Tips for a budding writer?

[Scott]

I have never wrote memoirs. I assume that it would help to write an extensive outline. If you plan a lot beforehand, you will find the themes that you will include and that way you can write in a way that is not like rambling. The outline will help you remember what the reader has been told and more important what they will be told, which will probably help you make your story flow well and have focus. That's just what I speculate.

[roddglenn]

I haven't written memoirs either, but I agree with Scott that you should plan it very carefully. You will have to make it interesting to the reader by ensuring that the reader can relate to the events throughout. Interesting and/or funny anecdotes will also be very important.

Good luck with it.

[Syrcco44]

I've never written a memoir - if I did it would be for my own personal reasons - for remembering, to show my children, etc.... I've read some books on writing and from what I gathered writing an autobiography isn't a completely good idea - I think this advice came from Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott. I suggest to write a novel - there are so many more possibilties and I think that people would rather read a vivid wonderful piece of fiction than the life of someone - not that your life is boring or whatever but I know that mine would be a bore. Writing has so many possibilities so if you write a novel try to find ways to weave in threads about your experiences and life and insight - but don't force it in - let it come naturally and smoothly - otherwise it may not fly well.

I have suggested these books before but I will suggest them again:
Writing Magic by Gail Carson Levine
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg

Hope this helps. I have plently more to offer in this area, but I don't want to bore you with information you don't need or want.