Find Your Story, Write Your Memoir


Book Description

Every person has a story to tell, but few beginners know how to uncover their story's narrative potential. And despite a growing interest among students and creative writers, few guides to the genre of memoirs and creative nonfiction highlight compelling storytelling strategies. Addressing this gap, the authors provide a guide to memoir writing that shows how an aspiring writer can use storytelling tools and tactics borrowed from fiction to weave personal experiences into the shape of a story.




Write Your Memoir


Book Description

Drawing from more than 25 years of literary know-how and modeled after a 15-week college course, this manual provides guidance for seekers wishing to delve further into self-exploration through writing. Extending beyond the idea that memoir writing intends to put past events into a more understandable current perspective, the guide maintains that keeping a document of one’s life is actually the basis of a psychic process called “soul work,” which manifests as a desire to experience the state of being alive to the fullest. This unusual approach to memoir writing aims to generate more honest and genuine results that come from inner needs rather than outer expectations. Intended to clarify a writer’s developmental path, this resource emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and the need for dealing with difficult material that actually alters the writer in the process, resulting in significant growth of the soul.




Your Story Matters


Book Description

Your Story Matters presents a dynamic and spiritually formative process for understanding and redeeming the past in order to live well in the present and into the future. Leslie Leyland Fields has used and taught this practical and inspiring writing process for decades, helping people from all walks of life to access memory and sift through the truth of their stories. This is not just a book for writers. Each one of us has a story, and understanding God's work in our stories is a vital part of our faith. Through the spiritual practice of writing, we can "remember" his acts among us, "declare his glory among the nations," and pass on to others what we have witnessed of God in this life: the mysterious, the tragic, the miraculous, the ordinary. With a companion video curriculum from RightNow Media, this is a "why not" book as opposed to a "how to" book. Leslie asks each of us an important question: "Why not learn to tell your story, in the context of the grander story of God?"




The Skin Above My Knee


Book Description

The unflinching story of a professional oboist who finds order and beauty in music as her personal life threatens to destroy her. Music was everything for Marcia Butler. Growing up in an emotionally desolate home with an abusive father and a distant mother, she devoted herself to the discipline and rigor of the oboe, and quickly became a young prodigy on the rise in New York City's competitive music scene. But haunted by troubling childhood memories while balancing the challenges of a busy life as a working musician, Marcia succumbed to dangerous men, drugs and self-destruction. In her darkest moments, she asked the hardest question of all: Could music truly save her life? A memoir of startling honesty and subtle, profound beauty, The Skin Above My Knee is the story of a woman finding strength in her creative gifts and artistic destiny. Filled with vivid portraits of 1970's New York City, and fascinating insights into the intensity and precision necessary for a career in professional music, this is more than a narrative of a brilliant musician struggling to make it big in the big city. It is the story of a survivor. One of 2017's 35 over 35 One of the Washington Post's Top 10 Classical Music Moments of the Year




A Letter from Paris


Book Description

A father's long-lost letters spark a compelling tale of inheritance and creativity, loss and reunion When Louisa Deasey receives a message from a Frenchwoman called Coralie, who has found a cache of letters in an attic, written about Louisa's father, neither woman can imagine the events it will set in motion. The letters, dated 1949, detail a passionate affair between Louisa's father, Denison, and Coralie's grandmother, Michelle, in post-war London. They spark Louisa to find out more about her father, who died when she was six. From the seemingly simple question "Who was Denison Deasey?" follows a trail of discovery that leads Louisa to the streets of London, to the cafes and restaurants of Paris and a poet's villa in the south of France. From her father's secret service in World War II to his relationships with some of the most famous bohemian artists in post-war Europe, Louisa unearths a portrait of a fascinating man, both at the epicenter and the mercy of the social and political currents of his time. A Letter from Paris is about the stories we tell ourselves, and the secrets the past can uncover, showing the power of the written word to cross the bridges of time.




