“Put it before them briefly so they will read it, clearly so they will appreciate it, picturesquely so they will remember it and, above all, accurately so they will be guided by its light.” —Joseph Pulitzer
You’re nearing the finish line on “The Story of You.” Now what?
I’ve met folks who stuffed their handwritten pages in a manila envelope, others who put their typewritten stories into a three-ring binder. My first reaction? HURRAY! You’ve done the heavy lifting of exploring your memories, making meaning from your life experiences, and recording them. That deserves congratulations and a major pat on the back! My second reaction? You’ve done ALL THAT, and this is how your stories end up?
Your stories are a gift for the next generation. Why not present that gift with a little more flair—and respect—than those basic office supplies impart?
Here are three fundamental reasons I think it is important to pay attention to your book’s presentation, including proofreading, typesetting, design, and materials:
1 - Let the reader know you care about them: Proofread.
“No harm is done to history by making it something someone would want to read,” author David McCullough has said. And aside from all the weighty narrative ways you might improve your storytelling—from including dialogue to following the “show, don’t tell” adage—it’s critical to proofread your work to make it as clean as possible.
Typos, misspelled words, and improper grammar are all signs of poor quality—and they make a reader feel like you, the creator, doesn’t care. Think about it: It’s off-putting when you’re reading something and you pause to reflect on a mistake, isn’t it? If you’re putting in the time and effort to pass on your stories, please do so with care. Why not hire a copy editor to review your work before sending it to print? Give your descendants a reading experience they will not only cherish, but truly enjoy.
2 - Entice people to pick up—and read!—your book.
Publishing houses spend a lot of time and money designing book covers so that people will pick them up. You don’t have to do the same—but you should expend thought and energy on designing a cover that does a few essential things:
Your cover image and design, including title and materials, should reflect what’s inside.
Did you ever pick up a book that looks like an easy beach read—you know, a paperback with a feminine illustration in primary colors and bold, script type—only to find it’s something else entirely? Bummer, right? If you’ve written a whimsical account of your childhood, include a nostalgic photo from your youth and a lighthearted title. If you’ve written about your 20 years experience as a leader in your professional field, choose classic typefaces and a timeless cover material such as linen. Make the appearance match the meaning.
Your cover design and title should be enticing.
Invite us in! That’s what I mean by ‘enticing’—make me want to pick up your book and not put it down. If that means brainstorming a dozen titles before picking one, so be it. If that means asking family members which title they prefer, why not? And, of course, choose compelling cover art. Another idea: Write a short blurb on the back jacket of your cover encapsulating your story—consider it a teaser, a little taste for readers of what’s to come. You spent time and plenty of effort writing your stories—do these things to ensure they are read and received. Please.
Pay attention to design inside your book, too.
You’ve gotten them to crack your book open, now convince them to stay a while. Ensure your margins are generous enough (especially your inside margins—nothing is worse than needing to crack the spine of a book to read what’s in the gutter!). Check your type size to find that just-right readability. Add graphic pull quotes and occasional sidebars to give modern readers—who are used to digesting information in bite-sized chunks—multiple entry points into your stories. The less intrusive your design, the more professional your book feels; the more professional your book feels, the more likely it is to be read cover to cover.
3 - Give your stories the respect they deserve.
Your stories—no matter how long or short, no matter how dramatic or straightforward—deserve to be told…and heard. “Yours may be the words that relieve another’s isolation, that open a door to understanding, that influence the course of another’s path,” Tristine Rainer writes in Your Life as Story. “If you write an autobiography for a great-great-grandniece not yet born, perhaps she will find it in her mother’s drawer, and she will be altered, perhaps even saved, through the wisdom you have sent her.”
When you think of your writing as being received thus, it seems to matter more than you may have thought, no? Remember: What you are producing—a record of your legacy—is a gift to the next generation.
Sound reasonable but intimidating?
Remember, you don’t have to do everything yourself (nay, I would argue you shouldn’t). Consider hiring a professional for one or all of these aspects to help you create a book you are proud of. Reach out to one of our members for help editing, designing, and producing your life story book.
So pass on a book that feels special. Maybe print with a bespoke printer; include a curated and captioned selection of photos; or splurge and go with a leather cover. Are you giving a copy of your finished book to multiple family members? Consider handwriting a personal note or dedication on the title page for each of them. Maybe even throw a launch party when your printed books arrive! Do it up!
Dawn Roode, a personal historian based in northern New Jersey, helps individuals, families, and family-run businesses preserve their legacies in bespoke coffee table books.