Family Time

I’m taking a blogging break for a week or so 

for some very special family time.

My kids and grandkids 

will remember these people 

and events 

and experiences 

for a lifetime 

and, being the memoir nerd that I am, 

I hope and pray they’ll write stories about this time 

for their future generations to enjoy!

I’ll be back soon.

Your “necessary stories” might be falling into place behind the scenes

You probably have “necessary stories,” stories you need to write—someday—for kids and grandkids and generations yet to be born.

But you’ve been putting off writing your memoir because it’s hard to find time, or motivation, or courage, or just the right words.

If so, I have news for you: Your stories might be taking shape nevertheless.

Kim Edwards, author of The Memory Keeper’s Daughter, spoke of how she came to write the story. The idea for it “stayed with me…as the necessary stories do.”

Life went on and many things occupied her time.

Then one day, a chance encounter reawakened within her the book idea, “with a greater sense of urgency and interest. Still it was another year before I started to write it.

“Then the first chapter came swiftly, almost fully formed, that initial seed having grown tall while I wasn’t really paying attention.”

Maybe for you, too, the seed of your story has been swelling and sprouting and growing tall while you weren’t taking notice.

Stories can be like that.

Stories live in hidden corners of your brain and heart where, subconsciously (if not consciously), you’ve already started assembling stories for your memoir:

• You’ve been collecting—in your mind or in writing or on your computer—ideas or relevant quotes or Bible verses. 
• You’ve run across old photos or newspaper clippings.
• You heard an old song.
• You’ve run into an old friend.
• You’ve remembered key events that might have seemed unimportant at the time but which now hold significance.

And all that is marinating in the back of your mind and it’s starting to come together.

Think about it.

Perhaps you’re more ready

to start writing your stories

than you thought.

The time to write might be any day now.

Remember: an unfinished manuscript tucked in a drawer

or saved on a computer will not inspire anyone!

It won’t bless anyone,

it won’t shape any lives.

Also remember,

everyone starts with a rough draft.

Your initial attempts at writing

don’t need to be perfect.

“The worst thing you write

is better than the best thing you didn’t write.”

(author unknown)

Is today the day to start your rough draft?

Tuesday Tidbit: Your words matter

Here's your 15 seconds of inspiration,

your Tuesday Tidbit:

Your words, whether spoken or written,

are powerful:

Donald Miller

Beyond likeable: Worthy

In addition to crafting well-rounded, relatable, realistic, fleshed-out, believable characters in our memoirs (click here if you missed our recent post), Angela Ackerman asks a thought-provoking question: Will Writers Find Your Protagonist Worthy?

Her post challenged me to re-examine main characters in a memoir I’m writing. Her insights will be valuable to you, too, as you write your memoir.

Angela asks if our readers will consider our key people “worth rooting for.”

You and I need to discover the “true worthiness” of our key figures and then find words to describe them.

“True worthiness” is more than being nice or charming or attractive or accomplished or likeable. It’s higher and deeper and wider than those.

Such worthiness has to do with a person’s moral code, principles, standards, beliefs, ideals, values, and ethics.

I’m not necessarily talking about prominent, recognized, lauded people.

Think about this: In most cases, your heroes and mine are everyday common people, living quiet, private lives, maybe even mundane lives.

You and I have the task of showing

how those ordinary unsung heroes

came into our lives

and led us,

cheered for us,

steered us away from foolishness,

prayed for us,

cried with us,

laughed with us,

(and sometimes laughed at us),

changed us,

showed us how to live

and love

and work

and worship.

They modeled integrity

and honor

and faithfulness

and commitment,

and we memoirists

need to flesh out those people

and develop those key characters in our stories

so readers feel they know them

and “find them worthy of rooting for.”

Look over the main personalities in your memoir—not all people, only key figures.

If you haven’t read your rough drafts for a while, you’ll be able read with fresh eyes and ears (yes, read them aloud). Put yourself in your readers’ shoes while you read your drafts and ask yourself if your key figures are “worthy of rooting for.” If not, spend time developing your heroes.

Pull back the layers

and dig deeply,

all the while asking yourself

what experiences, choices,

values, beliefs, 

and/or people

made them into the persons they became?

Get out your magnifying glass.

Then make those characters come alive!

Enable your readers to discover

and appreciate

your real heroes.

The end result

will be worth your time and effort.

Tuesday Tidbit: Connecting with others through your stories

“We’ve always learned from stories we tell each other.…

Most of us like first person stories

in the same way that most of us

like having coffee and a good talk—

a moment of real connection—

with another person.”

Hattie Fletcher, Managing Editor, Creative Nonfiction