Judy’s Memoir Workshop

Memoir workshop tip

One question I get often is about culling through the scenes that all seem essential to the author of a memoir. How to decide what to keep in and what to leave out? That, my fine writerly friends, is the essence of the work. Having been exactly in that space, I can say it is a difficult task and one that needs a steady hand, possibly one with a glass of bourbon.

I would love to answer any burning questions you have about writing a memoir, so let me know what you would like me to address in upcoming posts.

Well, probably, in a way. When we decide what to put in our memoir and what to leave out we are already filtering the story to suit our intended narrative arc. But that is the work of writing your story without making it a journal of everything that has happened. I would argue it’s the essential work of the writer of a memoir.

At some point, we writers have all asked ourselves why we do this, and who cares? Think about your favorite book of all time. It doesn’t matter if it’s memoir or fiction, or an essay that touched you. You are the person it was written for. It spoke to you in some way. Either showing you that you are not alone, or shining a light on a new perspective that…