want to be a long-term best-seller, then the answer is yes. There is a lot of distance between these two goals and the majority of writers are going to fall in that area.

Did you know there are many good writers who never publish a book? Publishing is a lot of work and marketing can be a real headache. The fact that someone has never been published doesn't reflect badly on their writing skill. Nor does publishing assure they are a good writer.

When I began writing, there were only two viable ways to publish; traditionally or vanity press. It was called vanity press because it was assumed that self-published writers simply wanted to see their name in print and they were willing to pay for that privilege. Self-publishing was looked down on then for the same reason it is now. Anyone can publish anything, only now they can do it for free.

Many famous writers got started by self-publishing. Steven King is one. It wasn't his writing skills that caused rejection of his manuscripts. It was the content. Publishers didn't want to take the risk with something they thought their readers might not like. Self-publishing isn't the problem any more than censoring is the solution. By self-publishing, King opened a whole new genre, as have other self-published authors.

Apply this analogy to the idea of three bookstores on the block. Competition is not a bad thing. It forces us to produce better quality and be creative. With all those books being published daily, it is important that each book delivers quality time for the customer.

 Write what you want to write, but write it right. If your book is full of spelling and grammatical errors, you can't expect it to compete positively with a well-written book that has been edited. You can't expect a non-human program to be as effective as having multiple people edit your book.

Self-Publishing vs Traditional Publishing

by ProActive Writer's Group on 02/08/22

You've finished your book and now you want to publish it. Should you use a traditional publisher or self-publish? First, ask yourself what you want to accomplish with this book.

Is your goal simply getting your book in print for friends and family or are you hoping for a best-seller? How much work are you willing to put into marketing? Maybe money isn't as important as making it available to the public. Are you willing to invest money, or are you publishing on a shoestring budget?

 Traditional Publishing

 Traditional publishing is having your manuscript accepted and published by an established publishing house. Without a doubt, this method is the most coveted, but is it best for you?

On a side note, getting a rejection from these publishing companies doesn't necessarily mean your manuscript needs work – not any more than having it accepted means that it is flawless. These companies are in the business of selling books and your subject or delivery may not be what they feel is selling at that time. If your book doesn't sell, they lose money too.

If you want to focus on writing and let someone else make the decisions about things like cover design and marketing, the best method for you may be traditional publishing. Traditional publishers provide editing, cover design, printing and marketing.

The author may have little or no influence in changes the editor wants them to make, cover design or marketing methods. The publisher sets the publishing date and book price. The author signs a contract that may last for years. If this is the only book you intend to write, you might want to take that into consideration.

While the publishing costs are usually covered in your contract, there are still some costs that you will have to assume. Those include manuscript preparation. You don't submit a rough draft, so you will need a beta reader and possibly an editor prior to submission. Even though the publishing company provides marketing, you will still have to do some marketing.

 Self-Publishing

Self-publishing has always been subject to criticism for producing inferior books. Self-publishing means doing it your way, all the way. So, if you want to skip the editing, it's your choice. Unfortunately, cutting corners this way only validates these claims. To paraphrase a line from Jurassic Park; don't get so preoccupied with whether you can that you don't stop to think if you should. Self-publishing may be all about having it your way, but if you turn out poor quality work, you'll make it that much harder for other authors to sell.

Your success in self-publishing depends on how much effort you are willing put into it. If you want to be involved in every aspect of writing and marketing your book, perhaps self-publishing would work best for you.

 All self-publishing is not the same. One of the oldest methods is subsidy publishing, better known as vanity publishing, or vanity press. There was a time when this was the only option other than publishing traditionally or home publishing. When you publish through a subsidy publishing company, you pay the company to publish your book. Since you are buying bulk, there is a substantial monetary investment and you will need a place to store all those books until you sell them – on your own.

 The most popular method of self-publishing is print-on-demand. Amazon is a good example of that. They take a percentage of every book you sell, but it is free to set up your book with their programs.

If you want a complete hands-on experience in publishing, home publishing could be another option. Home publishing allows the writer to publish small batches of books in a short time span and without the cost of postage, taxes, etc. involved in purchasing copies. When you home publish, you print and bind the book at home. I will address this in a later blog.

 If you are a good writer and don't want the hassle of a publisher, there is another option to make money with your writing. It is referred to as freelancing or content writing. Essentially, someone pays you to write for them. Ghost writing (writing a book for someone else) is an example and copywriting is another. Freelancing is selling your writing skills by the job. Good money can be had in this area but it requires time commitment and availability.

 Regardless of how you decide to publish, you will have to write the book first. That may take months or years. When you are done with the book, you will need a qualified person to edit your book before it is submitted or published.

 Critique groups can be a boon for new authors. A lot of helpful instruction can be gleaned from other authors reading your work. If you can't get to a critique group, often family members will be happy to read your book and give you tips. Make sure they understand that you want them to tell you what they think, not what they think you want to hear. Also, they need to be avid readers and have good grammar.

