How to Start a Memoir: A Guide for Seniors

Alex Hailey, author of the long running television hit series, Roots, once said: 

“When a man or woman dies without telling (writing) their story, it is the equivalent of a library burning down.”

I specialize in Ghostwriting Memoirs, Legacy books, and Business books (with a focus on Seniors).

If you are having thoughts about writing your memoirs or life story, or a legacy book, you’re probably having the same trouble “starting,” that many others have had. If you are a senior, you have a lot of stories that comprise your entire life and so it is no surprise you might be having trouble knowing where and how to begin your story. 

I am here to tell you in my weekly blog, INSIGHTS, how you can begin and continue your writing…and with my help, get it published. (Publishing isn’t always needed though. I can help you get just a few copies made for family and friends in a variety of formats that are not published).

Here’s the good news…since you are on a ghostwriter’s web site, you’ve already taken the first step. I am a 28 year veteran ghostwriter who has ghostwritten (edited, doctored and mentored) more than 52 people in this process; see my library page on this site for some of those books.

Since this blog is weekly, I will be giving you this information step by step beginning with the need for an outline. If and when we talk either by phone, Zoom or FaceTime, I will be able to cover not only the outline phase of work, but the information contained in the next three blogs. My phone number is 949-244-7880 or e: ighostwrite@icloud.com on every page of this site. 

The simplest way to get past the “start” phase of writing your story, is to break your life into ten year increments in note form. This usually begins with your life as a child of about ten years old. Now here is the fun part—get a glass of wine, a pad of paper and pen and find a comfortable spot to sit for a while.

The First Step Is Easier Than You Think

Step 1. What was the most memorable/dramatic event or memory you can recall at around age ten? Jot it down. You don’t have to be long-winded for now, just make up your own shorthand. Example: When I was ten, my baby brother fell in the lake. My father rescued him. That’s enough for now. Trust me, this simple note will unlock an entire stream of consciousness and lead to other memories worth reliving for your memoir. In this preliminary outline, you are only trying to capture your most vivid memories of events; 10 words or less is sufficient for now. As you continue you will be able to add more memories in this shorthand style of notes only going from 10 years old to 20 years old.

Next, move on to age 20 (you will be repeating this process for every five years of every increment of this 50, 60, or 70 year life in ten year increments. Now, can you remember any dramatic and meaningful event as a 15 year old? If not, your mind and memory may take you to another incident when you were closer to 20 years old. For now, it doesn’t matter, just try to recall as many of these types of experiences as come to mind for this time period of ten to 20 years and then move on to 20 to 30, and so on. 

All of this recall, with my help, will begin to flesh out an outline eventually, albeit a rough one for now. The point is two-fold: to get your mind moving along your lifeline of hundreds of experiences and events. Trust me, one thing will lead to another soon enough. The second point is that these “shorthand notes” will eventually form a movie in your mind, just like the ones you watch on Netflix—scene by scene will evolve into larger scenes that incorporate more information and more action and emotion.

For now, that is enough. If you’re serious, start now to complete this outline no matter how strong or weak your memories may be. Just get started! I will help you finish this, if you follow this weekly blog, or call me now to have a complimentary hour long talk about how I can help you further.

Thanks for reading.

Robert Bruce Woodcox

Pulitzer Prize nominee for fiction (2012)

Two time National Best Selling Author and Ghostwriter (New York Times and Los Angeles Times)

Ghostwriter of more than 52 books

Author of four books including: Memoirs of a Ghostwriter

Voted one of the Top Ten Ghostwriters in America by Publisher’s Weekly—Yearly Almanac

Over 50 books ghostwritten and published.

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