They say that we each have a story inside us. A life is compiled of many stories. But how many of them are actually worth telling?
More and more people are writing and publishing their life stories. Memoirs of all types are flooding the bookstores and the internet. Authors are sharing their stories of abuse, terror, military action, spiritual awakening, personal struggles, illness, recovery, amazing experiences, travel, special relationships, close calls, loss and more. While some authors turn their personal experiences into self-help or how-to books, most of them just tell a story. Many authors hope to make a difference for others by revealing what happened to them. Others simply hope to entertain, make someone smile, or give them a really good read. And many, of course, achieve their goals. But getting someone to read their books is becoming harder and harder for the author of a memoir.
I am one of those authors. I wrote a memoir involving my experiences working with a hypnotherapist who used past life regression therapy. I was commissioned to work with Don Clark on his book about his hypnotherapy work in 1980. I spent hours and hours interviewing him and sitting in on sessions with some of his clients. And I succumbed to hypnosis myself. Don also taught me how to do self-hypnosis—a tool that changed my life immediately and forever.
I took copious notes, detailing everything I heard, saw and experienced. Eight months later, while vacationing in Colorado, I received word that Don Clark had died. It was sudden and it was predicted. Yes, Don, at the age of 57, confided in one of his students that he thought the end was near for his life on earth—at least this time around (if you believe in reincarnation). With no reason, now, to write Don’s book, I filed away my notes.
Eight years later, when I realized how much my life had changed because of my association with Don Clark and what he had taught me, I decided to write my own book—from my point of view. I spent 8 months writing the book. When I couldn’t find a publisher, again, I set the book aside. Its time had not come.
Another eight years had gone by when I decided to self-publish this memoir, which I call Quest For Truth, A Journey of the Soul. And I came out with it in 1996 through my publishing company, Matilija Press.
Although, anyone who reads this book, finds it absolutely fascinating, it has been a very hard sell. Even with this book in a dozen bookstores throughout the U.S. with special orders coming through Borders and Barnes and Noble stores from six states, a page on Amazon and 5 distributors working with me, the book has not done well. Memoirs by unknown authors on any topic are hard to sell. But then, my attention soon became divided when I went on to write other books on other topics. Who knows how many copies I could have sold if I’d concentrated on the promotion of this book for a while longer.
If you have a story in you and you are itching to tell it and to sell it, I strongly recommend that you study the publishing industry, first. Find out what else is out there like your book idea and how those books are doing. You can learn about books carried in the Ingram database by calling 615-213-6803. You’ll need the ISBN.
Contact authors with books similar to yours and have a heart-to-heart talk with them. Most authors are accessible and amiable. Connect with distributors, booksellers, book reviewers, etc. Find out how they feel about helping you to promote your book. Seek out sites, bookstores, distributors, magazines, blogs, etc. related to the topic of your book. This might be cooking/foods, pets/animals, military, disabilities/handicaps, nostalgia, loss and grief or addiction, for example. Check out their list of books, books they have reviewed in the past, etc. Does yours fit in? Is there room for another memoir in this category?
And always, always write a book proposal before putting pen to paper or fingers to keyboard toward the composition of your memoir.
If you’re interested in reading my memoir of reincarnation, hypnosis, past-life regression therapy, death experiences and so much more, you can order it from the Matilija Press showcase of books: http://www.matilijapress.com Or go directly to the Quest For Truth page at: http://www.matilijapress.com/questpage.html