Is Your Story Good Enough to Make a Great Memoir?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ก.ค. 2024
- Want to start on your memoir right now? Try Kelly’s 100 Moments Exercise! Get the download here: bit.ly/2EOREpI
Ever wondered if your story is “good enough” to make a great memoir? Kelly Notaras has been a book editor for 20 years, editing some of the most popular authors in the personal growth and transformational space. In this video, she covers:
- Whether your story is “good enough” to write a memoir (hint: it is!)
- What professional, career-long writers understand about storytelling
- What you’ll need to know and do if you want to compete with New York Times bestselling memoir authors
- How memoir writing is a lot like being a first time gardener
- And more!
Visit us at knliterary.com to learn more about how we can help you get your memoir written and self-published.
Thank you for your words and encouragement. I’m growing this zucchini, written from the heart! “A reader must be brought to their emotion edge over and over again.” Ok Kelly, you got it! xoxo Sonja Rice
I SOOOOOO needed to hear this. Thank you 🙏.
Thank you so much for your bonus on the prompts to write.
Loved this video Kelly 😍
My story is worth writing 😍😍
And the writing journey is the goal 😀😀
Thank you for your inspiring words.. 😊😊
Thank you Kelly! This video is so amazing and inspirational!! I have been feeling stuck on writing my memoir and really needed to see this video. You are amazing!
Thank you for your kind words. I hope the video helped clear away some writer's block. Inspiration to keep going is SO important. Let us know how it goes!
Thank you. I had given up on my dream to leave behind a legacy of my own journey that has taken me from nothing to something. In a world without boundaries, to a world boundless opportunity. Tears and triumphs. Losses and gains. And how to experience joy in the journey. I’ll start writing my 100 exercise today. Moving forward and pressing on to publish the book!
Thank you Kelly your awesome!! Just finished the first zoom webinar with you and Reid! Loved it and Thank you!
Thank you! We're so glad you could come!
It is about the journey, a journey of patience and self discovery as I work out my thoughts. I to needed to hear this video. Thanks kelly
You're very welcome, enjoy the journey - - cherish it!
I have always said that I should write a book about my life, with all that I have been through! Especially for my kids to read and understand more about why they have had to go through things that I never wanted for them! Other people have also told me that, "My life story would be soooooo interesting" if I would decide to ever write a book! I have tried a few times, but have given up pretty quickly. Now, I have really transformed my life in a really big way and I am still in the process of doing so! This makes me more determined, now more than ever, to get out what I have always wanted to get out! Thank you for making these videos! You have really inspired me and helped me learn ways to finaly get started!
This is so great to hear. I'm so happy the videos have inspired you to keep going! Let us know how the writing journey continues for you.
Good luck same here
I've seen a few of your videos -and have a number in my Queue... You're a very compelling coach. I'm beginning to believe I might actually be able to pull this thing off! Thanks for the inspiration!
This is so great to hear. You can do it! Thanks for watching.
Excellent discourse...awesome insight...great
I love your mind! Could listen to you talk all day. Loved the pen & paper & one line r scenes, advice.The garden analaagy.
Hi there, thank you for watching! -Ayesha💕
"The journey is the goal."
Thank-you for this! I have soo many stories to write! How I went from thinking I was ugly and wore a lot of makeup to now never wearing makeup and knowing I am beautiful, I want to write a book about the shirt amount of time I had with my cats until something sudden happened, about my love with my fiancé, how I felt being born Indian in Australia and etc! ❤️ You are one of the most beautiful people I’ve ever seen and what you say is magical! You really know the magic of life. Thanks for bringing your knowledge and wisdom to TH-cam 💖
Short about of time I meant *
I seriously appreciate this helpful information! Ty so much! This video gave me some much needed encouragement.
We love to hear that! Wishing you all the best :) -ayesha
I am so happy I came across your video. I am 160 words into what I believe is compelling memoir. I need help and you seem like the right person with the right attitude to help with my book.
