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…

Without beating on you, let me offer a few writing processes to help you create a flow so you can finish a memoir. While the following are not exactly self-motivation, there have been plenty of times when they have motivated me in the morning.

Action (writing) gets the task done.

Moping, searching for inspiration, or getting a snack: these do not help you to finish a memoir. So …

Sit at the computer and write your memoir! Commit to action. Trying to write is not what it’s about. When your kids were little and their shouts told you something was wrong, did you ask yourself if you wanted to try to go to their rescue or not?

Obviously, they became your focus. Well, it can be the same with writing your memoir. When writing calls you, show up to write. Take it seriously. It is not about your feeling of the moment or even about what you want to say; it is about your commitment to saying it!

Write from a Memory List

It is a total waste when you sit down with time and energy to write if you then flounder asking: “What am I going to write about today?”

I know the following is a repeat, but it’s important. When you have a Memory List (Strategy 3 in the Write to the End course and Chapter 2 in Turning Memories Into Memoirs) and keep it handy, you will never again be at a loss for what to write.

Even the shortest, seemingly inconsequential items on the Memory List will help you write your memoir. Your day’s writing, based on the Memory List, will prove strategic. Won’t it be encouraging to know that you are knocking off a part of a larger task, one that will add up to a memoir? Won’t you feel motivated to know you are advancing your writing goal?

Writing, not “trying to write,” is how you will advance your writing goal, and your Memory List is a prime tool for getting you into your writing quickly, so do make the most of the hard work you’ve already put into the list itself!

Have several stories in progress to finish a memoir more quickly

Look at your “stalled” stories and pick the story or vignette which most speaks to you, compels you to write, or is closest to being a chapter or a part of a chapter. This sort of buffet of options works well for me but may not for a writer who can only work on one thing at a time. Of course, working on one thing at a time is absolutely fine…so long as you are actually working on it! If not, time to put it aside for a moment and move on to something else from the Memory List: your exciting buffet of options.

Remember: everyone can finish a memoir. It takes commitment and right practices.

Good luck and stay in the memoir conversation.

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