Combining Family History and Travelogue
Writer Barbara Boudreau has written a good deal about her life and her family over the years. She’s successfully used the tools of creative writing to bring her stories to life—and add humor to them....
View ArticleA Writing Approach I Learned From A Favorite Memoir: 2
Dani Shapiro has written a number of novels and memoirs; perhaps the best known of the latter is Devotion. A few months ago I found her newest, Hourglass: Time, Memory, Marriage. It’s a quiet book,...
View ArticleWriting Contests: Are they Worth the Hassle—and the Cost?
Considering the Value of Writing Contests I’ve been absent from this blog while polishing up my essays and memoir opening to submit to contests. Entering these contests has provoked several questions...
View ArticleWhat is Your Life or Family Writing Mission?
If you write about yourself or your family, what is your mission? What inspires and propels you? Do you feel strongly about what you want to say? Do you want others to understand your experiences or...
View ArticleWho Do You Write Life or Family Stories For?
If you are writing about your life or your family, whom do you envision as your audience? Are you writing for family and friends or for a larger audience? Are they old, young, or in between? Men or...
View Article5 Emotional Challenges to Writing About Your Life or Your Family
Just a Beautiful Winter Day When we write about our lives or our families, our challenges aren’t just literary. Emotions play a significant part in our efforts and they can actually undermine our...
View ArticleMore Challenges to Writing About Your Life or Your Family
Reading nook in my living room In my last post, 5 Emotional Challenges of Writing About Your Life or Family I discussed a few emotions—none of them good—that writing about our lives or our families can...
View ArticleWriters: Got Too Many/Too Few Ideas?
The range of obstacles writers face with their writing projects never fails to surprise me. Here are two that some of my writing students have faced and a few ways that could help you get beyond that...
View ArticleDiscovering Secrets When You Write Family History
From my kitchen window I’ve taught dozens of life story writing and family history writing courses and workshops, and in every one, someone has announced that in doing the research, even superficial...
View ArticleWriting “Trove,” a Memoir
My friend Sandra Miller spent years writing and revising her forthcoming memoir, Trove. Below she explains what prompted her to write this story, and how the memoir developed. – Lynette Sandra (above)...
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