Alle answers a reader's question: "I want to publish a memoir. How?"

How many words? Can I include photos?

A reader asks:

I’m new to writing. I have just completed a rare experience I want to write about. but I have a lot of questions. I’ll start with the first that come to mind: 

1. How many words?

2. What do I do when I've finished? Approach a publisher?

3. Can I include photos ?

Alle sez: 

1. Word counts:

• Memoirs should be at least 65,000 words. In most cases, cap at 80,000.

• For novel-like memoirs, you can dip to 45,000. Keep the max to 80,000.

• Same for travel memoirs.

• For political or activist memoirs, think 50,000 to 110,000.

2. When finished:

• Unless you have contact, it will be difficult to access most large publishers (Called The Big Five.) A good first step is to find a literary agent. 

• You can read about the depressing, even soul-crushing YET surmountable process of finding an agent.

• Some mid-sized and certainly smaller presses take what's called "unsolicited subscriptions;" or "the slush" - which is as un-complementary as it sounds. There is a specific and similar way to approach both agents and publishing houses, which starts with a query letter.

• I've put together an worksheet for a query letter which the above-post (Yet surmountable) links to. To receive it, subscribe to An Alle Alert and let me know via email. I will send you the worksheet and a sample query letter that garnered me a deal with a mid-sized press—unagented!

Take heart. Every week, I see fellow writers sign with agents.

Many roads up many mountains to your publishing goals.

3. Photos?

Including photos makes for a whole 'nother level of expensive. It depends if your publisher is willing to put that kind of money into the book. (Often called "a title.")

To apply with photos, simply include in your query letter a single sentence: “Personal photos are available.” Place the sentence toward the bottom. Most critical to signing with an agent or publishing house (in order of importance) is:

• your name recognition; and/or

• your potential readership (called your ““platform”)—usually demonstrated by your social media network or speaking schedule; and/or

• your topic: should be broad as well as specific to a marketing demographic. For example, “mountaineering” is a great general topic, easily marketed through promotional partnerships with organizations such as The Mountaineers. Then you need to get specific: “I was the first person living with HIV to summit Everest.” 

Again, take heart. Hold tight to your dream and never give up.