Making Meaning of Your Memories

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

Choosing the Right Tense and POV for Your Memoir writing tips Feb 08, 2025

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 story is experienced: verb tense and point of view (POV). These decisions may seem small, but they profo...

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How to Show, Not Tell: 5 Scene Writing Tips for Memoir Writers memoirs writing tips Jan 13, 2025

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 “showing” rather than “telling” their most powerful memories. This requires a careful balance of authenti...

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Finish Strong: 10 Year-End Tasks for Memoir Writers memoirs productivity Dec 18, 2024

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 draft, refine your manuscript, or simply organize your writing materials, the final weeks of the year ...

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Unwrapping Christmas Memories memoirs memories Dec 04, 2024

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 reading his timeless classic, A Child’s Christmas in Wales. (You can listen to a different narrator'...

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How Your Story Shaped You: 3 Exercises to Discover Your Transformation Journey memoirs memories writing tips Nov 23, 2024

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 the past, but to understand it, learn from it, and share our hard-won wisdom with others.

Marion Roa...

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8 Essential Tips to Conquer the 30-Day Memoir Writing Challenge memoirs productivity Oct 31, 2024

If you’re gearing up for a writing sprint like my 30-day memoir writing challenge, preparation can be the key to making the most of your dedicated writing sprint. Whether you're just getting started on a memoir or picking up where you left off on your book, here are eight essential tips to help you ...

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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 story arc of your life. Understanding the narrative of your experiences can provide the foundation you ne...

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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. While these genres both involve writing about one's life, they differ significantly in focus and approach. L...

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First Draft to Finished Manuscript: A Breakdown of the Memoir Writing Process–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 offered a snapshot of what to expect for your first and second drafts, and the key objectives of these phases in t...

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First Draft to Finished Manuscript: A Breakdown of the Memoir Writing Process–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 of a published bestseller drive your word count.

Then reality sets in. You stare at the screen wondering wha...

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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 that shapes the narrative, ensuring coherence and focus throughout the writing process.

Crafting a clear an...

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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 people crammed around the dinner table, vying for space in front of the basement TV, battling over whose tur...

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