I love working with ALL writers but, if I’m being honest, memoir writers have a special place in my heart.
Why?
Memoir writers recognize that they have a story to tell and open their hearts to share it. There is a level of vulnerability and courage that is needed to share something so personal and I deeply admire anyone with that ability. With that courage also comes the trust needed to share your story with someone whose job it is to edit it.
Of course, there are many other reasons why I particularly love working with memoir writers.
Memoir Writing Opens the Door
In my experience, memoir writers are often first-time writers. While this isn’t always the case, many writers get their start by sharing something they’re familiar with—their own story.
When writing down our own experiences, we tend to think less about the structure and more about sharing an experience in the most organic way possible as we remember it. I have known many memoirs that were inspired by personal journals or blogs, opportunities that were presented to share bits and pieces of their story.
I love to remind new writers that, unlike the journey across Middle-Earth, they have lived this experience already! No one in the world could possibly know this story any better than they do and no one is more uniquely positioned to share it.
Memoir Writing Builds Confidence
So often, people come to me and have the desire to share their story but preface the conversation with “but I am not a writer”.
Hands down, that’s the number one hesitation that I hear from people.
So many of my clients hesitate to use that word—writer—and it’s as simple as this: if you write, you’re a writer. This point is so important that I dedicated a whole blog post to it, you can read it here.
First-time writers are often a bit apprehensive about the whole writing journey, and I absolutely love guiding them through it. I employ a number of tools that help build confidence but also cohesion in their stories. From character charts to focus activities, writers slowly build the skills and confidence to share their stories in their entirety.
At the start of every interaction, I’ll ask my writer how they’re feeling and I’ll repeat the same question at the end of the call. Nine times out of ten, my writer is feeling more assured, confident, and focused after we’ve chatted through some of the obstacles and challenges.
I love building confidence in writers and I love seeing where their journey takes them.
Memoir Writing Helps Define Writing Identity
Working with my memoir clients brings me so much joy as I get to see that moment where it clicks: Yes, they are a writer! And the deeper into the journey we go together, the more about the process they learn, the more their confidence levels rise, and the more certain they feel about releasing their story into the world.
While some writers are the one-and-done types, it has been my experience that writers move on to other types of writing projects and improve on existing ones with their new confidence and sense of identity.
I Would Love To Work With You!
So to all of you writing your own story or considering writing your own story: I have so much respect for you. What you’re doing is amazing.
You are a writer. And you got this!
Whether you have your manuscript in hand or are looking to start putting pen to paper, I would love to hear from you. If you’re ready to trust me with your story, I promise it would be in good hands.