WRITING MEMOIR
Return to homepage   Copyright © Carmel Bird 2004. All rights reserved.	WRITING THE STORY OF YOUR LIFE  the ultimate guide to writing memoir  publication February 2007 HarperCollins  Finding the Words The narrative of your own life is the most complicated story you know. It is also the most precious, and because it grows, develops and changes as the days go by, it is the most dynamic, original and absorbing story you will ever know. It’s the best story – you need the perfect words. And the secret here is that you have those words – that’s the good news, the not-so-good news is that you may need courage to find and use those words. Why this difficulty? Partly because the words may have been misplaced and displaced by years of listening to, and of reading, the words of other people, words which are often quite persuasive, and sometimes quite dishonest, and which are more than likely unrelated to your personal story. As well as these persuasive and dishonest words, there are also millions of examples of the careful, accurate, lyrical, wonder-filled uses of language for you to read, to follow, by which to be inspired. You need to be able to tell the difference, and often people can’t do this without some guidance. Above all,  you want to discover and use your own words – they will be best. To do this most people need courage.
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