Memoir How To | Writer’s Block

I have run into a road block… err.. writers block. So, I stopped writing and began reading. I needed to get inspired again –remember why I thought my story was good enough to write in the first place.

I re-read a couple of my favorite Memoir How To books. They helped a bit but I was still not certain where to go from here. I was thinking I might have to scrap it all and start over. Major depressive thought there. So, while I was perusing the internet this afternoon, I ran across an article published in Reader’s Digest by Joe Kita in January, 2009. It was titled “How to Write Your Memoir“. Rather than repeat it all here, visit the link for yourself. It won’t take long to read.

It was a short, two page article. As I sat here drinking my Coke and reading, the block began to wear down. I know I have said it a bunch of times on this blog, but we all have stories to tell and they are important. This article reminded me of my own words of encouragement to others. I just needed someone to say it to me.

The article had advice from published authors, small excerpts from other people’s memoirs, lots of tips, a few pats on the back and encouraging words. I loved it.

I am happy to say, I am back at it. My story will never be the great American memoir novel — but, as Joe points out — as I write it, I begin to make sense of things in my life, why I turned out as I did, why I feel a certain way about a certain subject. I get to know myself — that’s the huge payoff in memoir. ;D

Mandee