Memoir

Writers' Roundup

November 13, 2009

Hey regulars! And a warm welcome to newbies who discovered this blog because of an interview I did over at Mira’s List earlier this week. Glad to have you. Links from this week: How much money would you make from a New York Times Bestseller? This author tells all. Speaking about your book: Seven Tips […]

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Writers' Roundup

November 6, 2009

Happy Friday! Some great links out there this week: Writer’s Digest offers ideas on how to start your memoir on the right foot. A practical Savvy Author’s Guide to Podcasting from Editor Unleashed. How does a writer cut text from his story and not lose his soul? Editorial Ass weighs in. The Creative Penn makes […]

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My book's not my baby… But it's close

November 4, 2009

My best friend just had a baby. The writing-a-book’s-like-having-a-baby analogy has always annoyed me. No matter how laborious (pun intended), creating something with your mind just cannot be compared to bringing another person into this world. But Lauren got pregnant right around the time I started writing this travel memoir. Her baby is in a […]

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Time for an excerpt: Another marriage proposal

October 15, 2009

It’s been a while since I posted an excerpt from my book. And I’ve written so much during the last few months! So today I want to share something short that will make you smile. This piece is from the middle section of my book, which takes place in Cameroon. (It’s adapted from my travel […]

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Kicking that Voice of Doubt to the curb

October 12, 2009

Usually when I write, I’m excited. I’m focused, of course, but underneath it all, I feel excited about this book. I think I’ve chosen an innately interesting topic, and the story is coming along well. But occasionally, as I work on a scene, I worry: what if everyone thinks this book sucks? The first time […]

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Another writer who wandered in Africa: Tanya Shaffer

September 21, 2009

You probably know by now that I read travel memoirs compulsively, particularly those by women traveling alone. One of my favorites is Somebody’s Heart is Burning: A Woman Wanderer in Africa. So I was particularly pleased to connect with the author, Tanya Shaffer. And she’s with us today! Welcome, Tanya. I'm focusing on weaving a […]

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Karen Walker on Following the Whispers

September 14, 2009

Continuing our September series of writer interviews, today Karen Walker shares her experience writing a memoir. Her book, Following the Whispers, is about finding inner peace after a childhood of abuse. Karen blogs, too. We connected through an online book blog tour class. Welcome, Karen! Why don’t you start off by telling us more about […]

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First Comes Love, Then Comes Malaria = Hilarious

September 8, 2009

It’s not often that I read a book in three days. But that’s what happened with First Comes Love, Then Comes Malaria. It was THAT good! The author of this hilarious travel memoir slash love story, Eve Brown-Waite, is with us today to talk about the process of writing and publishing her book. At the […]

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What I wish I knew before I started writing a book

August 24, 2009

Writing this book is a learning process, even more than I expected. There are quite a few major things I wish I had understood before I began, and I’m sure more will arise as I continue through the editing and publishing process. As I prepare to begin my writing residency at Hambidge next week, as […]

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Writing when you're ready

August 12, 2009

During memoirchat on Twitter last week, I told another writer of memoir how much trouble I’m having writing Chapter One. I’ve struggled with it for weeks, writing and re-writing, never feeling satisfied. Other chapters of the book have come easier than this, I explained. I’ve already written much of the middle of the story. She […]

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