We're happy to have you here, Michelle! Feel free to schedule a call with us at knliterary.com/schedule and we can talk about your memoir. We look forward to hearing from you!
You are so inspiring. Thank you
Thank you for this. Since a decided to write my memoir, I've seen tens of videos, read countless articles and taken a twenty-hour workshop, but your advice and attitude, have been the best.
Thank you for your kind words! 💗
Thank you for your videos! I'm looking to write about the story of my life as an amputee and your videos have been really helpful :)
You are so welcome. I'm glad they have been helpful and that you are moving forward in telling your story. Let us know how your journey continues!
Thank you for the video! I recently started on my memoir and just happened to stumble on your channel. After watching a few, I just scheduled an appointment through your website. I’m really hoping I can get the ball rolling, thank you again!
Thanks for watching. We are so glad the channel has been helpful to you, and we look forward to your call!
Great video, sound advice. Cheers.
GREAT info, even though my goal is not a memoir. I agree that it’s important to get it out, regardless of the story. Thank you, again!
Thank you for the encouragement!
You are so welcome! Thank you for commenting.
Thanks for this video
Umm, love you. I needed this more than I knew. This is really amazing content and I hope you get more viewers!
Thank you for watching! ❤ -ayesha
Thank you for this video. Inspiring and very practical. And I love how you repeated - your story is worth writing 🙏🏻
so glad to hear you found it inspirational! And, yes, yes, yes... your story IS worth writing!
This is great stuff! Thank you for sharing!!
Thanks for watching! I'm so happy to share.
I love your videos, they're so helpful. I'm currently working on my memoir and I'm super excited to be putting it out there. This is something that was channeled to me about 2 years ago and I feel like I've waited too long. I've always pushed it off because English is my second language and was scared about making mistakes but the book isn't going to write itself. Here's to a new beginning! Also I'm looking forward to working with your company.
So great to hear this. Fear is such a hard hurdle for anyone to get over, but I'm happy to hear you are pushing forward to getting your story out. We look forward to working with you as well!
How is it going? Did you finish it?
Thank you Kelly!
You are so welcome. Thanks for watching!
Great content, great advice & love the metaphor of gardening. Very true
We're so glad it was helpful to you!
Is it worth the pain? To revisit all these memories.
Yes
Good question
Yes
If you look at it from the perspective of positive things learned that can help someone else, then it is absolutely worth it.
Gotta make peace with it, can’t be haunting you forever
yep! and I want to go through you guys. soon.
You're awesome ❣️ So very inspiring ❣️
Thank you for your kind comment. Happy writing!
I love your spirit. I came across your video while pondering over whether or not to write a memoir. I have overcome many trials and tribulations and I really want to share my life stories with the world 🌎 I feel that it is my calling to do so. You are really encouraging and you’ve blessed me today with your words. Thank you!
Thank you for your kind comment. We can't wait to hear how your memoir comes along! Keep us posted.
Same here all the best
Great metaphor! Profound message and motivating encouragement
We're so glad it helped!
I appreciate your energy and excitement for the craft of writing. I think that you’re sitting in a useful position to serve novice memoir writers. I’m also wondering if your talk is to help relieve the pressure both students and teachers have when crafting words and hoping for Mecca?
Very good advice. The writing process is just as important as the product.
Yes, it absolutely can be! Thanks for commenting!
Thank you for this very empowering video! I've never written any book, but my story I think is unique. Besides friends and family I have an audience that I think will be interested in my book as I run a fan club. I'm interweaving my life story with a story of someone very famous because of their effect on my life. So it will be interesting to see what impact it will have on that Community as well as my own Inner Circle. I'm very excited and we'll check out your website :-)
What a great platform you have for telling your story. Best of luck with getting your wisdom into the world!
This was hugely helpful!!
That's wonderful! Thank you for watching!
It’s the “telling!” Great example using Dani Shapiro as a “quiet” memoir. Thanks for the video 😊
And thank you for watching!
