Right before the world went crazy, I was interviewed on the radio. And I mean the real deal, legit, old school radio—the kind you tune into from your car. 2day! FM invited me onto their morning show to talk about how to start writing your memoir without feeling overwhelmed or confused.
Here I am, doing a quick soundcheck before the song ended! I went on to share three top tips to go from thinking about writing and dreaming about writing but not actually doing any writing...
to finally starting and making progress with your book.
Since then, the world has been turned upside-down by the coronavirus, and even more people have reached out to me for advice on how to start their memoir.
Some have suddenly found themselves with more time. They want to make great use of it, finally doing the thing they've been meaning to do forever.
Others actually have less time, but they've realized what's really important to them. They're running around trying to look after everyone else all day long, and in the evenings, they want to do something meaningful for themselves.
For both groups, writing is their self-care. It's keeping them sane.
But they're not doing as much as they want—or perhaps haven't even started—because they don't know where to start.
So here are the three tips I shared on that radio show in February. I think they'll help you find your footing and finally get started writing your memoir.
Here’s the audio clip of the interview. It's only five minutes long and you get to hear my super-sexy radio voice. (Ahem, not really that sexy.) If you prefer to read, scroll below the three tips to help you start writing your memoir.
Memoir tip #1: Know why you're writing
Whether it’s to leave a legacy for your family, to finally show who you really are, or just because it seems cool, your reason for wanting to write your memoir is valid.
Noting it down will help you make progress towards your goal. When the writing is hard you can reference your reason, and be reminded of why this is worthwhile.
Memoir tip #2: List your life experiences
Brain dump all your memorable life experiences into a big list. It doesn’t matter what order they’re in. You just need to see what you’re working with.
When I coach writers in private, one-on-one sessions, they often tell me they don't know where to start because there's too much in their brain.
So we get everything out of their brain and onto the page in a quick dump. It's a small trick that makes everything feel more manageable.
Trust me. Try it.
Memoir tip #3: Do NOT start at the beginning
Please, dear god, do not start writing about the day you were born.
You know what this looks like. It's, "I was born on a rainy Sunday afternoon in a busy, London hospital blah blah blah blah blah."
You didn't do anything interesting on the day you were born. You didn't take any action. You didn't feel any conflict. You were just along for the ride. This means it's not very interesting for you to write about.
Write about what interests you.
Start with the stories you find most fascinating, not those that happened first. When you’re interested in your writing, magic happens.
So go back to your list from tip #2 and choose a life experience that you're excited, interested, or compelled to write about. Start there. Do not start at the beginning.
Thanks,
Liz “You Can Do This!” Green
Book Coach, Green Goose Writing