Do you know the rules to writing a memoir? Here ia a book to help you keep away from the mistakes.
Welcome to the world of writing memoirs. It all starts with the desire to share an event in your life. Do you wonder if you can use someone's name? Can you write by giving yourself another name? This is a handbook taken from Alberta Sequeira's three-hour workshops on teaching memoir writing
Excerpt
PROTECTING YOURSELF WITH a MEMOIR
You can’t makeup things with a memoir. It has to be truth. The story will be based on what you remember and experienced. It may not seem that way to others who shared in the event.
All people mentioned in your book have to give their permission to write about them if you are mentioning them anywhere. To protect yourself, the permission has to be in writing. Don’t take their word that it is okay.
Here is what I did. I took the Disclaimer below and copied it in a document in the computer titled :Permission for Someone Stop This Merry-go-Round (use any title(s) you are writing). Under that I had lines for their signature. I would also add that they give you permission to use their pictures, photo, or anything related to them.
Date:_________________
Name_________________
Once you get all the character’s signature, “never” throw it out; it is kept forever. You would be surprised how someone could read your story and then be upset with what you said about them. “Never” use their pictures unless they sign to give permission.
You are right about the truth and perception. When my cousin died, I wrote a story recounting our experiences together. For the most part, his sisters weren't there, but when I asked them to review the story they got quite angry even though they weren't present for most of what I described or were way too young at the time. I even had to get my mother to correct things like them thinking that a half-brother that died as a baby was their brother when my mother verified that he was born five years before my uncle met their mother. Our family is quite good at correcting facts like this without getting angry, once verified. But I think this information is good for future generations to read.
I mentioned over 100 people in my autobiography with 121 photos. Many are now dead. Mine was/is not a scandalous life, so mostly I wrote about friends and relatives in a very positive way and professionals for their contribution/mentorship. I make no apologies for singling out individuals who discriminated against me as a disabled person. Some of those have admitted that they were wrong about how they treated me. In the four years that the autobiography has been out, I have received no "merry-go-round" from anyone.
This book is for all first responders (law enforcement, fire, or other emergency personnel) who are or want to be supervisors in their agencies. It goes through all facets of good leadership.
Crisis Management for First Responders is for first responders to be able to help victims of critical incidents as well as their own personnel who are affected by the trauma they witness or experience themselves.
