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Posts tagged ‘memoir’

Mar 19

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Writing exercises to help you go deeper

The other day, I was thinking about the types of memoirs I enjoy reading and what it is about them that sets them apart. Mostly, they were memoirs, such as Autobiography of a Face by Lucy Grealy, that weren’t just, “this happened to me,” type of stories.

The strongest memoirs are stories that show us how the person’s circumstances changed them. They answer the question, “What did I learn from my experience and how did I grow from this experience?”

I designed a couple of writing prompts based on my thoughts about memoir and decided they would be good prompts to ask of the protagonist in my fantasy novel as well. I uncovered some interesting material for my story. Read more

Dec 28

Get a burst of writing energy from three of my favorite posts

One of my favorite things about writing this blog is how much I learn from it. As the year winds down, I thought I’d share several posts that were particularly energizing.

I discovered an interview online that led me to write, Improve your writing craft with this assignment from author Ray Bradbury. I’ve amped up my reading practice due to his advice. Read more

Dec 12

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Give the gift of your writing

As a writer, it’s within your power to give a one-of-a-kind present: The gift of your words.

If you’re searching for a special gift for a friend or relative, consider the gift of a poem, essay, or heartfelt letter.

Imagine one of your poems artfully written in beautiful script and framed.

Children can create gifts of writing too by writing an autobiography from their perspective, no matter what their age.

Here are a few tips to spark a piece of writing: Read more

Jun 19

Use literary allusion to add depth to your stories

In my quest to become a better writer, I read to see how other authors accomplish their creative objectives.

In The Mother Knot: A Memoir, author Kathryn Harrison used Biblical imagery — literary allusion — to deepen the meaning of her memoir’s theme of forgiveness. She believed her mother’s soul was a destructive force in her life and was so consumed by it that she suffered from anxiety, depression, and anorexia.

Whether you write fiction or nonfiction, using this literary tool can give your work added meaning. Referring to another piece of literature, a cultural icon, or historical event adds resonance. Read more

Mar 30

Hone your craft with these three writing posts

Writers are some of the most avid learners I know. We want to know about everything. That’s why I love reading other writers’ posts. This week, these three posts taught me something new. Enjoy!

Finding Your Natural Writing Voice by Charlotte Rains Dixon. Some great ideas on finding the “voice” of your story.

Keep ’em Hooked by Laura Griffin. Are you making these mistakes in your chapter endings? If so, try these fixes.

Realistic Expectations for Writing a Memoir by Bill Roorbach, with Kristen Keckler. My favorite part of this short article is the last paragraph on polishing your work.

Mar 15

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Outline key elements of your story, poem, or essay with one simple exercise

As I was reorganizing files last week, I found a writing exercise I’d done that helped me see how I could quickly sketch out the outline of a story from beginning to end in about 12 to 15 sentences (or more depending on how deep you want to take it).

I discovered the exercise in the book Writing and Publishing Personal Essays by Sheila Bender. She assigns it to help her students practice collecting sensory images. She credits a poem by poet Charles Proctor as the inspiration.

It’s a good focusing tool to note the key elements of a writing idea and chart the beginning, moments of conflict, middle, and resolution. And it works whether you’re writing a poem, memoir, short story, or novel. Read more

Mar 12

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Find your real story by asking these questions

Like my life, my memoir has been a work in progress. The manuscript I have now barely resembles the one I started six years ago or what I thought was the finished product of two years ago. Writing it has been an evolution–of my emotions, my identity, and my story. Or, what I believed was my story.

My first draft was my mom’s story. My next draft or two was my father’s story. Finally, in my latest draft, I focused on the story of how my intuitive gifts developed throughout my childhood and into my present.

I’ve learned more about who I am and what my “real” story is in the last year then the 40-some years before.  And, I’m getting closer to a completed manuscript. I can tell because my story is generating more interest from readers and agents alike.

To focus my memoir and find my real story, I asked myself these questions: Read more

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