Accomplished author, editor, and writing coach D. Patrick Miller helps writers take the very first step in creating a personal history: getting clear on why one is writing. "If you can focus your purpose from the start, you will hit fewer snags as you go along, and end up much more satisfied with the result," he explains. Miller reviews three "Poor Motivations" and three "Effective Motivations" for writing a memoir, and provides a set of questions to help authors explore their starting point more effectively.He also explains why the best inspiration for a personal memoir is the paradoxical outlook, "It's not about me."