3 Ways to Grow as a Memoir Writer
May 10, 2022
If you live in a place where you experience the four seasons, you likely notice a change in your mindset and energy level when there’s a change in temperature and weather patterns. I definitely feel a shift in my creativity with each change of season.
I live in Chicago, and though spring technically started a couple of months ago, today is the first day it actually felt like spring. With the burst of hotter temperatures, tulips finally popped open, cherry blossoms are in bloom, and leaves are sprouting on all the trees. As I rode my bike along the lakefront and reveled in the first scent of freshly cut grass, I reflected on the new growth I’d like to see in myself as a memoir writer. Here are three ways you may wish to grow too:
- Read more memoirs. Every year I have an overall goal for the number of books I want to read in a year. This year, I’m striving to finish 12 books. Of the five I’ve read so far, two have been memoirs—Crying in H Mart and Beautiful Country. (I enjoyed both of these books and recommend adding them to your reading list!) I’m a believer that the more you read, the better a writer you become. So one fun way to grow as a memoir writer is simply to read more memoirs! Plus, it’s not too soon to create your summer reading list.
- Learn more about the craft of memoir writing. I love podcasts, and my new favorite show to listen to is Ronit Plank’s Let’s Talk Memoir. In every episode, she interviews memoir writers on a range of key topics you'll want to learn about. Add it to your podcast playlist today! I also love reading books about memoir writing. I plan to re-read Mary Karr’s The Art of Memoir and Marion Roach Smith’s The Memoir Project on two upcoming trips I'll be taking. They’re both loaded with great tips and insights and are the perfect read for a three- to four-hour flight.
- Write more of your memoir. The biggest obstacle to growing as a writer is actually making time to write. I schedule my writing time on my daily planner the same way I do other important meetings. If you need a little nudge to write more, here’s a free writing progress tracker you can download and print to hold yourself accountable for writing regularly. And if you’re like me and sometimes fall off the writing wagon, why not let what’s left of this spring be your season to get writing again? Here are some practical ways to restart your writing routine.
What are your writing goals this year? Does the spring season spur on a desire to grow for you too? Share in the comments where you want to grow as a writer.