When you sit down to write your memoirs, you may wonder whether to use photos. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words, right? While that may be true, some important things to consider before including photos in your memoirs. In this blog post, we’ll explore the pros and cons of using pictures in your memoirs so that you can make an informed decision about what’s right for you. As a memoir writer, you have the unique opportunity to not only recount your memories but also to physically document them with photographs. Here are a few reasons photos can be vital to your writing.
The Pros of Using Photos in Your Memoirs
1. Photos Can Help to jog Your Memory
If you’re having trouble remembering specific details about a particular event in your life, looking at a photo from that period can help to jog your memory. This can be especially helpful if you’re writing about a time from childhood or adolescence when memories can be more challenging to recall.
2. Photos can provide a context for your story.
Besides helping you remember specific details, photos can also provide a context for the events you’re writing about. For example, if you’re writing about a European trip, a photo of you in front of the Eiffel Tower would provide some much-needed context for your reader.
3. Photos Can Help You Visualise Your Story
This can be helpful in writing and editing your memoir, as it can give you a better sense of your story and the overall flow and structure.
4. Photos Can Help to Bring Your Stories to Life
Let’s face it: words alone can sometimes be boring. Including photos in your memoir can also help to bring your stories to life for your readers. Seeing a photo of the house you grew up in, or the dress you wore to your high school prom, can help your readers to better visualise the scenes from your life that you’re describing.
5. Photos Can Help You Connect with Your Readers
If you include photos in your memoir, it’s likely because they hold some emotional significance for you. And suppose they have emotional meaning for you. In that case, there’s a good chance they’ll also hold emotional significance for your readers. Including photos can help you connect with your readers more personally and create a stronger emotional connection between you.
6. Photographs can also serve as their own standalone storytellers.
By capturing a moment in time, they can tell a unique and exciting story that engages the viewer. When done well, photographs can transport the viewer to another place and time and leave them with a lasting impression. When used with your written words, they can help to paint a complete picture (literally) of the past for your readers. They can show a moment that speaks to the reader/viewer. A well-told photograph can stand independently, regardless of who is in it.
7. Capture the mood, feel, and importance of an event
A well-chosen photo can capture the feeling or mood of an event far better than words ever could. If you’re struggling to describe a particular moment in your memoirs, including a photo can do the job for you.
The Cons of Using Photos in Your Memoirs
1. Not All Stories Need Photos
While including photos in your memoir can be helpful, it’s important to remember that not all stories need photos. Adding a photo can take away from the story you’re trying to tell. If a particular story doesn’t benefit from including a photo, it’s best to leave it out.
2. You May Not Have Access to Photos
Another potential downside of using photos in your memoir is that you may not always have access to the photos you want to include. For example, suppose you’re writing about childhood memories. In that case, you may not have any pictures from that time if they were lost or destroyed over the years.
3. Some Stories Are Better Told Without Photos
Sometimes, using a photo can actually make a story less potent than it would be without one. For example, if you’re writing about a challenging experience such as the death of a loved one, adding a photo of the person who died can be too painful for some readers. It may take away from the emotional impact of your story.
4. Including Too Many Photos Can Be Overwhelming for Readers
If you choose to include photos in your memoir, it’s important not to go overboard. One or two photos per chapter are plenty. Any more than that, your readers may feel overwhelmed by all the visuals and lose track of the story you’re trying to tell.
5. Not everyone shares your memories.
While looking at photos can help jog your own memories, not everyone who reads your memoir will have the same memories as you do. In fact, some readers may find that looking at photos makes it harder for them to follow along with your story.
6. Photos can be distracting.
Another downside of photos in your memoir is that they can distract readers. Suppose a picture is placed in the middle of a particularly gripping scene. In that case, it could disrupt the flow of the story and cause readers to lose interest.
7. Copyright
Do you own the copyright to the photo (or if there are other people in the photo), you could be sued for infringement. To avoid this potential issue, only use photos that you have taken yourself or that are public domain
8. Space
Another potential downside to using photos is that they can take up a lot of space. If you’re self-publishing your memoirs, this could increase printing costs. Finally, depending on how you’re self-publishing your memoirs (e.g., as an eBook), it may be challenging to format images correctly.
