The Autobiographer's Handbook The 826 National Guide to Writing Your Memoir

With an introduction by Dave Eggers,this guide by the founders of 826 Valencia features anecdotes and advice from dozens of bestselling memoiristsThe best way to learn about writing a memoir is from the masters of the form. In The Autobiographer's Handbook, dozens of the best memoirists in the world explain their methods, struggles, inspirations, and strategies in the most unique writing guide on the market today.Founded by author Dave Eggers and veteran teacher Nnive Calegari, 826 Valencia operates seven nonprofit writing centers nationwide. Only The Autobiographer's Handbook-the first in a planned series of 826 Valencia writing guides-features the prominent, published authors who have shared their secrets at 826 workshops and who now bring their best advice to the page. Participants include Frank McCourt, Tobias Wolff, A. J. Jacobs, Alison Smith, Art Spiegelman, Anthony Swofford, David Rakoff, Elizabeth Gilbert, Nick Flynn, Sarah Vowell, Steve Almond, and many more.Eggers's introduction encourages all to write their stories, if not for publication, then for the benefit of their children and grandchildren. The book offers lighthearted sidebars ('History's Strangest Actual Memoirs,' 'The Nom de Plume Generator,' and 'Childhood Tragedies Unlikely to Move the Reader') to keep readers engaged and writing assignments to keep them working toward their goal. The Autobiographer's Handbook is like having coffee with dozens of your bestselling memoirist friends (and a drill instructor), and it will be the writing guide for aspiring memoirists of all ages for years to come.