Essential Reading for Memoir Writing

…And the backbone of our Memoir Program

You have passion — stories burning inside — but there's a gap. You might know what you want to say, but figuring out how to craft it into a compelling memoir feels overwhelming.

You're ready to write your story, but you don't know where to start. Or you have the framework for your memoir but aren't sure how to fix the plot holes to deliver the greatest impact.

Many of us who are drawn to writing memoir come to it not as practiced writers but as humans with a message on their heart or mind that's begging to be shared.

These books will guide you through the steps of defining your message, presenting yourself and others as fully fleshed characters, and plotting your book through all of the ups and downs.

If this doesn't suit your needs or learning style, scroll down to the bottom for our upcoming program designed specifically for busy women like you who want to make meaningful progress — efficiently and effectively. We'll guide you through the writing process, help you turn your ideas into powerful stories, and give you the tools and support you need to finally bring your memoir to life.

Save The Cat

Blake Snyder

This book lays out the key beats and timing to hit when structuring the outline of your story. It essentially takes the Hero's Journey and breaks it down with clear cut objectives. While designed for screenwriting, you can adapt this plot structure for fiction and memoir writing alike.

Story Genius

Lisa Cron

This book takes singular concepts, scene ideas, or beats and helps the writer expand upon them. Cron's scene cards are a great way to explore the potential a given scene has to your storyline, helping you see all the key elements to both the plot (events, external actions) and the story (internal realizations and decisions) and how they play into the bigger picture of your memoir. This technique also incorporates the integration of subplots and helps a writer quickly identify a scene that needs to be cut from the manuscript.

Storyworthy

Matthew Dicks

Whether crafting a full length memoir, a short story, or spoken word storytelling, this book has amazing insight for how to grab your audience or reader's attention. Dicks gives great insight into the excusable "lies" a storyteller can use to enhance the emphasis and enjoyment of the story as well as warnings about what not to lie about. He also outlines numerous techniques for imparting suspense, surprise, and humor into your writing. He's a master at taking an everyday moment in someone's life, distilling out the hidden significance, and turning it into a moving story your readers will love and won't be able to stop talking about.

Old Friend from Far Away

Natalie Goldberg

While this book only lightly touches on memoir structure, it is a great resource for writing prompts that allow you to tap into the memories of the past. Goldberg uses a number of innovative approaches to help the writer brainstorm the stories that may end up in a memoir. If you're feeling uninspired or struggling with writer's block, open to a random page and start writing!

Deep Memoir

Jennifer Selig

This is a fantastic memoir craft book that does a deeper dive into all the variety of memoir structures than any other craft book I've seen. While I didn't find this book until my latest round of edits, it was pivotal in adapting my manuscript to relate universally to the experiences of my reader. This book walks you through the keys to connecting your writing to your reader through emotion, metaphors, and takeaways.

Reading these books has shaped my memoir writing and plotting in significant ways. I drafted over 60,000 words before finding Lisa Cron's scene card methodology. I used her scene plotting along with the Save The Cat beats to fully revamp my nearly completed manuscript into one that I could finally be proud to publish. And Deep Memoir was fundamental in my latest round of edits, but I wish I had found it sooner.

If you're a busy mom or a career woman, life is already full, and finding time and energy to write feels impossible. You don't have hours to read countless craft books or sift through DIY courses that leave you feeling unsupported and unsure. You need a clear plan now.

If you learn through a more instructive approach with explanations and examples or need more accountability in applying these techniques to your writing, I'm thrilled to offer the MEMOIR MASTER PLAN COHORT, offered several times throughout the year. Check the Memoir Program page for updates.

I've pulled the key plotting and character development aspects from each of these works and translated them from fiction purposes to memoir. In the eight week program, we go through these tools together so you leave with a clear message for your memoir and a precise road map of what stories you need to write!