This video touched my soul, it felt like you were talking directly to me. I have a book that has wanted to come out of me for so long now but I keep getting stuck on the fear of not knowing how. Thank you for giving me the license to go for it! 😉 But also, a writing coach could be a great idea! I had never even thought of that 🙏
That's why we do this! And if you want to learn more about writing coaches, you can always book a free call to explore what that looks like: knliterary.com/schedule/
@@knliteraryarts I did this morning! I am so excited! It feels like the first concrete step I have taken for a while. Your videos are great and really inspired me, so thank you! :-)
@@thebutterflymovements Awesome! We're excited for you!
You are so good just as a thought is too complicated for me you make it seems easy 👍🏽🙏
Wishing you all the best, you can do it! 🙏 -ayesha
Always inspired by YOU…. to keep writing
We're so glad!
Very helpful information. Recently my 12 years old daughter got approached by a big publisher to publish her book. Now I am considering writing a memoir but have no idea how to start.
Downloaded your audiobook via apple iPhone . Love listening and so inspired and motivated. How to download the accompanying PDFs please? Thanks
great video.im about ten pages into mine you got me ready to go.
Wonderful! You've got this.
Super useful.
Thanks for your comment. I'm so glad you found the video helpful! Thanks for watching.
Very excellent points. By the way you have a lovely voice.
So glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks Kelly! You're becoming my "Writing Angel"! Conact me anytime about growing zucchini! I have grown it from seeds and starts (very different in yeild) for 10+ years in 2 different homes! I love all your advice and frequent messages to keep me on track. Thank you.
Thank you for this video. It has been motivating. I started writing my memoirs, hoping it would be cathartic but it has turned out to be quite humorous. Got me laughing! Now what?
So happy to hear that this video has helped you! 😊 Embrace your inner comedian!
My favorite book to write about evolution of vacuum cleaners
Thank you. The Journey is the Goal
Yes! 💜
@@knliteraryarts How do you know your life is interesting to write a memoir?
@@knliteraryarts What memoir do know what your writing?
@@knliteraryarts how do you know what type of memior, should you write?
I am so glad to find you here, Kelly! I took the Hay House 7-day Challenge. And have joined the Writers Community. I was so excited to have you call on me on the August 26th Zoom Q&A. But I was cut off by poor connection. Anyway, how do I deal with writing dialects? You said not to italicize too much. And how long (word count) should a memoir be?
Hi Myrna, so nice to hear from you! I recommend scheduling a free consultation with one of our amazing matchmakers! They will be able to help guide you in the right direction!
knliterary.com/schedule/
Good morning, Kelly. I did already. Tia Meredith and I had several zoom meetings. She helped me crystallize my thoughts. Even helped me revise my title. It’s now UNMASKED, Why I Kept Joy to Myself. I’m pumped. So thank you.
You guys wish me luck on my first book.
best of luck from all of us at knliterary!
I want to "learn the craft" of both the memoir and your christmas cactus! My thanksgiving cactus is so sad 😂😂
😂😂
Actually, the best zucchini to eat for taste are the smallest 😁.
I love the analogy of being a new gardener throughing out seeds!
And who doesn't love gardening!
Love the small ones
I was arrested in 2019 for robbing a bank, a crime that manifested from a mental health decline I had neglected for too long. I spent the next two years incarcerated in a maximum security prison, kept in deplorable conditions largely due to COVID lockdown protocols that were hastily thrown into place. We were in our cells 23 hours a day, only being let out for the occasional bathroom trip or shower. We had to sometimes resort to peeing in cups. At one point, I stripped all my clothes off, laid on the tile floor to soak up any coolness there, and fell asleep thinking I was never going to wake up.
When the lockdown restrictions eventually loosened, I was forced to work as a medical assistant, a position that violated HIPAA and required qualifications I did not have. I reported for duty on the special needs unit where all the prison's "Undesirables" were locked away. I helped bathe, shower and change elderly inmates who were nearing the end of life sentences.
