How to Write a Memoir
Memoir writers often have a problem deciding which events of their life to write about. One of the basics of writing is that characters reveal themselves under stress. Think about a time you had difficulty sleeping at night because you were worried or a time when you were nervous about a situation. These things reveal a lot about you. How you react to these stresses reveals even more. Set your timer for ten minutes and write about a time you were in a tight spot. How did you handle it? Try to think of as many details as possible. Your final version of the story may not include all of them, but the visualization of the moment will help you to write vividly. Do you bite your nails when nervous? Twirl your hair? Drum your fingers on the table? Spill it all out onto...
Read MoreEdit, Edit, Edit
In the last few months, I have been freelance editing for some talented authors. I consider it an honor to be trusted with some one’s work and love to dig into the story. I can’t stress enough the importance of having your work edited before it goes to print, especially if you are self-publishing. It doesn’t matter how good you are at spelling, grammar and punctuation, as writers, we all skim over our own mistakes, seeing what should be there instead of what is actually on the page. I love to work on first pages. Right now, I’ve got one of my clients jumping through hoops to get his first pages perfect. It’s going to make a huge difference to his readers. I also corrected some annoying punctuation habits, deleted some of the ending...
Read MoreShimmering Images
If you have taken a writing class from me, you’ve probably heard me sing the praises of Lisa Dale Norton’s book, Shimmering Images. Lisa’s books is the easiest, most understandable text I have found on the craft of writing memoir. Lisa is having a live Authorchat with her readers on Thursday night. Here’s the link so you can join in: Lisa Dale Norton will answer questions about her book Shimmering Images and writing memoir in her first live Authorchat on Thursday, Nov. 10, 8 p.m. EST/5 p.m. PST: http://t.wbx.me/gb45q. I’m not exactly sure what an Authorchat is, but I’ll be listening in, hoping to pick up a bit of wisdom from this great teacher.
Read MoreWrite a six-word memoir
Here is a challenge for you! The Six-Word Memoir Project is accepting submissions now and Oprah will publish winners in her magazine (if you submit through her website). NOTE: a hyphened word is considered one word (i.e. make-up, multi-cracked). Below are some of the winning entries: Best Imagery: “Inherited Mom’s zest and Dad’s lemons.” -wayword_angel Toughest Narrative Arc: “Make-up on arms; something to hide.” -ElectricPirate Best Imagery: “Multi-cracked heart in need of tourniquet.”-LucidDreamer Headiest Journey: “Chosen for something. Not sure what….” – London Adam, Best Backstory: “Only artists under 30 need apply” – marymc Most Self-Aware: “Must. Stop. Taking. My. Own. Picture.” -Ells from SMITHTeens. If you would like to submit your...
Read MoreEeny, meeny, miny, moe
Decoding the language of writing can be difficult. As a beginning writer, I remember playing the eeny, meeny, miny, moe game as I tried to decipher which contest was best suited for my work. Was my piece memoir? Essay? Short story? The lines are blurred, but I have come up with a few definitions which might help you. FICTION is a made-up story and NONFICTION is a true story. MEMOIR is a longer work of nonfiction told from the perspective of the author, using the “I” voice. A memoir covers a certain period of time, such as your teenage years, or the empty-nest years. A memoir may also tell the story of an experiece, such as your years as a nurse during the Vietnam War. It is not a BIOGRAPHY, which is a story from birth to present or death. A shorter...
Read MoreWrite a Short Memoir Piece and Submit!
Hi All, For those of you who write short memoir pieces (1200 words or less), Thin Threads is accepting submissions. Here’s the link: http://www.thinthreads.com/submit.php They pay $100. You can view a list of story themes at the above link. Good luck!
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