Making MeaningĀ of Your Memories

Practical tips and insights to uncover and write about the memories that have shaped your life.

Discovering the Story Arc of Your Life getting started memoirs memories Aug 22, 2024

Every life is a story waiting to be told. Whether you're a seasoned writer or just starting to explore the idea of documenting your life, one of the most powerful ways to begin is by mapping the...

Continue Reading...
Autobiography or Memoir: How to Pick the Best Genre for Your Story getting started memoirs Aug 04, 2024

Do you have an idea for a book you want to write about your life? Before you begin, it's essential to determine which type of personal narrative suits your story best—autobiography or memoir....

Continue Reading...
First Draft to Finished Manuscript: A Breakdown of the Memoir Writing Processā€“Part 2 getting started memoirs writing tips Jun 19, 2024

Writers often underestimate the number of drafts they’ll need to write, edit, and rewrite to get them from their first draft to a fully formed manuscript. In Part 1 of this blog post, I...

Continue Reading...
First Draft to Finished Manuscript: A Breakdown of the Memoir Writing Processā€“Part 1 getting started memoirs writing tips Jun 09, 2024

Writers commonly underestimate the effort required to complete a book. You get inspired to write about your life, then sit down and start pecking at the keys, letting your passion and vision...

Continue Reading...
How to Write a Powerful Premise for Your Memoir memoirs writing tips May 30, 2024

A premise is the foundational idea or central theme that drives your memoir—a single sentence that captures the essence of the story you want to tell. Your premise serves as the guiding light...

Continue Reading...
Where You Began: Untangling Your Motherā€™s Impact on Your Story memoirs memories May 09, 2024

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...

Continue Reading...
Unlocking the Past: Using Writing Prompts to Activate Your Memories memoirs memories writing tips Apr 18, 2024

My brother and his wife bought the childhood home where my five siblings and I grew up. Whenever I visit, I feel a flood of memories. I can visualize life in our modest-sized house with eight...

Continue Reading...
5 Tips to Boost Your Memoir Writing Progress memoir mindset memoirs productivity Apr 04, 2024

Everyone who embarks on a journey to write their memoir inevitably hits a wall. You have a dream of telling a slice of your life story, but you meet resistance—a too-full calendar, kids who...

Continue Reading...
Break Through Busyness and Write Your Memoir memoirs productivity writing tips Mar 21, 2024

Many people worry they don't have enough time to write a memoir. Life is busy and finding time to write can be challenging. However, writing a memoir doesn't have to be a full-time job. Even if you...

Continue Reading...
Too Paralyzed to Publish? How to Overcome ā€˜Sendā€™ Syndrome memoir mindset memoirs Mar 14, 2024

My index finger hovered over the ‘send’ button for several seconds. I rechecked my document one more time. Was it good enough to ship off to my editor? This was the first draft of a...

Continue Reading...
Clockwork Creativity: What's Your Optimal Writing Time? memoirs productivity Mar 07, 2024

Several years ago, I trained for my first marathon. I wasn’t a runner when I signed up for my first race, so I spent months following a training plan to literally get me up to speed.

I hated...

Continue Reading...
When Telling Your Truth Means Telling on Others memoir mindset memoirs Feb 25, 2024

Last year I was working on a memoir project with a client. Every couple of weeks we’d meet to discuss various aspects of their life related to the story they wanted to tell. I’d...

Continue Reading...
1 2 3 4 5
Ā 
Ā 

Join the #1 newsletter to learn how to shape the stories that have shaped your life.

You're safe with me. I'll never spam you or sell your contact info.