9. Con: Photos Can Be Misleading
Another potential downside of using photos in your memoir is that they can be misleading. A photo can only capture one moment in time, and it’s often impossible to know what was happening outside of that frame. A photo can give your readers a false impression of what was happening when it was taken, which could ultimately distort their understanding of your story.
10. Photos Can Be Emotionally Charged
Looking at specific photos can bring up old emotions and memories that might not apply to the story you’re trying to tell. This can be distracting and overwhelming for you as the writer and your readers.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are both pros and cons to using photos in your memoirs. Ultimately, the decision is yours based on what’s important to you and what will work best for your particular story. If you decide to use photos, just be sure to protect yourself from copyright infringement claims by only using images that you have taken or that are public domain. If you’re thinking of incorporating photos into your writing, keep the above points in mind—and have fun! Photographs can be a powerful addition to any memoir when used thoughtfully and correctly.
All the images used in this blog post have come from pixabay.
I must admit from the start that this month’s review is of a very old TV show. However, is now available as a podcast, so it fits within my remit. Well, that is my excuse, and I will stick with it.
What am I talking about? Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister is the funniest political show ever written. Why did I listen to this? I hear you say. Politics can be tedious and boring, but the last few months have given us a lot of entertainment. With the current political upheaval we have all gone through. The months of Boris going, staying, telling his truth. Then of course the leadership battle, I wanted something a little lighter to listen to.
Yes Minister, Yes Prime Minister
What I found more interesting is how many issues the show discusses in each episode that is still relevant to our current political landscape. My favourite phrase from the show, which was created in 1980 and ran until 1984, is “We will learn from this and move on” – sound familiar? Can I suggest to our current batch of politicians that they listen to this series of shows, learn the lessons, and let us actually move on?
For those that have not heard of the show or forgotten it. Yes, Minister and Yes Prime Minister is a political comedy show. Described by Mrs Thatcher as the best and most accurate TV show on the air. The show takes a light-hearted view of the bureaucratic red tape that most governments must adhere to.
What is Yes Minister about?
Jim Hacker is a politician. His major concern is the next election. Then how will he look on TV? What have the papers printed? Will the radio have a good soundbite? Jim may run his government department however he likes unless he has a plan, strategy or idea that will disrupt the smooth running of the civil service, which is all the time. (Sound familiar?) Then there is Sir Humphrey Appleby, the Civil Servants, his private secretary, who is there to guide and support him. Still, sounding familiar?
The episode where the old prime minister is being ousted from the role and the civil servants are trying to decide who should be the next PM is priceless. I am not sure why Boris or Liz are coming to mind. But the Civil Servants are after a politician that will take advice and instruction and can be helped to see events from their perspective. The leaking of information was used as a weapon to control and manipulate Jim and Sir Humphrey, depending on who leaked the information. Indeed, Tony Blair even stated that the only time he had a conversation when he was PM and was confident the information would never get leaked to the press was when he would speak to the late Queen.
My Thoughts on Yes Minister
The show is a masterpiece of humorous, intelligent quips. They are fast, and you have to keep your eye or ears open for them. If you are looking for a bit of political light relief from the dry political landscape we live in today, listen to these episodes; you won’t be disappointed
“Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the war between the Windsors.” by Tom Bower
I think this book is so very sad. It’s sad because a family is being torn apart. It’s sad because a British institution is being attacked. And it’s sad because a nation is being divided into those who believe the Sussex’s truth and those who believe the crown. I am talking about the book “Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the war between the Windsors”.
I will not give you my opinion on who I believe or who I think through the first stone.
Revenge – Two schools of thought
There are two schools of thought. The first is that a very strong-willed and determined American woman decided that she wanted to meet a wealthy English man. There was an introduction to a wealthy English man who was weak and broken. Alternatively, a man in his 30s married an American actress and decided he didn’t want to work in the family business. Together they have made a life and left the country. What is wrong with that?
Now the story gets interesting because the man and woman (Prince Harry and Meghan Markle) have court publicity about their lives as members of the British monarchy, sued newspapers, sued the British government, and have been caught telling tales out of school (various court cases prove this).
Meghan has been a determined woman to become an actress since she attended a red-carpet event at 17. We learn how hard she worked to become an actress and the work involved in getting her website up and running and getting millions of followers to become a lifestyle influencer. She wants to become a humanitarian and is always looking for the next financial project. What’s wrong with that?
