Don’t worry. Creating full, vivid characters does not call for skills beyond those you can develop. The term “stick character” refers to a drawing of a person by someone with no talent who draws lines for body, arms and legs. Stick characters don’t pull your readers in much and they don’t do justice to the people—real in your memoir or fictionalized in your novel—you are writing about. Stick characters compromise your writing. They are often clichés. An Example of Stick Characterization Whether in a memoir, novel, short story or essay, I am always disappointed by writers who say things like: (more…)

In this post, I’m not only going to show you why memoir dialog is important—of course, you know that—but I’m going to lay out some best writing practices to generate memorable and meaningful dialog. You’ll review—or perhaps that’s “learn”— great tips to write better memoir dialog well so keep reading until the end. I’ve got 7 proven pillars for you to make sure are in your writing toolbox. While dialog is an interesting and essential part of an effective memoir, do you really know how much to include and when? Or does your writing slip into conversational blah-blah-blah? Ouch! After (more…)

One of the writing process steps is to linger with your story. Many, and perhaps most, people write too fast. I don’t mean that they end up with a text characterized by sloppy grammar, spelling problems and chronology issues—although that may be the case, of course. No, what I mean is that they push through the process of writing their stories much too quickly. They end up with only a part of the story they could have written had they lingered.—and usually not the best part. So many times in my workshops and in my coaching experience, I have found it easy (more…)

I’m about to tell you something contrary to so much advice you’ve received: don’t give yourself permission to write a first memoir draft that is of poor quality and less than what you want. In this post, I will elaborate on four pillars that will enable you—eventually, of course—to write better than so many writing teachers have encouraged you to do. You will learn to produce at a higher level—that is, at a more polished level—so that 60% to 80% of your first draft will make its way into your final draft. (That’s what I always aim for, and you (more…)

Your theme is the soul of your story, the element that elevates it from a recitation of facts to a statement. Don’t take your theme lightly. Understanding “theme” and its role in your memoir is a core task that will both simplify and clarify your message—i.e., your theme. It calls for your full attention. Your theme is perhaps what has motivated you to start your memoir project. There is likely something you want to say about life—your life. Your theme is also called your message. The theme can be lofty (striving for virtue will bring rewards) or it can be (more…)

How to structure your memoir is today’s Monday Focus topic. Read on to learn how. Your story may begin as a formless collection of vignettes and stories. You may be writing as memories come to you. That is not a bad way to start to write. Spontaneity taps into the unconscious. But, your stories must not remain without an organizing principle. When you structure your memoir, you give it the backbone your readers want and need! Your memoir calls for structure to make as forceful a statement as it can make. Eventually, after you have written awhile, you will likely (more…)

Today is Monday, and it’s a great day to write a bit on your memoir! This must-do memoir-writing task asks: how much do you really know and do you have to tell everything you know? That is the challenge of writing the truth. Memory is often false, flattering, and failing. This makes telling the truth harder than it might have seemed firsthand. ~ You may never have known the truth. From the get-go, you may have been guessing. Guessing is sometimes necessary and has its rightful place in memoir writing but guess as little as possible and as a last (more…)

Today, I am urging you to sit back and enjoy this virtual memoir tour in which I read an excerpt read from my memoir French Boy/A 1950s Franco-American Childhood. Here’s some necessary background: I did not learn English until I went to grade school. My brother had preceded me in school where he had learned to speak English. While this excerpt can be thought of as a cute story, I included it in my memoir because it supports the necessity of bilingual education. This sound pedagogy is too often under attack! My own life was greatly impacted by the thoughtful (more…)

Today’s focus reminds you that your stories take place in some context. This is the setting of your story. There are two general sorts of settings. the physical setting that is tangible the abstract setting that consists of family, culture, and the era, etc. This setting tends to be ethereal. Some of the writers I have worked with failed to appreciate that they grew up in a setting that is different from the one in which other people may have been raised. Perhaps you grew up in a suburb and feel that there is nothing to say about that as (more…)

No stick characters allowed!

By Denis Ledoux

Your characters are the people in your life, don’t write them as “stick characters” in your memoir. Write them clearly and forcefully. (more…)

Write Better Memoir Dialog: 7 Pillars (Proven and Easy to Do!)

By Denis Ledoux

Seven easy, proven techniques to write better memoir dialog. How much dialog do you include and when? Follow these 7 pillars for success. (more…)

Writing Process Steps—Linger With Your Story

By Denis Ledoux

Many, and perhaps most, people write too fast. I don’t mean that they end up with a text characterized by sloppy grammar, spelling problems and chronology issues. No, what I mean is that they push through the process of writing their stories much too quickly. They end up with only a part of the story […]