This blog is really about my journey of LEARNING about memoir, READING memoir and WRITING memoir.
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On connecting with creative outlets.
How do I stay rooted in creativity when I am knee deep in a project? This is my fifth year working on my book. The book is now on its 6th draft following some very constructive feedback I received to reduce the word count from 120K down to 95K. Working on a project consistently for…
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The perils of naming a book
I’ve written a memoir, a personal memoir and it’s taken me 4 years to do it. After pouring out my memories – both joyous and distressing, I’ve come to that part of the journey where I’m trying to figure out what to call this ‘thing” that I’ve created. I’m a consummate movie fan and I…
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The art of killing one’s darlings.
“In writing, you must kill all your darlings,” William Faulkner famously wrote, suggesting that the process of editing requires a certain stoicism, and the suppression of affection towards superfluous material, no matter how much we love it. In the midst of many outright rejections from agents, I got an email last week from an agent…
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My Book Mood Board
When I began writing my book, I put together a mood board to inspire me – essentially a set of visuals that captured the world of my story, my characters, and the essence of the narrative. Vibe and mood Playing some of the music that filled our house from my childhood – Diana Ross, Abba,…
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Querying – a lonely process that wreaks havoc with your self confidence
I started the querying process in earnest in October, after spending the summer researching literary agents in the UK and the US. So far, I have sent out 20 query letters. I’ve received 3 rejections and one request for more details about my book. Nothing yet from the other 16. And this is just the…
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How Dani Shapiro’s podcast, FAMILY SECRETS, inspired me to confront the shame of a family secret and write my memoir.
In 2019, I was diagnosed with a benign brain tumour and had surgery to have it removed. The surgery, though traumatic, went very well and all the pathology came back completely cancer-free. A relief, an immense blessing. Following my surgery, I spent several months at home quietly recuperating, which forced me to take time to…
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Shame and the motivation behind my memoir.
Shame consumes you. It ravages you from the inside, leaving an imprint and an aura that follows you about everywhere, like the lingering smell of tobacco infused into the clothes of a chain-smoker. I was ashamed of my father for many years. I was ashamed of the recluse he became and of the crumbling house…
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How I found my writing coach
Screenwriting is an absolute passion. I love telling a story through visual stage directions and sharp, succinct dialogue. I love reading screenplays too and have been inspired by amazing screenplays that have been turned into equally amazing movies – GOOD WILL HUNTING anyone? As mentioned in one of my earlier posts, I’ve had the writing…
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Do I need a platform?
This is a question every debut author asks themselves largely because we hear it time and time again: “If you want to get published, you need a platform – expert status in something, a significant social media following or celebrity /influencer / notoriety status.” Indeed, my recent literary agent rejection came with the added note:…
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The sounds of my childhood
Brown Girl in the ring by Boney M. Celebration by Cool and the Gang. Mamma Mia by Abba Night to remember by Shalamar Candy Girl by New Edition. ABC by the Jackson 5. Writing memoir evokes so much, the memories flood back with intensity. The familiar tunes of my childhood have been ringing in my…
Novice Memoirist 