Making Meaning of Your Memories

Writing a memoir takes time, energy, and courage.

And there will be days when you wonder if it’s worth it.

Days when the words won’t come.
Days when you feel like no one will ever read it.
Days when the doubts get loud.

That’s why every memoir writer needs a ‘why.’

Why Your “Why” Matters

Your “...

Every writer knows the feeling: you finally sit down to write your memoir…and then the voice in your head starts up.

“That sentence sounds terrible.”
 “You used the word ‘remember’ three times—fix it.”
 “No one’s going to want to read this.”

Before you’ve finished the first paragraph, you’re delet...

Here’s one of the biggest reasons why would-be memoir writers stay stuck: They try to sit down and write their entire life story in one go.

No wonder it feels overwhelming. No wonder the cursor blinks on the screen like it’s mocking you.

But here’s the secret: you don’t have to write your whole li...

Two weeks ago, I did something radical.

I unplugged.

Not just from email or social media. I unplugged from my job, my routines, my productivity mindset. I stepped away from the day-to-day demands of being a communications director at a research company and gave myself permission to simply be—to ex...

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, you’re not alone.

Every memoirist I’ve ever worked with has faced fear in some form. Fear of what oth...

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 need your full-time attention, a day job that saps your energy and leaves you too tired to write your tale. We...

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 small book project, and though I had given it my best, I wasn’t confident it would be on par with what other writers s...

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 record our sessions and have them transcribed so we could assemble all the pieces of their life into one full narrative. E...

The hardest part about writing a memoir is getting your first draft done. I know this because I spent about five years tinkering with my first draft. You start with energy and good intentions. You commit to writing every day. But as time goes on, you start to lose focus. What was I trying to write a...

I took a beginning drawing class at a local art store at the start of the year. I love the idea of being able to sketch simple scenes, and I’m a sucker for a fresh set of pencils. Our instructor taught us to create a value scale (a set of squares filled in with each of our pencils to show the variou...

I was sitting at a picnic table, eating food cart pierogies, minding my own business. I wasn’t even thinking about my memoir. Suddenly, a thought intruded out of nowhere: What if people don’t think the trauma I write about in my memoir is that big of a deal?

I put my fork down. That’s it—the thing ...

Embarking on the journey of writing your memoir is a courageous and deeply personal endeavor. As we step into the new year, it's the perfect time to reflect on your experiences and commit to putting pen to paper. Setting specific and achievable writing goals will not only keep you on track but also ...