Leaving
Prince Harry was unhappy at home and didn’t want to work ‘In the Firm’. He wanted a family of his own. Now he needs to protect and support his family. Is there anything wrong with that?
It is an easy book to read and will interest many who support and don’t support Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. It is important to remember that the author does not appear to like either of them. Therefore, many of the stories are detrimental.
The public has a fascination with the lives of these two individuals. I don’t think the book is an unbiased portrait of Meghan Markle. The author wanted to find issues and inappropriate behaviour, precisely what he saw. If the author wished for an alternative view, they would have found and reported on different stories.
This month’s review is a podcast by Rachel Johnson entitled “Difficult Women”. A name inspired by Ken Clarke’s description of Theresa May as “being a bloody difficult woman”. In this podcast, the journalist, presenter, and writer speak to various influential and successful women in their industry. Johnson discusses the title they have been as “being a difficult woman”? A term typically applied to women by men, or are they, in fact, just passionate and determined?
The podcast style is very much interview/conversation with the added bonus that the women are able to answer the question. It is obvious some of the interviewees are friends with Johnson, or they socialise in the same circles. The opening podcast is with Lady Brenda Hale, who in 2004 was the only woman appointed as a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary. Then in 2017, she served as the President of the UK Supreme Court. She is now a member of the House of Lords.
Criticism – Well, there would be!!
There has been criticism of the podcast in that, so far, the women are all middle-class with middle-class views. What is wrong with that? Being a middle-class woman with views and opinions is not a crime. In the interview with Sasha Swire, Swire discusses how the wives of some politicians express their political views. They are then regarded as an object of fun with views that are unimportant.
If you listen to the stories, some of the women interviewed had to work hard from poor backgrounds and carve out a career for themselves. The significant takeaway is that education is a great advantage. Whether you went to grammar school or secondary school and then worked your way through the education system, you must take a risk, fight the ‘Old Boy Network’ and at times fight prejudice and discrimination.
I have enjoyed these podcasts, and if you want to listen to Sarah Vine, Baroness Joan Bakewell, and Prue Leith discuss the differences, barriers, and discrimination they had to overcome, this podcast will be for you. Leave your political view of her brother aside, your idea of what a middle-class woman should be and listen to the inspirational stories of these exceptional women at the top of their field.
This month’s book review is that of Matt Lucas, from the Little Britain fame. However, his autobiography ‘Little Me’ is much more than his little Britain characters. The book is more like a chat with a close friend and simultaneously humorous, honest and sad.
Matt Lucas – An ordinary bloke
Matt grew up in an ordinary Jewish family where nothing happened in his life. His family loved him, they supported him, and he loved them. There were visits to his grandparents, his cousin, and everyday family life. He was the school clown, worked hard to establish his career, and became a versatile entertainer. He will always be remembered for his character Vicky Pollard. His career is much more. Singer on Les Miserables, author, storyteller and an actor on Doctor Who, to name a few of his jobs. To be honest, he came across as a nice guy.
The book has taken the guise of an A-Z listing of what has happened in his life. As he states at the beginning of the book, “we will jump around a bit, and I will discuss nothing romantic or give you any details of my love life”. There is a brief paragraph on his husband, and then it’s left there. How refreshing, a celebrity that has morals and wants to keep some of his life private. The book is about his family, his feelings, some of his views and coming to terms with his sexuality. There was some gossip about famous people, and everything was written from his perspective.
He discusses losing his hair early in his life, meeting David Walliams, and working as a duo. His chapter on fame is amusing. You are left feeling that more people should recognise him, ask for his autograph, and feel sad when they don’t.
My Opinion on Matt Lucas
Photo from The Movie Database (TMDB)
I loved the book. He was honest, open, and entertaining. You don’t have to be a Matt Lucas fan to enjoy this book. If you are thinking about a life in comedy, then reading this to find out how hard it is and how much work you must go through to become famous is fascinating. He also discusses things he would rather we didn’t know about, but only in passing. There are some regrets, but not many.
The only thing I would have changed was that he criticises himself and puts himself down a lot, which is unnecessary. Give this book a go, it won’t set the world on fire, but sometimes you want a book to be good, enjoyable and put it down and think, well, I read that and know a little more about him. Available on amazon, audible and other bookshops.
