Victoria Costello

Victoria Costello’s The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Writing a Memoir takes a reader through the necessary steps in the writing process. The book asked the question, “Why write a memoir?” Then it proceeds to guide a writer with topics like truth telling, researching, mechanics, ingredients, having believable characters, writing like people talk, plot and structure, creating a scene, making a setting come alive, and rules for revision. Part 3 looked at the bigger picture of theme and genre, with passages, relationships, illness narrative, travel and adventure, getting read, and being published.
To further promote memoir writing the author also discussed self-publishing. She explained what self-publishing was, its language, ISBN, subsidy, or vanity press, print-on-demand, producing the printed book, composing the book, the printing process, getting into bookstores, self-marketing and promotion, and asked the question, “Is self-publishing right for you? The writer did a good job by providing a list of resources, memoirs that are a must read, and included a standard release form. Undoubtedly Costello covered all bases in her writing. She was able to organize and structure this book simply for a beginning memoir writer.… (más)