Monday Focus: Avoid this big mistake! Don’t slight the soul of your story.
Your theme is the soul of your story, the element that elevates it from a recitation of facts to a statement. But don’t make this mistake!
Pacing Your Memoir Requires Planning
In almost everything you do in life or in writing, pacing ranks right up there in importance. The tortoise knew how to pace himself and won the race. The hare, on the other hand, needed to view this post before setting out on the race which he eventually lost despite the gift of speed nature […]
Need a Manuscript Review?
Friends and family love your memoir. They say you are an outstanding writer, but you’re not sure. Perhaps you need a manuscript review. See inside.
How to Cut Memoir Text
To ensure that your memoir is a tight one, it will probably be necessary to cut some of your text. Having finished my childhood memoir, French Boy / A 1950s Franco-American Childhood, of course, I have been thinking of all the things that I did not put into the memoir. Some of these omissions, I […]
Is Your Memoir Silenced by the Fear of Insignificance?
Fear of insignificance may be a BIG writer’s block From my own memoir-writing experience and from witnessing the creation experience of memoir writers I have coached, I have found it useful to work with a subcategory of fear as a writing block. Many of us have been silenced by the FEAR OF INSIGNIFICANCE.
Do not waffle in telling the truth
Certainly, the memoir writer has permission “not to waffle,” but there is more that is incumbent on the writer. S/he has the obligation not to waffle. As memoir writers, “not to waffle” means to tell our truth about what happened. This is a must. Over the years, I have been amazed at how I can […]
Is Theme in a Memoir The Driving Force?
How important is theme in a memoir? Theme in a memoir is absolutely important! Here’s is a distinction between a family-focused autobiography and a memoir that, I hope, will help you to appreciate the value and the role of theme in a memoir.
Is theme important in memoir?
Theme influences choices for every element in the story: plot development, characterization, and setting. Is theme important. You bet it is!