A major obstacle you may face when prodded to devote yourself to “improving your writing” as you contemplate writing a memoir is that you, as do most people, know how to write.

By “know how to write,” I don’t mean to convey people know how to compose a long-form literary work but that they know how to write shopping lists, enotes, social media posts and sometimes even letters.

Most people in the Western World know how to write—that is, to string words together in a semi-legible and semi-literate manner. Unfortunately, we use the same word for the process of composing a memoir.

But, writing a memoir calls for more than spelling and grammar. It calls for the ability, generated by discipline, to both manage one’s reactions to writing—what some people call the “inner game”—and to handle the requirements of writing’s best practices—the “outer game.”

Both are necessary to improving your writing.

Best writing practices

In this category I am presenting best writing practices of the outer game of writing.

Of course, there is clearly a factor of “inspiration” of some sort in mot successful pieces of writing, but I am wary of emphasizing inspiration, which too many people believe is the key to a successful piece of writing, as it is different from enthusiasm.

Most of us start to write with some enthusiasm. That is great. However, what will ultimately sustain your writing and make improving your writing possible, is knowledge and skill of best writing practices.

By best practices, I refer to techniques used by writers to steer and enhance reader reaction and to keep the reader reading.

In conclusion

Work on improving your writing. The posts below—as all the posts on this blog—will help you to do just that.

Find here many tips and theories about improving your craft. You will learn much to make your memoir more meaningful and more interesting.

Your memoir and your readers will thank you.