You can tell a story, right? We all do it at some point. Whether it’s a joke, a recent incident or a memory, we all tell stories. At parties, at work, school and at home around the family dinner table, we tell stories to each other. Memoir writing is telling a story about yourself or [...]
May 5th, Cinco De Mayo, my father-in-law would have celebrated his 74th birthday. Unfortunately, he passed away 14 years ago at the tender age of 60, so young. My husband and I are back in the area where my father-in-law is laid to rest after a 15 year absence. We got flowers and went to [...]
It’s been a rough 3 years. Four moves in three years but each time, for the better. Ever notice how the “event” that changes your life seemingly happens instantly but the recovery process takes forever? Not a completely true statement but that is the way it seems — or the way it is perceived. One of [...]
I walked to the steaming coffee pot this morning, after a pit stop in the bathroom, filled my Mickey Mouse mug to the brim with the aromatic brew and headed to the front porch. Still a bit chilly but I was hoping the cool, crisp air would lift the fog that had settled on my [...]
In the first part of this 2 part series (Memoir OR Ficton based in Real Life), fiction writers (and others) question the memoir genre. How do memoir writers answer these questions? Memoir Writers I did some more research on the internet to see how memoir writers and teachers handle the inevitable question of truth vs. [...]
I have been flitting around the net recently and through different search phrases, have happened upon a bit of a feud. It seems there are many articles and blogs floating around out there by both ticked-off fiction writers and hard core memoir writers. Fiction Writers – Fact or Fiction? If I read one, I read [...]
I was talking with my neighbor tonight and we got on the subject of writing memoir — life stories. He said, “I can’t write a memoir. I don’t have an addiction, illness or abuse story to write and I’m not famous.” I just looked at him at first. I asked if he really thought that [...]
Hi, my name is Mandee and I am an outliner. Yup, I admit it. When I write memoir I like to start with the major story idea and then break it down. I don’t want to forget anything I did, was feeling or experienced. So, I breakdown my story, create a story arc. Since there [...]
Yes, I am finding that going through a similar situation, it gets easier. When we lost our business in the economic recession, it was like the end of our world. We were going through personal and business bankruptcies and keeping only family memorabilia. We sold everything else we owned to finance a move south in [...]
Natalie Goldberg and Lou Willett Stanek agree that “I Remember” are the magic words for memoir writers. This means you can do your research from an easy chair — close your eyes and say “I Remember”. What comes to mind? What’s first and what comes next. The mind doesn’t always work in linear fashion. One [...]
I have had so much fun writing memoir prompts on Mondays for Extreme Writing Now, I just had to share. The last few prompts have really got me to thinking and writing. I hope they do the same for you! Looking Back | Memoir Prompt Pride in Family | Memoir Prompt It Happened When… | [...]
That’s a loaded question, I know. I was chatting on the phone with my mom this evening when something she said reminded me of an incident that happened some 32 years ago. I remember we lived in Arlington, Washington at the time (the state, not the cemetery) and mom was getting dressed up to go out [...]
Hi there! Welcome to my Writing Life Story blog. Putting your experiences and stories down on paper is one of my passions.
If you are interested in writing life story too, join me on the journey of discovery, learning and the how-to's of memoir writing. Check back often and comments are always welcome.
Mandee
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I have written all my life — some poetry, some personal essay, some memoir stories (longer than essay). I enjoy reading non-fiction as well as fiction. Life is about learning
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