Popular family memoirs often begin with a discussion of an object that hold memories, by describing what sets your and your family apart, with a recitation of family facts, and by talking about the thing that has loomed so very large in your family’s life. A look at these techniques, with examples.

Most standard publishers will not look at your manuscript unless an agent sends it in. These 35 publishers will, so you can send to them on your own. Here’s a listing, complete with links to the sites and descriptions of what they are looking for.

Figuring out self-publishing royalties can be surprisingly complex. It depends on several factors, including type of book sold (softcover, e-book, etc.), the size of the book, and the sales channel in which it was sold. A look at how these royalties are calculated, with explanations from the contracts of iUniverse, Xlibris, and WingSpan Press.

As a general rule, you retain the rights to your book when you self-publish. But "general rules" can be bent this way and that, so it pays to read the self-publishing contract very carefully. Here are links to several self-publishing contracts, along with a discussion of some items to look for.