His second memoir, Commentarii de Bello Civili or Commentaries on the Civil War is an account of the events that took place between 49 and 48 BC in the civil war against Gnaeus Pompeius and the Senate. The noted Libanius , teacher of rhetoric who lived between an estimated and AD, framed his life memoir as one of his literary orations , which were written to be read aloud in the privacy of his study.

This kind of memoir refers to the idea in ancient Greece and Rome , that memoirs were like "memos", or pieces of unfinished and unpublished writing, which a writer might use as a memory aid to make a more finished document later on. The Sarashina Nikki is an example of an early Japanese memoir, written in the Heian period.

A genre of diary writing, Nikki Bungaku , emerged during this time. In the Middle Ages , Geoffrey of Villehardouin , Jean de Joinville , and Philippe de Commines wrote memoirs, while the genre was represented toward the end of the Renaissance , through the works of Blaise de Montluc and Margaret of Valois , that she was the first woman to write her Memoirs in modern-style. While Saint-Simon was considered a writer possessing a high level of skill for narrative and character development, it wasn't until well after his death that his work as a memoirist was recognized, resulting in literary fame.

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Over the latter half of the 18th through the midth century, memoirists generally included those who were noted within their chosen profession. These authors wrote as a way to record and publish their own account of their public exploits.


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Authors included politicians or people in court society and were later joined by military leaders and businessmen. An exception to these models is Henry David Thoreau 's memoir Walden , which presents his experiences over the course of two years in a cabin he built near Walden Pond. Memoirs documenting incarceration by Nazi Germany during the war include Primo Levi 's If This Is a Man , which covers his arrest as a member of the Italian Resistance Movement , followed by his life as a prisoner in Auschwitz ; and Elie Wiesel 's Night , which is based on his life prior to and during his time in the Auschwitz, Buna Werke , and Buchenwald concentration camps.

At the same time, psychology and other research began to show that familiarity with genealogy helps people find their place in the world and that life review helps people come to terms with their own past. With the advent of inexpensive digital book production in the first decade of the 21st century, [6] the genre exploded.


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Memoirs written as a way to pass down a personal legacy, rather than as a literary work of art or historical document, are emerging as a personal and family responsibility. The Association of Personal Historians formed in Amherst, Massachusetts , in the early days of the modern memoir, as an international trade association for professionals who assist individuals, families, and organizations in documenting their life stories, preferably in archival formats.

With the expressed interest of preserving history through the eyes of those who lived it, some organizations [9] work with potential memoirists to bring their work to fruition.

Memoir - Wikipedia

The Veterans History Project , for example, compiles the memoirs of those who have served in a branch of the United States Armed Forces — especially those who have seen active combat. As I said, I start by editing the interview transcripts, taking out what I judge to be irrelevant never deleting the full transcripts and organizing the text into a usually chronological, flowing order. As I go through, I note down inconsistencies, things that are not clear or confusing, and write down the questions I need to ask in order to make everything make sense. If they are cooperative they will respond and even add and change things and I generally try and accommodate what they want.

Are there any specific areas of editing which you feel are imperative to be an expert in before undertaking editing work? Fluency and competency in the language are a given — vocabulary, syntax, punctuation, etc. And of course attention to detail and a good eye. But just as important as the technical side is sensitivity to the person and the subject matter and an understanding of the purpose of the text and the intended reader.

This can express itself in editing by leaving in the particular speech patterns of the subject even though they might not be grammatically correct, maintaining a certain style that may not be your usual one and substituting long and unusual words with simpler alternatives. Awareness of historical or other context is always useful as is reading in your particular genre.

Not particular to this field but listen, learn and enjoy what you do. If you enjoy what you do it will come through in the writing.

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Get to know and understand the writer if possible. Regarding the business aspect of the job, could you describe how you determine the pay you receive. Is it per word, per time involved, per article, etc? In this field I work mainly on full book projects, which have a different price structure. In general though, editing and translation is priced per word or per page words usually in the target language. Sometimes you can determine the price, sometimes the client.

Do you advertise your services, and if so, where? Best is always word of mouth, referrals.

Do a good job, keep to deadlines, respect your client and be a pleasure to work with. Lots of trial and error. I think you have to decide on a target audience and find out where they hang out and what they read and try and get in there, either through advertising, articles, networking, speaking, etc. There is also the ITA Israel Translators Association which is a professional organization offering workshops, an annual conference, online forums and connections with others in the field.

There are many editors who are members too. Plenty of online and overseas forums and job sites too. The most satisfying thing — for me at least — is to sit with these people and learn from their experience and wisdom. You can contact Danny at danny dannyverbov.


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You are commenting using your Facebook account. Notify me of new comments via email. Notify me of new posts via email. Danny Verbov, memoir writing, Holocaust survivors, Rev. Leslie Hardman Everyone has a story to tell. How did you get into this field? What is your prior work experience? What do you remember about that first book? One can learn so much from these individuals and I believe there is so much value — for every family — in recording memories for generations to come Q: Do you work with other professionals on a job?

What advice can you give to potential editors in this field? Leave a Reply Cancel reply Enter your comment here