Making Meaning of Your Memories

Before you start writing your memoir, there’s one crucial decision to make that will shape everything else: your premise.

A premise is more than just the summary of your story. It’s the "big idea" th...

If you’ve ever scribbled thoughts into a notebook after a long day or jotted down a vivid dream before it faded, you’ve already begun the practice that many memoir writers swear by: journaling. I’ve b...

“A mother is always the beginning. She is how things begin.” Amy Tan wrote these lines in her novel, The Bonesetter’s Daughter, and they’ve haunted me since the first time I read them. Mothers are the...

There’s something about spring—maybe it’s the longer days or the fresh breeze through open windows—that makes us want to tidy up. But spring cleaning isn’t just for your closet or kitchen. If you're w...

Writing about your faith for the first time can feel like standing on the edge of something tender and holy. You have a story—a moment of awakening, a stretch of wilderness, a quiet transformation—and...

You know the feeling.

You're standing in a room full of half-unpacked boxes, random objects scattered everywhere—a lamp on the floor, papers in piles, a chair draped in laundry, and zero idea where y...

Writing a memoir is one of the most courageous things you can do. You’re not just telling a story—you’re telling your story, with all its raw, messy, beautiful truths. And if that feels terrifying, yo...

When you sit down to write your memoir, you’re not just telling a story—you’re inviting readers into your life. How you frame that invitation matters, and two critical choices will shape how your stor...

Writing a memoir is about more than recounting memories; it’s about bringing readers into your world and letting them experience your pivotal moments firsthand. Many memoir writers struggle with “show...

As the year draws to a close, it's the perfect time to reflect on your memoir-writing journey and take intentional steps to wrap up 2024 on a high note. Whether you're aiming to complete your first dr...

When I was in college, my Aunt Ruth and Uncle Glen invited me for a fireside dinner in their living room every year at Christmastime. We’d eat by candlelight and listen to a recording of Dylan Thomas ...

Memoir writing is more than recounting events; it’s about uncovering the deeper truths of how those events shaped you. As memoirists, we dig through the raw material of our lives, not just to relive t...