Writing & Selling Your Memoir: How to Craft Your Life Story So That Somebody Else Will Actually Want to Read It

Balzer, Paula

ISBN 10: 1599631350 / ISBN 13: 9781599631356

Published by Penguin Publishing Group, 2011

The book is in good condition with all pages and cover intact, including the dust jacket if originally issued. The spine may show light wear. Pages may contain some notes or highlighting, and there might be a "From the library of" label. Boxed set packaging, shrink wrap, or included media like CDs may be missing. Seller Inventory # BSM.10BZ5

Synopsis:

There's more to writing a memoir than just writing your life story.

A memoir isn't one long diary entry. Rather, it's a well-crafted story about a crucial, often exceptionally difficult, time in someone's life. Writing & Selling Your Memoir talks readers through the process of telling their most personal stories in a compelling, relatable, and readable manner. Unlike other books dedicated to the art and craft of writing memoir, it teaches readers how to approach the genre with love, respect, and know-how without sentimentalizing it.

Drawing on her experience working with New York Times best-selling memoirists, literary agent Paula Balzer carefully explores the genre and provides readers with step-by-step instruction on how to:

• Identify strong opening and closing points
• Find and develop a strong central hook that readers can relate to
• Structure a memoir to maximize readability
• Use dialogue and pacing to enhance intimacy
• Approach honesty and truthfulness
• Build a successful author platform around their memoir
• Get an agent's attention
• Get published

Full of tips, techniques, detailed exercises, and examples from best-selling memoirs as well as sidebars from well-known memoir authors, Writing & Selling Your Memoir teaches you how to approach an often tricky genre and tell your story without sentimentalizing it.

About the Author: Paula Balzer has been a literary agent for the past 9 years. Some of her authors include New York Times best-selling author Alexandra Robbins, Oscar-award winning writer of Juno, Diablo Cody, American Idol judge, Randy Jackson and Bobby Henderson. Prior to owning her own literary agency, she worked in some of New York City's best literary agencies. She grew up in Wisconsin and currently lives in Brooklyn with her husband and daughter.

Bibliographic Details

Title: Writing & Selling Your Memoir: How to Craft ...
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Publication Date: 2011
Binding: Soft cover
Condition: good