Memoir Writing

  • The Biggest Challenge in Writing a Family Memoir

    The Biggest Challenge in Writing a Family Memoir

    Last weekend at the library in Claresholm, Alberta, I gave a talk about writing family memoirs. During the Q&A, a woman asked me a great question: “What’s the most challenging part of writing a family memoir?” I told her that, in my experience, the biggest challenge is usually deciding on a structure. Most family memoirs

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  • How Long Should My Memoir Be?

    How Long Should My Memoir Be?

    In response to a Facebook ad for my memoir services, a woman mentioned she was working on her second memoir. A guy responded, “Isn’t one enough?” I thought, “That isn’t nice, suggesting her efforts aren’t worthwhile.” But I decided to treat it as a serious question, not as a putdown. My response was, “An autobiography

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  • Why Write a Memoir?

    Why Write a Memoir?

    I recently received an online comment from someone criticizing the idea of writing memoirs, suggesting there’s no point for most people to write a memoir. It’s just about self-absorption, they said. What a strange thought. No one is forcing anyone to read a memoir.  I admit that we live in a time where it seems

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