I was arrested in the midst of a mental breakdown, and not once in two years did I speak to a therapist. Instead, the system took someone who was broken and attempted to break her even more in an attempt to hopefully create a returning customer. But I kept extensive journals of the injustices, and I now plan on writing about not just the crazy things I witnessed and endured, but the stories I heard from other women that were so powerful, they have weaved into my own.
Wow, Saman. What an intense experience. The world definitely needs to hear your story, and the stories of the other women. We hope to see your work in the world soon.
If i write mine people will demand it went in the fiction section. Every day i think about writing it i remember something else pretty crazy and unique that happened to me. People will find it interesting if i can write it properly but im not sure i have the ability
A lot of authors choose to work with a ghostwriter so that their story can be professionally written.
My interest in writing my memoirs isn’t in hope for financial reward, it is my for my pursuit of sharing my story with my descendants. Since most of my life has been less than joyous, it is my hope that they can learn from my experiences so as they may be able to have more fulfilling positive lives. So, I really do need to learn this craft of writing a collection of personal events in a way that will capture and maintain their interest. Can you help?
Hi Susan, I'm so happy to hear that you are working on bringing your writing into the world! 🤍 We can definitely help you here at kn literary, I suggest scheduling a free consultation with one of our amazing matchmakers: knliterary.com/schedule/
Hi! I have been inspired by your videos and have always keen on writing my life story for several years now. I am keen in writing my memoir since I have extroardinary life eperiences but have been quite hesitant to disclose a lot of issues relating to my family since my culture and upbringing restricts me to do so. Is it possible to write anonymously under a pen name ?
Thanks for watching the videos! We are so glad they have been helpful to you along your writing journey. It is possible to write under a pen name, and there is much to consider on that topic. We'd love for you to check out this blog for more: knliterary.com/using-a-pen-name/
@@knliteraryarts Thanks for your swift reply. Have been fortunate to have found you after searching the web. Grateful that I can rely on you for guidance.
Hi kelly you are amazing I would love your help
We'd love to help! You can book a free call with one of our publishing consultants here: knliterary.com/schedule/
Good video
Thanks!
BOOM!
This is really inspiring what you have said in this video. I have a question, can a memoir of truth be mingled with fiction?
Yes it can!
Do you edit memoirs? I wrote a book and need editing.
Yes we do! Here is the link to schedule a free, no obligation call with one of our editorial matchmakers. They'll discuss the details of your project and give you advice for next steps. knliterary.com/schedule/
I believe so.
Happy writing!
Hello Kelly, Thank you so much for the encouragement. With my memoir, I hope I can help people go vegan, it is life changing and a world emergency, it is the diet of world peace !
Wishing you all the best!
Hello! I'm writing a memoir. Do I need an editor who specializes in this? I've heard memoirs take a different effort to be successful.
Hi, Dee! Yes, different genres require different skill sets. You would want someone experienced in biography and memoir.
Kelly if I hire you as an editor do I still have to write a book proposal?
It depends on what kind of book you're writing. Some nonfiction books need to have a book proposal before they're written, others don't. There is lots of information out there on the web about which types of books require proposals!
I need someone to put my short devotional book up on Amazon print on demand as well as turning it into an e-book. Any techies looking for a paid assignment please let me know.
We have a self-publishing service if you're interested: knliterary.com/self-publishing-services/
I have stories I would like to tell to let people know how I got through sexual abuse by family member, absent father, drug addicted mother, abusive marriage, depression to the point of several unalive attempts, chronic pain. I have healed from all of this. Should I break these up into different books for each issue I managed to work through and heal from? Or one big chronological order of events book. I want to help others who experience similar things in life to know they are not alone and someone who has been where they are at is living her best life now. I want to give hope during someone's dark days. Suggestions on how to go about it?
Tara, a good way to gauge this is by choosing a theme or message for your book and then seeing which of these stories fits into the narrative. Building an outline around this to further clarify, chapter by chapter, could also show you weak or strong connections. A book coach would be a wonderful resource in helping to decide which stories work and if you should expand into subsequent titles. You can always book a free call with us here: knliterary.com/schedule/
Kelly, I need help telling my story.
