Writing Your Memoirs and Family History Course

In this module you’ll learn about setting yourself up as a writer including where and when to write, how to start, equipment you’ll need and how to get organised.

Here we discuss why you should write your autobiography, how to judge if it will interest a commercial publisher and tell you about alternative outlets if your memoirs won’t fill a book.

You’ll find out how to organise your research, hunt out material and tap your memories using the cluster or the dump approach. Then you’ll learn how to choose a theme for your memoirs and think up a title. Multiple-choice exam 1.

In this module we discuss different ways you can approach your memoirs and you’ll learn how to put together an initial synopsis, why it’s important to be selective and objective and what you should reveal. Then we look at how to introduce yourself to your reader, get the style and tone just right and how to avoid the nostalgia trap.

We’ll show you how to write up your memoirs and tell you why you shouldn’t edit or get second opinions before it’s complete. There are tips and techniques to help you deal with writer’s block, how to revise your manuscript, get feedback from others and deal with criticism. Then you cover how to use a structural survey to give your book a professional finish for publication. Multiple-choice exam 2.

Here you’ll learn how to avoid vanity publishers, find a legitimate publisher and decide if you need an agent. Then we discuss the world of self publishing and whether you should choose print, e-book or both. We tell you about print services, e-book formatting, the value of an external editor, designing your book cover and how to get into bookstores and libraries. This module finishes with inexpensive publishing alternatives. Multiple-choice exam 3.

Here you cover all areas of marketing your book including : generating local interest, writing a press release, publicity interviews, writing articles, social networking, creating an online author presence, viral marketing, promoting yourself in the real world and finding book reviewers. Multiple-choice exam 4.

You’ll learn about the benefits of compiling a family history and how to choose your approach. We then explore what’s involved in creating a genealogical memoir including how to get information from family members including visits, questionnaires and interviews. Then we’ll show you how to tap into your own knowledge, start the paper trail and go back to old records as well as look at additional sources of information, Internet resources and gleaning information from photos.

In this module you’ll find out how looking at your family here and now has its advantages. You’ll discover different ways to compile and collect your family’s memoirs, then learn how to prepare a dateline and conduct effective interviews with family members.

Here we discuss what to include, or not include, in your project and how to deal with skeletons in the cupboard. Then we talk about how your material should be presented: (i) archives, (ii) genealogy charts, (iii) a webpage, (iv) a book. We give you a few ideas on sharing your finished project with your family and other interested parties. Multiple-choice exam 5.