Self-Publish Family Memories

Will it be the story of your own life or will it focus on one of your parents or a grandparent's life? Maybe you want a complete family history going back many generations.

In some cases you may have enough material to focus on just one aspect of a person's life. For my mother's book, we limited it to her childhood during the Depression of the 1930s, though it did expand to include some of her family's pioneer background. If you have a collection of letter exchanged by your parents, the book could focus on just your parents' courtship and wedding. Memorabilia and letters from World War II or the Vietnam War could be another book topic.

When you have the book written and arranged in a satisfactory order, then go over it again looking for typos, and spelling and grammar errors.

Print out a draft copy and get someone else to read it. Pay attention to the questions they ask or any suggestions. Don't get defensive, you may have a blind-spot from working so closely with the material. Consider their suggestions and decide if you want to make the changes or not.


There, Their and They're. by JMGNole

Collect old documents like letters and diaries and memorabilia that you have relating to the life or lives covered in the memoir. Ask family members if they have any letters or items that belonged to the person. You might turn up some really special items that help visualize the era and the person's life. It could be hand-written recipes, a draft letter from the government, or a ration booklet from World War II.

Scan these into the computer. If the item is hard-to-read, include the letter in the text. Put the original in as a picture. This worked well for my great-great grandfather's diary from the Civil War. Information from the diary was included in the essay about his life. Then I showed two pages from the diary with his original handwriting. I overlapped slightly a photo showing the outside of the worn pocket diary.

Old syrup receipt by oldtimes

Possible items to include in a memoir: a business card, grade cards, a funeral card, handwritten recipe, baby announcement, graduation announcement, letter of commendation, a will, a bill of sale, military records,

Greetings from 1906 by oldtimes

If you don't have original photos from the period to illustrate a memoir, there are several ways to add illustrations. For my mother's memoir of the 1930s, I took photos at the Wichita Historical Museum. The museum contained period room settings and displays of vintage items like children's toys and clothing. Compose the photo carefully to exclude museum signs and people. The photos filled the need for a school room scene and for a treadle sewing machine picture. Since the book was in black and white, the newer photos fit right in with the originals which were all black and white.

Search the Internet for photos, but you must get permission to use any that you find. For my dad's memoir, I needed a photo of a 1917 Overland car and it needed to be a specific model. I found the perfect photo online in the website for a Canadian auto museum. I e-mailed the museum with my request and they e-mailed back approval for me to use the picture in the book. The photo caption in the book credits the museum for the picture. Save any approval letters you get in case there is any later dispute over your right to use the picture.

This photo taken at the Wichita Historical Musem filled the need for a 1930's school room. It is included in my mother's memoir.

School Days by vallain