Over the past several decades, memoir has undergone a big transformation. Early memoirs were often written by famous people looking back on long careers. The focus was typically on documenting a life. Readers expected a chronological story that began with childhood and then went into their adulthood years where they documented their awesomeness.
The memoir boom of the 1990s and early 2000s changed publishing. Books such as The Liars' Club, Angela's Ashes, The Glass Castle, and Eat, Pray, Love demonstrated that ordinary people could write compelling memoirs that reached large audiences (and could make publishers and the authors big $$$). Publishers discovered that readers were interested unfamous lives.
Today's memoir market is more competitive than ever. Publishers receive thousands of memoir submissions each year, which means a good life story alone is no longer enough. Agents consistently emphasize three factors: voice, narrative structure, and universal relevance. Readers want to experience scenes rather than read summaries. They want vivid characters, dialogue, sensory details, and a strong narrative arc that’s as engaging as a novel.
There has been the move away from chronological storytelling. Many successful contemporary memoirs use fragmented timelines, thematic chapters, or weave research and cultural commentary into their personal experiences. Publishers are interested in memoirs that connect an individual story to a larger conversation happening in society.
Writers should also be aware of topics that are difficult to sell. Agents frequently report seeing large numbers of memoirs focused on addiction, abuse, dysfunctional families, and personal recovery. These subjects are not impossible to publish, but they must offer something fresh, exceptional writing, and a unique angle that distinguishes them from similar books already on the market.
The most marketable memoirs today prove a stranger would care about the story.
If you are shopping around a memoir, consider querying Stephanie Delman at Trellis or Emma Patterson at Brandt & Hochman.
If you are enrolled in my Rebel Memoir course, sign in and see what’s new. If you are haven’t checked out the course yet, and are thinking about writing your story, or have already started but need guidance in some area of the process, take a look inside the course.
Your Independent Bookstore Needs Your Help
James Patterson is giving away a bunch of money to independent bookstores and you can vote on which ones are getting the money! Do you have a local bookstore that should get some of it? I am voting for Studio Moonfall, which I featured in this letter. It only takes 3 minutes to vote! Get your favorite store some of those funds!