Memoir Writing For Dummies


Book Description

The fast and easy way to write your memoir Memoir writing is a growing phenomenon, and not just by celebrities and politicians. Everyone has a story to tell, and Memoir Writing For Dummies provides hopeful writers with the tools they need to share their life stories with the world and become published authors. With easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions—along with helpful tips and advice on how to get published—Memoir Writing For Dummies shows you how to put pen to paper and hone the craft of writing a truly compelling memoir. You'll get advice on how to explore your memories, map out your story, perfect your plot, setting, character, and dialogue, and so much more. Includes tips on getting over writer's block Guides you through every step of the writing and editing processes Covers the best ways to market a finished memoir Packed with proven tips and writing tricks of the trade, Memoir Writing For Dummies gives you everything you need to ensure your life story is never forgotten.




Write Your Life Story and Get it Published: Teach Yourself


Book Description

If you have ever wanted to write down your life story but never found the time or the confidence, this book is for you. It will help you to find a style that suits you, collect and structure all the information you need, plan your story and discover your voice. In reading this book you will learn how to gather anecdotes and other infromation from your different sources, plan and structure your work and, ultimately, how and where to publish, guided by a highly experienced and prize-winning winning author. NOT GOT MUCH TIME? One, five and ten-minute introductions to key principles to get you started. AUTHOR INSIGHTS Lots of instant help with common problems and quick tips for success, based on the author's many years of experience. TEST YOURSELF Tests in the book and online to keep track of your progress. EXTEND YOUR KNOWLEDGE Extra online articles at www.teachyourself.com to give you a richer understanding of writing your life story. FIVE THINGS TO REMEMBER Quick refreshers to help you remember the key facts. TRY THIS Innovative exercises illustrate what you've learnt and how to use it.




OCTAVE: Write Your Memoir in 6 Simple Steps


Book Description

Are you ready to turn your personal story into a powerful, inspiring narrative? OCTAVE is a unique, simplified storytelling framework that makes it easy to structure and write your memoir or personal story. Developed as an accessible alternative to the classic Hero’s Journey, the OCTAVE method guides you through six clear, purposeful steps to capture your life’s defining moments with clarity and depth. Whether you’re writing a memoir, sharing personal stories, or even crafting fictional characters, this book offers an intuitive structure to help you organize and express your journey. From exploring your origins to capturing your ultimate transformation, each step in OCTAVE—Origin Story, Conflict Within, Trials Without, Awakening Moment, Voyage of Transformation, Empowered State—provides a map to illuminate your unique path. Packed with practical examples, engaging prompts, and accessible explanations, OCTAVE is designed for anyone, regardless of writing experience. By the end of this book, you’ll have a story that’s cohesive, compelling, and ready to share with the world. Perfect for memoirists, storytellers, and anyone eager to leave a legacy, OCTAVE empowers you to tell a story that resonates and inspires. Start your journey today and discover the transformative power of your own story.




Unleash Your Inner Storyteller


Book Description

Unlock the power of your personal narrative with "Unleash Your Inner Storyteller: Mastering the Craft of Memoir" by Sloane Montgomery. This comprehensive guide takes you on a journey through the art of memoir writing, where the emotional hues of your experiences come alive on the page. Drawing from the rich history of storytelling, Montgomery offers a deep dive into crafting memoirs that are authentic, poignant, and resonant. Learn to shape your life's most significant moments into compelling prose, revealing the universal truths within your unique story. Perfect for aspiring writers and seasoned authors alike, this book is your essential companion to mastering the craft of memoir, blending emotional honesty with technical precision. Let your story unfold with grace and power, and leave a lasting impact on your readers.




Write Your Travel Memoirs


Book Description

For every trip there's a story. Start writing yours. Write Your Travel Memoirs will help you get started and stay motivated. What's the secret to writing stories others will find compelling? After you read this book you'll know the answer. You'll also have an outline for your travel memoir and a solid plan for writing it. What's inside? Five how-to chapters, each with exercises to prepare you for writing your travel memoir. 1. The Outbound Journey: Why write, who for, and what to write about. 2. The Traveler and Companions: Bring people to life. 3. Settings; Where the Stories Live: Make places come alive like characters. 4. Staging the Action in Your Anecdotes: Give focus to your story and increase its drama. 5. Coming Home: Find the meaning in your travel memories. The book includes White's memoir example, 'Finding Our Place in Cinque Terre'.