Making Meaning of Your Memories

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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....

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...

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...

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...

“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...

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...