Post #82 – Women’s Memoirs, Book Business – Kendra Bonnett and Matilda Butler
It’s harvest time here in Maine. And I have some nice vegetables coming out of the garden this week. I’ve got big, beautiful red cabbage, crisp cauliflower that are white tinged with lavender, snappy jalapenos for my own hot sauce, firm Butter Crunch lettuce that’s got a bit of a nutty flavor, a few cantaloupes (I can’t wait for the first bite) and tomatoes. Lots and lots of tomatoes. Romas, Better Boys, even a few heirloom varieties. I’ve counted more than 130 on the vine.
With Irene blowing its way up the eastern seaboard, I’ll be harvesting everything that’s close to being ripe today and tomorrow. We’re not supposed to get hurricane activity here in Downeast Maine, but we will get some heavy rain and stronger winds. I also wouldn’t be surprised if we lose power for a bit, but I’ve got that covered with a generator and a gas stove. So for me right now it’s just about saving the veggies.
But Kendra, how do you harvest the best for your memoir? I’m glad you asked, and (surprise) I have answers…or more specifically “opinions” that I’d like to share.
First, when I’m nurturing my plants in preparation for a grand harvest, I cull out the smaller plants, nip the suckers off the tomatoes and trim the seed heads that form on heads of lettuce. I nurture the stronger plants, give them room to grow and flourish and cut out the extraneous that steals energy from the vegetables.
I do the same when I’m writing. I toss aside ideas and whole stories that detract from my focus. I edit my words and sentences. I focus my energy on the primary story. Remember, you can’t include everything. When I reach my final edit and am ready to “harvest” my story for publication, I have a strong, piece for readers.
This is the stage Matilda and I are in as we work through the final round of editing for our Writing Alchemy book, and we’re expecting a fruitful harvest. We’ve perfected the process, and if you’d like a pre-publication preview, consider joining Matilda and me at the Association of Personal Historians (APH) annual conference. We’ve giving workshops on marketing and publishing during the regular session, and we’re also holding an all-day Writing Alchemy workshop on Sunday, October 16, 2011. You can find more about the conference on the APH conference site. Note too that registration prices go up September 15, so now is the time to sign up.
Second, and by the same token, if you want a great harvest from your marketing efforts, don’t spread the seeds of your ideas and message too thin. I’m growing my garden in four 4’ x 4’ raised-bed garden boxes this season. And let me tell you, it’s made my venture into gardening manageable. When using the Internet and social media, we limit our efforts to only a few locations. Our strategy is to assess the best social outlets for our message and put our energy into producing results.
Finally, harvest only when your fruit and vegetables are ripe and ready to be consumed. This is an advantage we have over the commercial growers who harvest green produce. It may be easier to schedule the harvest and ship the produce, but what they gain in convenience we lose in flavor. What we buy at the grocery store just doesn’t taste as sweet and flavorful. Apply this same rule when writing and editing your memoir. Don’t rush to publish just to meet some artificial publication date. The words will be that much sweeter when they’re ripe. Now this isn’t an excuse for never finishing your memoir, but do give your efforts the time they need to reach maturity.
And if you need help editing, may I suggest you check out the marvelous team of professional editors at Story Circle Network’s Editorial Service. These talented women will apply their expertise, all the while working with you to let your words, your voice shine through. They’re not heavy handed, but they can help you pick the best words and phrases, organize your thoughts and perfect your punctuation. Matilda and I vetted these women and have been delighted with their work, as have their clients. And best of all, we’ve set up the site to allow you to read about each editor and select the one best suited to your needs.
Just a few thoughts as I prepare to head back out to the garden boxes.
