How to Write a Memoir that Sells

I went to a standing-room-only book signing last night. What made it such a wonderful experience was that the book was written by one of my oldest friends—Marianna Riley—and her collaborator, Robert Ellis. The book is Caring for Victor: a U.S. Army Nurse and Saddam Hussein. Ordinarily, this is not a book I would rush out to buy, but with Marianna’s name on the cover, it wasn’t even a question.

Robert Ellis was an army nurse who probably spent more time with Saddam Hussein than any other American. For eight months, Ellis was responsible for the care of the army’s captured Iraqi leaders, but especially for keeping its most valued prisoner, known as Victor, alive and healthy.

Theirs was a complicated relationship. They didn’t talk politics and, in fact, communicated very little at first because of the language barrier. Eventually, though, they found areas of commonality in their lives and forged a bond. In part because of his own background—growing up in the projects in St. Louis—Ellis was able to see the humanity in a man who was thought by many to be a dangerous dictator and a murderer.

Marianna Riley is a consummate pro. She’s been writing a long time for newspapers and magazines and then as an editor and reporter at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. I have been a fan for years and, in fact, have many of her early articles in my files. She has always had the ability to make a story leap off the page. So, it comes as no surprise that she was able to capture the essence of both of these men and the nuanced relationship they shared.

Caring for Victor is a memoir writing teachers should insist our students read. It’s right up there with The Liars Club, which is among of the best. The book was published by Reedy Press, a St. Louis company, which proves you don’t have to go to New York for find a good publisher. The publicity for Caring for Victor was amazing. The event was in the papers and on every local news channel. There were not enough chairs, barely enough room to stand, and the line to get our books signed snaked around the room.

During the Q&A at the end of the presentation, Marianna talked a little about the publishing process. I had to ask, “How important was the proposal in getting the book published?”

“The proposal was everything,” she answered. “It was so important. We had our outline, and that essentially became the book.”

Since this is my blog, I’m going to take the liberty of repeating that. “The proposal was everything. It was so important. We had our outline, and that essentially became the book.”

My case rests.

What do writing coaches do?

I don’t know what makes people search for certain kinds of help on the Internet, but it would seem that book coaching is a pretty popular topic. I get a lot of inquiries about coaching, probably because I’m near the top of Google’s site under that heading. If you doubt that such positioning helps, let me assure you that it’s like magic.

What’s interesting is that people search for a book coach, find my website, and then e-mail me to ask what services I offer. I suppose that is because every writing coach is different. I have one colleague who is very scientific about her process. She does certain things in a certain order and doesn’t waste any time. I admire her technique, but, quite honestly, it doesn’t work for me. There simply is no one-size-fits-all in my approach to coaching.

In fact, my method can only be described as customized because it is based entirely on what each client wants or needs from me. Every potential author who contacts me is at a different stage in the planning, writing, publishing, or promotional stages of a book. Some have no idea what to do and need guidance from start to finish. Others have written a book and suddenly ask themselves, what do I do now? Those people need an editor more than a coach. A few discover, after they begin, that the whole process is overwhelming and what they really want is someone else to write their book for them. They need a ghostwriter. And then there are writers at increments in between the ones I’ve just described.

That first conversation with a potential client is a two-way interview. The client wants to know what I can do for him, and I want to know what he needs. Usually, I ask these questions:

• What is your book about?
• What is your purpose for writing it?
• Where are you in the process?
• Have you written an outline?
• Have you written the book or any part of it?
• Have you written a book proposal?
• What kind of help are you looking for?

On the other hand, the client may ask me:
• What exactly do you do?
• How does this process work?
• How much do you charge?
• How long does it usually take?
• Can I send you what I’ve written so far?

These conversations vary in length and detail. Both of us are trying to get information but also to determine if we can relate to each other. I want to know if this person is serious about the project and looking for the right partner or just surfing the Web to pass the time. He wants to know if I am interested, experienced, and trustworthy. We are engaged in a dance of strangers, each of whom has an agenda.

The client usually wants me to read what he has written; I want him to have a better idea of what coaches do. He offers to send a sample; I promise to send links to articles. We agree to talk again. I follow through and follow up at least once. Occasionally, this dance becomes a working partnership, but not always. Establishing trust and rapport, conveying information, and deciding whether to commit to spending hundreds of dollars is a lot to ask of a single conversation. It usually takes more chat to create that bond.

That’s why when people ask me, “What do writing coaches do?” it takes more than 500 words to provide a coherent answer.

Questions Aspiring Authors Ask

Thanks to the magic of search engines, people from all over the place are finding their way to my website and browsing among its pages. I’ve tried to keep the site is full of information about how to write a nonfiction book and the services I provide to help aspiring authors. If they are intrigued, they e-mail or call and ask questions. Although every person who wants to write a book is unique, many of their questions touch on the same themes. Here are some of the most common.

I’ve had an unbelievable life, and I think my story could really help people. I want to write it, but I don’t know where to begin.

I would urge you begin by writing a proposal, which forces you to think through every aspect of your book before you actually write it. Here is an overview of the components of a good proposal. No matter how you hope to publish your book, thinking it through on the front end is the most important step in the process. After you do, the actual writing step will make much more sense to you.

I’ve been working on a book for five years. It’s just about finished. How do I get it published?

If the writing is complete and you have not already worked with an editor, that is the first thing you should do. There are two types of editors: one takes the macro view and other a micro view. Content editors look at the big picture, writing style, structure, and flow of ideas, language, and accuracy. Copy editors check for grammar, punctuation, and typos. They catch mistakes you and everyone else have missed. After your book is edited, you have a choice of publishing options, ranging from do-it-yourself to having a big, New York publisher’s name on your book jacket.

I’m a professional speaker/trainer/consultant/marketer, and my clients are asking if I have a book. I know my subject inside and out, but I’m not a writer. What exactly does a ghostwriter do?

You are the expert in your subject matter. A ghostwriter is an expert at learning your subject, understanding what you want to communicate, and translating your message into well-written language. Before you enter into a partnership with a ghostwriter, here is what you should know.

I have enough research to write five books but it’s totally disorganized. I can’t find anything on my computer and my dining room looks like a recycling center. Can you help me bring order to chaos?

You can’t write a book if you are totally disorganized. Getting your act together has two parts: (1) setting up a filing system so that you can put your hands on anything, any time you want to; and (2) saving your files so that you never lose a word you have written. If you do the first before you begin and the second as you go along, you’ll achieve the order you need to go forward.