Autobiography / memoirs

[GreenFootstool]

My FIL has lived a rather interesting life and I've always wondered about writing some of his stories down.

I'm not looking for a publishing deal (although that would be a bonus!) and wondered how people have or might go about starting something like this, even if it's just to keep in the family?

I'm not a creative writer, but I'm a very experienced report writer in terms of scale and legal accuracy if it makes any difference 😂

Thanks

Are you thinking of writing a biography of your FIL for him or are you thinking of helping him to write his own memoir? Is there anything specifically about his life that might be interesting for anyone who isn't related to him or is it more that you're looking to capture memories for the family to revisit when he's no longer around?

There’s a company called LifeBook that specifically do this.

Well, ‘interview’ him for his stories and transcribe and edit them — or do you mean he wants to write his own book? I’d get the material written and edited first, before I figured out the next step in terms of print copies etc. At this stage all you need is some time and a means of recording.

I wish more people with interesting lives published. Auto bios are so encompassing when you’re reading them. I hope your FIL does it and then you can share the title so we can all read it!

Thanks all! Life Book is out of the question due to cost....

I'd have to do the writing, so I can absolutely start getting down some of his tales.

He grew up on a remote farm in Cornwall with no electricity etc so the stories of his family home are of a time that has long gone. And why he still can't eat chicken 70 years later. How he learned about engines and his first motorbike which his mother learned to ride as well. His alcoholic grandfather who was frankly a psycho and the impact of that.

Then he became a tin miner, then a carpenter in the mines, lost several family members there, was himself trapped underground for days at which point he couldn't face going back down the mines and still sleeps with lights on, bedroom door open and curtains open 40 years later.

Then (and this is massively outing so hi to anyone who recognises this) he joined the staff on a coastal island with a castle and a Lord and Lady, where he worked until he retired 10 years ago. Lots of very funny stories about the work, the weather, the people, accidentally digging up a power line resulting in a mad dash to the castle to stop the automatic trigger for the fire retardation system from wrecking the ancient and valuable castle contents....

Plus having four sons, two marriages and a family of utter chaos including steam engines, tractors, excavators used to get birds out of trees / used as fairground rides for the kids, boating, and a couple of near death experiences and there's a LOT of scope to tell some stories.

Whether anyone would be interested outside the family, I don't know!

This sounds fascinating and fun!
I'm not an expert ... starting on life writing myself. Currently doing an MA. What I've learnt so far is that elements of writing fiction are relevant to life writing: character, setting, vivid language, arcs. Research is important, even if you might not use 90% of it. And read read read to see how it's done. If it's fun you're after, David Sedaris is hilarious.

I agree that reading life writing is key to writing it well. Maybe start by having a look at some craft of life writing books, OP?

I'd just sit beside him with a notebook and ask him to tell you something. It doesn't have to be in chronological order or anything. Just get it down on paper. Alternatively, would he be happy to be recorded, either just his voice or on video?

My DH's late relative wrote a memoir about her early life, not professionally done or published or anything, just on sheets of A4 paper in a folder. The family has really enjoyed reading it since she's gone.

If you're just trying to get something readable for probably immediate and extended family, I'd suggest "From Memories to Manuscript: The Five Step Method of Writing Your Life Story" by Joan Neubauer. You really don't need to consider all the things faw2009 suggested for this kind of writing. (If you were going for something that was potentially publishable, that's different. But what you've described is really a family memento.)

I think memoirs work well if they are linked to photographs or family trees or newspaper articles. Much more interesting than just words.
You could start with a photograph from your FiL's past and ask him about it – where, when, the people, what does he remember about it? (and it can be any random photo - I have one of a cat asleep on a lawn which raised several very amusing memories of his antics)
Then put the photograph or article at the top of the page with his memories underneath? He could even record his memories - though recordings are hard to listen to and personally I prefer the written word.
And the best thing about using 'prompts' is that there doesn't need to be any 'time-line', you just do it at random.

@GreenFootstool thanks for replying. I’ve no idea how much Life Book costs, I just used to do the interviewing for them. It was fascinating work. We had training, which involved active listening; how to use the recording equipment & scan photos. The resulting dialogues were sent to ghost writers to type up, but some just typed them word for word, like an audio typist! I’m sure you could do it yourself & then self publish on Amazon.

Our local adult education centre (mainly used by retired people) has a ‘Writing Memoirs’ course. There maybe something similar near you.