Making Meaning of Your Memories

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

Start with a Strong Premise: The First Step to Writing a Compelling Memoir getting started memoir memoirs writing tips May 16, 2025

Before you start writing your memoir, there’s one crucial decision to make that will shape everything else: your premise.

A premise is more than just the summary of your story. It’s the "big idea" th...

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From Journal to Memoir: How Daily Writing Can Shape Your Life Story memoir memoirs writing tips May 09, 2025

If you’ve ever scribbled thoughts into a notebook after a long day or jotted down a vivid dream before it faded, you’ve already begun the practice that many memoir writers swear by: journaling. I’ve b...

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Where You Began: Untangling Your Mother’s Impact on Your Story memoirs memories May 05, 2025

“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 read them. Mothers are the...

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Spring Cleaning for Writers: 5 Ways to Organize Your Memoir Project memoir memoirs organization tips Apr 22, 2025

There’s something about spring—maybe it’s the longer days or the fresh breeze through open windows—that makes us want to tidy up. But spring cleaning isn’t just for your closet or kitchen. If you're w...

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Feeling Scattered in Your Writing Life? Here’s One Way to Get Back on Track memoir memoirs organization tips productivity Apr 03, 2025

You know the feeling.

You're standing in a room full of half-unpacked boxes, random objects scattered everywhere—a lamp on the floor, papers in piles, a chair draped in laundry, and zero idea where y...

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Facing Your Writer Fears memoir mindset memoirs Feb 25, 2025

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, yo...

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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 “show...

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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 dr...

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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 ...

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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 t...

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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 o...

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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...

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