 In summary, if you are thinking of making money writing a fiction book, don't quit your day job. If you calculated all the expenses and labor involved, you'd make less than minimum wage. In fact, you might wind up in the hole. The term "starving artist" certainly applies to writers. Like any business, it takes years to get established. Think of it as opening a book store when there are already three on the block. (I'll address this in my next blog – Self-Publishing Competition).

On Saturday, February 12, 2022 from 10am to 12 noon, I will be talking to a group about self-publishing. This is an introduction to a critique group that will meet monthly at the Elkins Public Library in Elkins, Arkansas. It is open to the public and free. For more information, contact the Elkins Library at

(479) 643-2904 or email elkinspubliclibrary@gmail.com

 

 

Writing Your First Book

by ProActive Writer's Group on 01/09/22

It is estimated that over 80% of the population would like to write a book, yet less than 1% actually do. I'm not surprised. I've always wanted to visit Australia, but given the fact that I'm over 70 now, the likelihood that I will do so is pretty slim. It isn't as though it is an impossible dream. It would require dedication and would have to become a high priority. It didn't and this is where I want to start with this blog.

Writing a book requires a lot of work. Preparing a manuscript for publication can be more daunting than visiting a far-away country on a shoestring budget. In fact, the process is actually similar.

If I decided to visit another country, the first thing I would do would be to look for a travel agency. I'd want to know the cost so I could save or borrow the money required. I'd need a passport, vaccinations and information on all the requirements of a visitor to that country. I'd probably ask advice from people who had visited that country – or at least someone who had traveled to another country. The requirements might be different, but the process would be similar. I'd need to know a little about the country I intended to visit. What transportation would be available and what cities would I find interesting? By this time, I might be getting a little anxious. I've left my comfort zone. Other things have taken priority – finances, family, etc. 

I've never traveled to Australia. At this point, you may be seeing the similarity with writing that first book.

 I'm a bit of an odd duck, but then, that's not unusual for artistic people. Writers are artists. They use words to paint a scene. Their imaginations transport readers from one place or time to another. A book can take us places no travel company can access, at a price we can afford. Wait; don't travel companies us the word booking?

I began writing my first book in the early 1970's. To date, I have not finished that book. I got my first rejection of a science fiction story in the late 80's. To date, I have not finished the book. I still intend to. I know what it is like to be hung up on a book. I have published traditionally, self-published and even home published over 60 titles since 1996. I did it while working a full-time job, serving as den mother and president of two different non-profit groups. I did it while raising two boys, nursing a paralyzed husband and taking care of my father. As if that wasn't enough, I am dyslexic. Writing has been more to me than a passing interest. It has been a passion and a source of comfort. It has been a high priority – and THAT is why I have published 60 books.

 Unlike traveling; if you want to write a book, getting an agent is not the first thing you want to do. That's months or years down the line – maybe never. The first thing you need to do is write the book. Like I knew which country I wanted to visit, you probably already have a plot idea and characters in mind.

At this point, you may run into your first obstacle – what are the character's names? You may be tempted to post on social media and ask for suggestions. DON'T. That is the slippery slope to writing a book for someone else. This is your book. Grab a phone book and browse – a first name here, a sir name there. Search the internet for baby names, or unusual names or popular names in a specific period. Let your character search with you and they will point out their name to you. This book is between you and your characters, not your friends on social media.

Get to know your characters. Take them to the store with you and determine how they would react to everyday situations. Find their weaknesses and strengths. That's character building, and your characters will move the story.

At this point, you're probably wondering if you should outline your story. Yes. Well, maybe no. Ask a dozen successful writers (and by "successful" I mean any writer who has published a book) if they outline their stories. The answers will vary depending on author style. Some say they wouldn't start a book without one and some say they never use one. Try using an outline for your first book and decide what works best for you.

Write the first chapter. The first chapter is not only the first plunge for the writer, but the most important for the reader as well. That first chapter – and often the first few pages - will determine whether a reader finishes your book. But don't put your focus only on that first chapter. If the rest of the book doesn't fulfill the promise of the first chapter, readers probably won't finish the book. That's bad enough, but they will probably not even consider reading your next book. Yes, there will be another book. They are like chickens. You can't have just one.

You've written the first chapter. Now it's time to look for some help. It's too early to send your story to an editor, but it is an ideal time to use beta readers or a critique group. Friends and family are fine, if they are readers and if you can trust them to give you honest feedback. Encouragement is vital, but only honesty will help you improve your writing skills. Sharing your first chapter before you write the rest can save a lot of time and frustration. You will get feedback that will help you with the rest of the book. If you decide to pay for advice, it's a lot cheaper to have that first chapter edited than the entire book.

Each time you travel, you gather valuable information. You learn from mistakes and experience. You listen to people who have been there before and compare their experiences to your interests. You don't have to go the same places for that information to be valuable. The same is true in a critique group. You don't have to use their input verbatim. Listen and decide which part works for you and your book. Let them write their book and you write yours. Just write it.

 Linda L. Rigsbee 


ProActive Writer's Blog
HOMEAbout GroupContactItineraryBLOGFacebook

Uniting Readers and Writers