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All of us struggle to some extent to produce writing content that will finish a memoir. Writing is often difficult. It takes time and energy—both of which the laws of entropy suggest we ought to preserve as they are constantly being diminished.

We find many compelling and valid reasons not to write: “the house is a mess”; “I ought to go to the gym while there aren’t many people there”; “my sister and I haven’t talked in a long time.”

Of course, all of these reasons are valid but, ultimately, they are all excuses. So… (more…)

Writing prompts lead to nothing

As readers of the blog know, I’m not a great fan of using a writing prompt. Sure, they get you to writing something and many will insist, “Writing something is better than writing nothing…”

Well, I’m not so sure of that. Writing should matter. It’s hard work, and life is short. What’s better than nothing about writing some text on “the most fun things I did this summer?” as we sometimes had to in school. (No wonder we did not learn to write while in that context!)

Writing from insipid prompts is not much better than writing nothing—not if you are someone who is interested in writing “from the inside out” as I hope all readers of this newsletter are. (more…)

Memory recall, or recalling the details of our life stories, can be a challenge. Devising a Memory List (pg. 41 of Turning Memories Into Memoirs) is the first best thing you can do, but if you want additional ideas, here are five memory recall tips for remembering more than you might have thought possible. (more…)

Vignettes, scenes and dialogues are at the core of any memoir—your memoir. So how do you write them? How do you fit them into a story? Let’s explore how we can string those short pieces into a story.

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When you are writing a memoir, you are engaging in a psychic process of re-creating and articulating a statement of a personal myth. Here we will explore how myths can be a wonderful experience in teaching us this process. (more…)

Is choosing the right word really important in writing a memoir?

“The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug.” —Mark Twain

Lightning dazzles the eye. The sky is split open. Sometimes it makes our hair stand on end. A lightning bug, on the other hand, is a small, friendly flicker in our backyards, not enough light to illuminate even the smallest corner. (more…)

Successful stories are full of sensory details (colors, shapes, textures, smells, sounds, flavors. When your stories portray a vivid world (“three sweet-scented roses”) rather than a vague one (“some nice flowers”), you make it easier for readers to take the leap of faith into the world of your writing.

Abstraction kills a story

If your story has abstract and vague wording like “After a while, absence from home made fidelity difficult for him and he committed adultery…,” your readers will be less interested in (and less swayed by) what you have to say than if your narration is filled with concrete details. (more…)

You can benefit from easier and quicker writing by adapting appropriate habits of composition. Here are four habits for writing your first draft quickly. You would do well to put them into practice. They are easy to implement and the rewards are significant. (more…)

If you need help stimulating your small business, it may be worth writing an info book on the product(s) you provide. There are many reasons an independent professional ought to write a non-fiction book that purports to tell the client how to do the very service or product that your company provides. (more…)

writing prompt

Use this instead of a writing prompt…

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As readers of the blog know, I’m not a great fan of using a writing prompt. Sure, they get you to writing something and many will insist, “Writing something is better than writing nothing…” (more…)

memory recall

5 Memory Recall Tips

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Recalling the details of our life stories can be a challenge. Devising a Memory List is the first best thing you can do, but if you want additional ideas, here are five memory recall tips for remembering more than you might have thought possible. (more…)

scenes and dialogue

Vignettes, scenes, and dialogues

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Vignettes, scenes and dialogues are at the core of any memoir—your memoir. So how do you write them? How do you fit them into a story? Let’s explore how we can string those short pieces into a story. (more…)

family myths

Writing A Memoir Is a Statement of a Personal Myth

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Myths are stories that explain psychic processes. When you are writing a memoir, you are engaging in a profound psychic process of re-creating a personal myth. It is a wonderful experience but let the myths enlighten you as to the price you will have to pay. (more…)

right word

Word Lightning: the Right Word Will Dazzle Your Memoir’s Reader

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Is choosing the right word really important in writing a memoir? “The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug.” —Mark Twain Lightning dazzles the eye. The sky is split open. Sometimes it makes our hair stand on end. A lightning bug, on the […]

sensory details

Why Sensory Details Bring A Memoir To Life

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Successful stories are full of sensory details (colors, shapes, textures, smells, sounds, flavors. When your stories portray a vivid world (“three sweet-scented roses”) rather than a vague one (“some nice flowers”), you make it easier for readers to take the leap of faith into the world of your writing. (more…)

quicker writing

4 Tips For Easier, Quicker Writing

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You can benefit from easier and quicker writing by adapting appropriate habits of composition. Here are four habits for quicker writing of your first draft that you would do well to learn. They are easy to implement and the rewards are significant. (more…)

info book

Write an Info Book to Grow Your Solo-Preneur Or Memoir Business

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If you need help stimulating your small business, it may be worth writing an info book on the product(s) you provide. There are many reasons an independent professional ought to write a non-fiction book that purports to tell the client how to do the very service or product that your company provides. (more…)