I SPEND A LOT of time speaking to writers about how to use backstory when writing memoir. How much of the background needs to be written into a tale? When should it be told? And what is the difference … [Read more...] about How to Use Backstory When Writing Memoir
How to Tell the Truth While Writing Memoir, With Boris Fishman
As a memoir coach and writing teacher, I hear all the time from people who have what they refer to as complicated family stories. How do you tell your family tale, they wonder, when within it are many … [Read more...] about How to Tell the Truth While Writing Memoir, With Boris Fishman
How Much Detail Should Writers Use?
How much detail should writers use? It’s a question I deal with every single day in my work as a memoir coach, and one I strive to answer with vivid examples each time it comes up. After all, I cannot … [Read more...] about How Much Detail Should Writers Use?
How and When to Get Writing Feedback
AMONG THE MANY ROLES I enjoy in this writing life, there is one I only recently began to understand. Actually, I never knew I had this role until on a call with a writer. She was looking for writing … [Read more...] about How and When to Get Writing Feedback
How To Write About Family
KNOWING HOW TO WRITE ABOUT FAMILY is an acquired skill. I would venture to guess that no one does it right the first time and that to do so takes more practice than any other topic. What do I mean by … [Read more...] about How To Write About Family
How to Know What Piece of Memoir to Write First
If you’ve read my blog posts, you know I draw a clear line between memoir and autobiography. Here’s a quick recap: Autobiography is best reserved for the famous. It covers the entirety of a person’s … [Read more...] about How to Know What Piece of Memoir to Write First
