Memoir
The Differences in Writing a Memoir vs. a Novel
Where fiction writing is about concealing emotional truth for interpretation, memoir is about exposing it for what it is. Writer Jenna Blum discusses the differences she experienced in writing a memoir vs. a novel.
Laura Davis: On the Story That Begged To Be Told
Author and writing instructor Laura Davis discusses the process of starting, stopping, and starting again with her new memoir, The Burning Light of Two Stars.
Bobby and Cheryl Love: On the Power of Telling Your Own Story
Bobby and Cheryl Love discusses the process of writing coauthoring their memoir, The Redemption Of Bobby Love: A Story of Faith, Family, and Justice.
3 Tips for Writing a Memoir Everyone Wants to Read
A memoir is an open window into another's life—and although the truth is of paramount importance, so too is grabbing hold of its reader. Writer Tasha Keeble offers 3 tips for writing a memoir everyone will want to read.
Bruce McCandless III: On Remembering His Father Through Memoir
Bruce McCandless III discusses how he finished what his father started in his new memoir, Wonders All Around.
Marilyn Peterson Haus: On Battling Feelings of Disloyalty When Writing Memoir
Debut author Marilyn Peterson Haus discusses the surprises that came with writing her memoir, including struggling with feelings of disloyalty to her family while writing.
Brian Broome: On Letting Other Genres Inspire You
In this article, author Brian Broome explains how a Gwendolyn Brooks poem inspired him to write his memoir Punch Me Up to the Gods.
How to Approach Friends and Family About Your Memoir
No one can decide whether showing your memoir to loved ones before it goes to press is the right choice for you. However, if you're planning to approach your friends and family about it, let memoirist Ronit Plank give you 3 tips for doing so.
Negative Space: An Interview With Lilly Dancyger
Catapult and Barrelhouse Books editor Lilly Dancyger talks about her debut memoir Negative Space.
Writer’s Digest Columns: How to Write a Five-Minute Memoir
Want to write for WD? Here are editor tips on how to submit to one of our most popular columns, 5-Minute Memoir.
Arisa White: Putting the Pieces Together
In this post, Arisa White shares how she was able to piece together her past with her present, how some works freed her to write, and more!
Mark Henick: On Memory, Healing, and Languishing Projects
Author Mark Henick shares how he was able to turn a successful TEDx talk into a memoir, even when the project didn't come as quickly as he expected.
Telling Our Family Stories: 4 Reasons Why It’s More Important Than Ever to Write Our Family Narratives
Nonfiction author Mary Beth Sammons explores the questions that cause us to learn more about our ancestries and what we learn about ourselves and each other when we do so.
When a Memoir Is a Novel: The Thin Line Between Fabricated Fact and Real Fiction
Author Heidi McCrary digs into when a memoir is a novel (or at least, when it should be a novel) and examines the thin line between fabricated fact and real fiction by looking at her own novel, Chasing North Star.
Lee Gutkind: The Godfather Behind Creative Nonfiction Takes on Memoir for the First Time
Dubbed the "Godfather behind creative nonfiction" by Vanity Fair Magazine, Lee Gutkind shares his first experience with memoir, what makes it different than his previous books, what writers can't take back, and more!
Karol Hoeffner: Writing Stories When They're Ready to Blossom
Novelist and screenwriter Karol Hoeffner shares what inspired her latest novel (Knee Deep), what surprised her the most in writing it, her best piece of advice for other writers who may be feeling writer's block during the pandemic, and more!
Jax Miller: Switching From Fiction to True Crime
In this post, Miller shares what inspired her to switch writing genres (from fiction to true crime), move to Oklahoma, sit with convicted murderers and in meth labs, and more!
Author Spotlight: Heather Lanier on Raising a Rare Girl
In this author spotlight, Heather Lanier shares how her blog posts put her on the path to publication success with a new book, Raising a Rare Girl.
Your Own Worst Enemy: Writing Villains in Memoir
Writing villains in memoir takes a special kind of honesty. In this feature from the July/August 2019 issue of Writer's Digest, William Kenower offers his take.
But This Really Happened: What to Include and Leave Out of a Memoir
Author Timothy J. Hillegonds shares three ideas on how to determine what to include and what to leave out of a memoir so that it supports the main themes of the book.
How to Write About Grief: 5 Things to Consider When Writing Difficult Topics
Author Sadie Hoagland shares 5 things to consider when writing difficult topics and how to write about grief, including how to handle honesty, trauma, and abstraction.
How to Write a Compelling Memoir (and Stay Sane in the Process)
In this post, Tanja Pajevic shares how to write a compelling memoir and stay sane in the process. In this post, she describes nine tips, including clarifying your scope, how to correct course as you go, and more.
Writing About Your Life Without Ruining Your Relationships
"Write what you know" is common writing advice, but when it comes to mining what you know about your friends and family for stories, you enter delicate territory, as Mark Guerin shares in this guest post.
Trauma: What Happens When We Put It On the Page?
Writing the story of her assault wasn't easy for Karen Stefano. The author shares her experience writing about trauma, including how she found the strength to put it all on the page, the inevitable ups and downs, and the self-care needed in between.