I’d say being truly honest in assessing oneself, and putting the facts of one’s life out there in a way that could invite ridicule.

For example, recently I’ve been writing about the events leading up to and following my divorce, as my wife said some harsh and hurtful things — but there was some truth in the comments.

The comments deserved to be published, despite that readers of my book may laugh at me. They also will laugh at my May-December relationship with the au pair, whom I’d bought a pink laptop; 2-carat diamond stud earrings; an iPod; a rare, collectible edition of “Kama Sutra”; Prada bags, and a semester of college education for before she took off for her native Poland, apparently to marry a local yokel in her small village, and she can’t even send me an e-mail “thank you” or even a “Dear John” letter. This book I’m finishing is far from being good PR for me!

Are you honest with yourself and willing to do the soul-searching necessary to write a decent memoir?