Memoir and Topics

This tip began with my memoir clients but it relates to any book that you’re writing – life story, business book, or how-to guide.

And here’s a story I like to tell about one of the worst books I’ve ever read. Barry Humphries. His autobiography. Trying to read his story was like wading through concrete with lead boots.

Why you ask? Because as an audience, what are you interested in? When it comes to Barry Humphries, it’s got to be his big professional life. The stars, the celebrities he mixed with, and why he often took the mickey.

What did Barry’s book begin with? Every little story from his babyhood, his childhood, etc. etc. ad nauseum. Like so many others (yes, I checked) – I couldn’t finish it.

That experience made me more aware than ever of writing something that my audience would appreciate. Consider this: whom are you writing for? What are their interests, their passions? If you’re not sure, do some digging and find out.

Getting to know Darrell as I did, recording his story, I soon saw that he’d not only had a big business life, but he had many other interests – passions that he pursued. In gathering the stories, it just made sense to put them into buckets.

Yes, buckets. Or topics. It’s like a story filing system. It works on so many levels. It allows you, the writer, to focus and collect the ideas around a central concept, which leads to chapter headings and a great, cohesive book to dive into.

One of the things I noticed at Darrell’s funeral, was the way his friends and family dived into the chapters that involved, and interested, them. They certainly didn’t want to waste their time ploughing through stuff that had no relevance.

In the eulogies, I was mentioned six times. I kept saying, “No! It’s not about me, it’s about Darrell, and you guys!” But their delight in the book we created was so uplifting to see.

Remember, topics, or buckets, create order.