When I first got interested in writing a memoir, I started reading a lot of them, and in doing so I discovered that there’s a lot of similarities between a memoir and a novel of real life. In both, the writer is relating incidents and experiences that shaped a life, and each has to be written in a way that totally immerses the reader in the story. I came to that realization when I read The GlassCastle by Jeannette Walls, followed by Half Broke Horses , which is a book about her grandmother’s life. One is a memoir, the other is a novel of real life. It actually has the subtitle of A True-Life Novel. They both are compelling stories, and I loved reading them some years ago when I was just starting to write Evelyn Evolving , the story of my mother’s life. When I finished Half Broke Horses, I realized that I could follow the author’s example and write the story of my mother's life as a true life novel and then later write my memoir. As I mentioned here last month, writing my mo...
Sharp and pointed advice about writing, editing, and publishing. Take your novel to the next level.