How to Write and Publish a Memoir: Complete Guide

Many of us have stories within us, just aching to reach readers with our message. Palmetto Publishing is here to help you understand the key differences between a memoir and an autobiography, frame the foundation of your story, and provide a vehicle for you to write and self publish your memoir.

What Is A Memoir?

A memoir is a personal story written by you that is based on events of your life. It imparts a strong emotional message and helps readers to relate to the things that you went through and empathize with and learn from your experiences.

Autobiography vs. Memoir: What’s the Difference?

Autobiographies are a factual, chronological representation of events that occurred over the course of your lifetime, whereas writing a memoir focuses on weaving together a series of key events that fit into an overarching emotional theme, and convey a strong message or moral truth to the reader.

Steps to Writing A Memoir

Palmetto Publishing can help you edit your draft to ensure these key elements are featured in your self-published memoir.

Settle On Your Theme

When writing your memoir, determine the theme of your story. What do you want to teach readers through your experience, how do you want them to feel, and what deeper meaning to you want them to derive from the series of events that shaped your life? Settling on a theme will help you focus the direction of your story.

Select Your Anecdotes

Choose the key moments that reflect the theme that you land upon, and weave your story around these momentous occasions and life experiences. The times in your life will determine the shape of the plot.

Outline Your Book

In your self-published memoir, you will outline chronologically the important events in your life to seamlessly tell your story and help readers go through what you went through, gaining insight, deeper understanding, and learning valuable lessons just like you did.

Write It Like a Novel

Writing a memoir is like writing a novel in which you are the protagonist. Be sure to include the key elements that make a story so great, engage readers, and help them to become immersed in your story and personal character development.

How To Publish A Memoir

Finding a viable publishing company to publish your memoir can be a difficult process. It’s not easy telling your story and being forced to pitch your life to others to convince them it’s worth hearing. There are some cases where the memoir will get picked up, but self-publishing is your best option.

How To Self-Publish A Memoir

Palmetto Publishing will help you edit your memoir and self publish it, today. Our expert team will help you refine your story, get it in front of audiences, garnering you recognition, royalties, and engaged readers.