PMPowerpointMemoirsVideo201109JB

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Welcome to our seminar Writing memoirs and family histories

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Jane and Graeme Beals Your specialists in book printing, design and publishing with 20 years experience.

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Is recording memoirs and family histories important? Absolutely! Letting family stories and histories die is almost like letting species become extinct.

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A memoir is a legacy It ensures knowledge is not lost It extends the fabric of a person, a life, a generation

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Will my family care about my story? Will they be interested? Will they value my efforts? Yes, yes, yes!

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Is my writing good enough? What if I can’t write a whole book? Do I have to be able to use a computer? Can I afford to do this?

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How do I go about writing a memoir? There is no ‘one size fits all’ recipe - the most important thing is to make a commitment and get started!

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Decisions What is the purpose of the memoir? Who is it for? What commitment can I make?

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Resources time energy money a willingness to sometimes go outside your comfort zone and learn new things

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Tell people what you are going to do. “… the greatest aid to my getting started had been in my telling everyone that I was going to write a book. I had to get on with it then.” Bonner Gearon

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Support from your partner and family is important. Moral support, assistance finding information and photos Agreement to be interviewed and making time to do this

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Set goals – make them realistic Work out regular day/time to write “I will write for 30 minutes twice a week.” “ I will have my memoirs complete for my 70 th birthday or the family reunion in 2013.”

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Plan the structure Memoirs can be: Chronological Topic-based Theme based Event-based Significant parts of your life Favourite family photos Things that define you

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Brainstorming Generates possibilities South Island trip Birth of children Life in the country Starting up in business Building NP house Music at school T Coll days Play Centre Reading recovery experiences Whitianga holidays Family illness Special friends Motherhood Children’s successes Career change Mum and Dad Moving about-places lived Flatting Milford track

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Mindmap Orders/sorts possibilities Play Centre Reading recovery experiences Whitianga holidays Family illness Special friends Motherhood Children’s successes Career change Mum and Dad Moving about-places lived Flatting Milford track My life Birth of children South Island trip T Coll days Starting up in business Building NP house Life in the country Music at school

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How do I get it down? Hand write on paper Type straight into computer Talk into a tape recorder Have a conversation with someone and record

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Review Commit and get started Know the purpose of your writing Commit resource Tell people what you are going to do. Ask for the support you will need Set realistic goals Work out regular times to write Plan the structure Decide how you will get it down? Keep going Reward yourself when you finish

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The benefits of digital printing Small print runs Affordable Make changes between runs High quality Proof copy Client Manager Joni Warren

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Quality, cost-effective print to give your project a professional touch

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Things to think about Budget Size, black and white and/or colour Design Deadline Turnaround process

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Joni’s tips Communicate regularly Make use of the PublishMe website www.publishme.co.nz There is no such thing as a stupid question Email: joni@publishme.co.nz Ring: 759 4699 or make an appointment to see me

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Bonner Gearon Gearons Ralphs & Smarts Bonner’s life story and as much of the histories of his families as he could gather. He wrote only for family and friends.

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Vera Christmann Born Behind a Veil The story of Vera’s early life, growing up in a small village in the German state of Hessen, in the years that followed the Second World War. Vera wrote for a wider market

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“One day, here in Wellington as I looked through photographs of my early years, I found myself feeling sad that I knew next to nothing about the childhoods of my mother and father. How did they spend their time? What games did they play? How did they dress? I would have loved to have known a bit more about them. And so I began to write down my childhood memories . . . ” Vera Christmann

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Sarah Semple: Lawes Family, Spiegler, Brisk Family History, The Griffin Family History, The Semple Family History Sarah is at the more seriously dedicated end of writing family histories. She has published five books and is currently writing three further books .

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Jimmy John A Full Life, A Full Ride, My Journey Jimmy embarked on his memoirs at 85 . He did not write the book to sell but he ended up selling over 200 copies, at $40 each. His constant surprise was that people were interested in his life story.

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Colin Radford The Boy from Mokau River: A memoir Colin’s memoirs are a slice of New Zealand life and cover a happy childhood, his early-adult years of rugby, dances at the local hall, hunting, shearing and fencing in the rugged King Country. He says, “Initially, I knew what a mouse looked like and that it was attached to a computer, but that was about it!” Colin has now printed 700 books to satisfy further requests and bookstore interest.

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It can be done You can do it!

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Join PublishMe and receive our monthly information packed newsletter Like us on Face book 49-55 Rimu Street ext New Plymouth 4312 PO Box 752 New Plymouth 4340 Phone: 06 759 4699 Email: joni@publishme.co.nz