Hello! I suggest scheduling a free consultation with one of our amazing matchmakers! They will be able to guide you in the right direction.
knliterary.com/schedule/
Wondering re poetry....is that included in your “knowledge base”?
Yes it is!
I have not seen my dysfunctional family in a decade and a half- by choice. As revenge, my sister wrote a memoir with a underlining revenge theme towards me. She was a drug addict, she married a man at 17 and he was 27. She did not include in her book that he worked developing porn websites, nor that one of their close friends, a local teacher,went to jail for having sex with his teenage students and distributing the inappropriate images online. She also did not include that she and her husband were swingers and my sister brought her “other husband” around me and my children. I did not want my children around their lifestyle. I never trusted her husband or her lover around my children. I feel he was a pedophile, and I was deemed crazy because I spoke up. Anyone agree this is not normal? She got every relative to ostracize me. She has slandered me with her family and in interviews. I found the book online 9 months ago. I asked her to remove my children and my information but she refused. She made sure not to mention my brother has a daughter, but even spoke on my children’s ethnicity- which I found racist. She works in Hollywood and has a lot of powerful sexually deviant people to help her portray this narrative that she is a sweet innocent woman. It is no secret Hollywood is full of pedos. I’ve threatened to sue her if we are ever recognized. Since she wrote a memoir and is a public person,I would like public opinion on how I can deal with this situation. She essentially called me crazy for even suggesting what she did was wrong. I am a private person and would like to keep it that way. Suggestions please.
This sounds like something you would want to talk with a lawyer about to understand your possible action steps.
How much do your tutorials cost?
Is there a specific tutorial you had in mind? We offer webinars and lots of free downloads. We are also working on a course that follows The Book You Were Born to Write that will be coming very soon! If interested, we also offer a free, no obligation phone call with an editorial matchmaker who can discuss your specific project needs at this link: knliterary.com/schedule/
kn literary
Well I’m been thinking of doing a memoir but I’m like a real beginner when it comes to writing
@@jonathanargueta2291 Great! We have TONS of resources for memoir writing guidance. Please check out the other videos on our TH-cam channel. Including: Writing Your Life Story, Get Started with This Exercise (th-cam.com/video/-9rdvJhkzXE/w-d-xo.html), How to Write a Memoir: Five Books to Get You Started (th-cam.com/video/pfn_RHTPtbs/w-d-xo.html) and many more. Also, be sure to check out the video descriptions for free downloads on the topic!
I will definitely check out more of your videos. I have started and stopped writing my memoir dozens of times. So many of my friends have encouraged me to write this because it’s such an unusual story while deeply personal. I need to get passed the feeling of overwhelming vulnerability. I find writing very cathartic. It’s something I must do even if I’m the only one who reads it.
If I want to write about being the mom of a medically fragile child who is now an adult, would that be considered a memoir?
Yes, absolutely!
@@knliteraryarts thanks I want to write a memoir or autobiography about be prematurely born kid growing up with Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH)
@@knliteraryarts maid by stephanie land
@@knliteraryarts cherry by nico walker
Dear Kelly, I have an adoption story, and I'd like to email you about it. If that's possible, please let me know. Thank you so very much!
Priscilla Kinkade
Hi Priscilla! Kelly no longer takes client calls or editing projects. We have a fantastic team of experienced Publishing Consultants, coaches, editors, and writers who would love to help you with your project! You can fill out a form to get started with that process here: knliterary.com/schedule/
@@knliteraryarts thank you so very much! Have a wonderful day!
I know for a FACT my story is brilliant - my ability to tell it?? Not very confident. By biggest fear is publishing this tale before I have the skill to do it justice. But, as you say, it’s cathartic just to write it.
That is precisely the reason a lot of authors choose to work with a collaborative writer! Something to think about :)
my story is goos enough but i worry about my skill
Inspirational teaching for how to craft a memoir! xo drcandysurfvival