| p>Granted everyone has stories to tell, but can | | | | edges, that barely reached from the couch to the |
| ordinary people learn the skills and techniques | | | | chairs" shows a setting that gives a strong sense |
| necessary to write meaningful and interesting | | | | of "poor." "She was nice" is vague but "She |
| autobiography? | | | | listened with her head turned to catch my every |
| Yes! Anyone who wants to can learn the tasks | | | | word" portrays a definite nice. Cut out vague |
| necessary to write a memoir to bequeath with | | | | adverbs, too, words like angrily and beautifully |
| pride to their children and grandchildren. Every | | | | They mean different things to different readers. |
| step in the writing process is important and | | | | Imprecise words don't convey much meaning! A |
| accessible. Lots of people have done step one: | | | | useful exercise is to replace half--yes half!--your |
| writing down their life stories. Too few take | | | | adjectives and adverbs with setting, dialogue, or |
| another important step: polishing the stories in the | | | | action. This almost always makes your text more |
| editing process to create a more interesting and | | | | forceful and informative. |
| complete memoir. | | | | 4. Set your manuscript aside for a while. Time--a |
| The secret to giving your stories the finishing | | | | month, six months--will provide the emotional |
| touch is to read your manuscript as your reader | | | | distance to evaluate your work more clearly. |
| will--with fresh, observant eyes. That's why, at | | | | Time will help you to identify both your strengths |
| some point, an outside editor can be so useful, | | | | and your shortcomings where re-writing is |
| but any writer--even a new one--can learn the | | | | essential. I'm always amazed at how much |
| basics of editing. Here are some simple points to | | | | objectivity I can muster when I reread my own |
| keep in mind. | | | | work after a lapse of time. Waiting a while allows |
| 1. Be complete. Have you written everything you | | | | me to step out of the role of writer and into |
| need to write about your story to make clear | | | | those of reader and editor. I can then assess my |
| what happened and to whom? Would a stranger | | | | writing--and edit to improve stories. |
| understand? If you find yourself ad-libbing as you | | | | 5. Show your manuscript to others for their |
| share your story out loud, you probably have not | | | | critiques. A mix of readers--family and friends--will |
| put everything into the writing. Does your story | | | | produce the varied feedback you need to spot |
| need additional details of setting, action, or | | | | problems. Family members will notice missing |
| relationships to make it more understandable? | | | | details and provide important dates and |
| Have you provided dates, names and relationships | | | | relationships that complete or explain your story. |
| (the who, what, where, when). On a deeper level, | | | | Friends aren't familiar with your content and so will |
| have you depicted the inner life (the how and | | | | ask you for information you may have thought |
| why) that explains so much of what life is all | | | | irrelevant or obvious. They will ask for |
| about? Remember, when you're gone, the story | | | | cause-and-effect relationships ("so which did you |
| will need to stand on its own--so be clear and | | | | do first?"and for motivation ("now why did your |
| answer all possible questions now! | | | | brother do that?"). You'll be amazed at how their |
| 2. Be concise. This may sound like it's counter to | | | | questions reveal what you take for granted and |
| "be complete" but it needn't be. Have you | | | | therefore leave unexplained! |
| eliminated all the extra words you can without | | | | Choose readers who will critique the work and not |
| changing the meaning of the story? If you find | | | | you. Don't waste your energy justifying to them |
| you have restated an idea--even in different | | | | why you are writing. And don't write someone |
| words--you are probably being redundant--and | | | | else's version of a family story. Conversely, |
| that is the opposite of "concise." Saying it once is | | | | people who are blindly supportive are not helpful |
| enough. Choose the most effective version, and | | | | editors ("Anything you do is great by me, dear!"). |
| delete the others. Stick to the story. Edit out the | | | | You can post a request at a library, a senior |
| material (even if interesting) that does not | | | | center, or a bookstore to form a memoir-writing |
| contribute to the overall impact of your story. | | | | group whose members will serve as readers and |
| (Save it for another story.) This includes all the | | | | editors for one another. |
| digressions which, however interesting in | | | | Don't be discouraged when you see the need for |
| themselves, dilute your main account. | | | | changes. Most successful writers are persevering |
| 3. Use precise language. Avoid vague adjectives | | | | re-writers! Always keep your goal in sight: to |
| like nice, awful, okay. Replace them with setting, | | | | create a legacy that will enrich the lives of your |
| dialogue, or action. "She was poor" is vague but | | | | family for generations to come. |
| "Her livingroom had a linoleum rug, tattered at the | | | | |