How to Tell Powerful Personal Stories That Will Captivate Your Readers
Several lessons from one of my favorite writing craft books
A year or two ago, I read a book called The Memoir Project after hearing the author, Marion Roach Smith, speak at a writing conference.
Marion illustrated all of her writing advice with stories, recounting her experiences writing for The New York Times and NPR and her struggle to pen a memoir about her mother’s battle with Alzheimer’s Disease.
Marion is a powerful storyteller. I lost my own grandmother to Alzheimer’s, and Marion’s words drew me in and resonated with me.
Afterward, even though I previously didn’t have any intention of writing a memoir, I hurried to the book table to meet Marion and buy a copy of The Memoir Project. Marion was kind and encouraging and wrote in my book, “Tell your tale and write on.”
I dove into The Memoir Project on the flight home, and since then I’ve kept coming back to it for tips on how to improve my writing.
Don’t let the title fool you. This book isn’t just for memoirists.
Telling compelling stories adds another dimension to our writing. This fascinating Infographic shows how the human brain is…
