Dear Writers,
Thank you for attending my session on "How to Write, Sell and Market Your Memoir" at the Chicago Writing Workshop on June 24, 2017. I'm sorry it took me so
long to send you this promised follow-up, but I have been traveling, hence the header showing an evening scene in Jerusalem, where I currently find myself.
As I mentioned during my lecture, my main advice for anyone diving into memoir is to start small: learn to write one story really well and try to find a home for it. One good example of such a short memoir (I mentioned it in
my lecture) is Wednesdays and Sundays.
Writing the Memoir by Judith Barrington is my favorite
"textbook" on writing memoir, mainly because she gives hands-on examples of different aspects of craft. I also have a few articles that you might find helpful:
In order to develop a writing practice and learn to understand the creative process, I highly recommend
Julia Cameron’s books, especially The Artist’s Way and The Right to Write as well as Natalie Goldberg’s The True Secret of Writing. She’s more famous for her Writing Down the Bones, but I found this one more practical and
less esoteric.
For learning to understand what a story is, and how to write in scene, check out Robert McKee's Story.
Regarding memoir writing workshops in Chicago, I highly recommend StoryStudio Chicago (where I teach myself). If anyone of you is interested in my Advanced Memoir Workshop, please email me (this class is not found in StoryStudio's regular roster as you have to apply). The Writer's
Studio at the Graham School of the University of Chicago also offers great classes downtown. Keep an eye out for programs at the new American Writers Museum--they offer workshops on and off--my successor as Hemingway writer-in-residence, David Berner, is teaching one on publishing on July 20. Plus the American Writers Museum is a
mega-cool place to visit for anyone who's into literature!
In order to get better at writing memoir, read a lot of memoirs, and look for books that are in your topic area. These will also be good guideposts when you pursue publication. I'd be happy to recommend books if you let me know what themes
you're looking for.
Also, be on the lookout for all the writing and literary events happening in Chicago. It is always inspiring to hear a memoirist read or speak about the genre. Subscribe to the newsletter of the Poetry Center (it lists many literary events beyond poetry), the Chicago Humanities Festival, and bookstore newsletters like those from the Book
Cellar and Women & Children First. They often have great memoir writers coming through! By no means are my tips here comprehensive, these are just the venues and resources that I peruse myself.
Lastly, for those of you who have a hard time making it to
classes and events in person, there thankfully are classes and communities online to support your writing. I personally started out taking classes at writers.com and met some of my best writing friends there. Creative
Nonfiction offers high quality online classes in memoir. There are a lot of writing groups on Facebook but typically they are for exchanging tips and making connections, rather than learning craft. Join the Chicago Writers Association for some local networking. Check out the live lit scene in Chicago if you're into live storytelling; it's another great way to
get exposure for your work. Lastly, my friend Ellen Blum Barish has been running the literary online magazine Thread for a few years now; it focuses on short personal essay and memoir, and she holds a few literary readings for her contributors every year. Fun!
I'm going to wrap
up this list now as I don't want to overwhelm you. Please feel free to contact me if you have specific questions. I will subscribe all of you to my newsletter "The Art of Living and Writing," which I try to send out every month.
I wish you all the best with your memoir projects! And Happy 4th of July!
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