Where Does Writing About Writing Belong?
Brooke writes about where writing about writing belongs—not so much in your memoir but rather in your social media and Substack posts. Writing about your process is something readers enjoy following along with, but it’s not so much something they’ll want to read in your memoir.
Journal as a Vessel of Being
Grant writes about his long history with journaling and what it means to journal. Why do we do it and who do we hope will read it? Why do we journal if we may never revisit what we write? Why is journaling so sacred? Read more to consider and relay your own thoughts on this meaningful human exercise.
Survivor Memoir as an Act of Defiance Against Narrative Foreclosure
Brooke Warner writes about what it's like to get a cease and desist letter for memoir, and why she thinks memoirs that result in those kinds of letters are among the very bravest kinds. Circling something Amanda Knox said in her interview earlier this year on Memoir Nation, Brooke revisits the idea of narrative foreclosure, and why memoirists defy the very concept when they write and publish their truths.
The Art of Waiting
A single book can take years and years to write and publish. The art of waiting is an unrecognized and under-appreciated part of the creative process (and certainly the publishing process), and it is something we tend not to be good at. Waiting doesn't have to be frustrating, though. In fact, it can be a necessary time for your ideas to take shape.
Your Scene-Writing Magic Bag o’ Goodies
9 essential scene-writing tools for memoirists—using the imagery of Mary Poppins’s magic bag to get you thinking about all there is to remember, and implement, in your writing.
What It Takes to Finish Your Memoir
It takes a lot of stamina to write a book. Writing a book has been compared to going through nine months of pregnancy, running a marathon, climbing a mountain, or even going to war. And it can feel like all of those things in one. So one of your main tasks as a memoirist is to train for endurance, to be a finisher, to trust that the very act of finishing is the magic itself.
Why to Write When It Feels Like No One Is Listening
This inspiring piece by Brooke Warner reflects on poet Mark Nepo’s late-in-life breakout success and offers encouragement to writers to keep going even when no one seems to be listening—with 5 powerful takeaways.
Place as Character
Grant Faulkner explores the complex emotional pull of small-town life, celebrating the nuanced portrayal of small-town identity, queerness, and belonging in the TV series Somebody Somewhere.
Takeaway in Memoir
Brooke Warner gives her take on why “takeaway” is such a critical component—the heart—of memoir. By grounding takeaway in theme and intentional voice shifts, it becomes the bridge between individual story and collective meaning. Complete with examples!
Making Uncertainty Your Friend
Grant Faulkner reframes uncertainty and getting lost in the writing process not as a setback but as essential—an invitation to surrender control, trust intuition, and discover meaning through surprise.
Emotional Truth vs. Never Happened
Brooke Warner considers the legacy of James Frey’s memoir scandal to explore the evolving boundary between truth and invention in memoir writing, ultimately arguing for a clear but compassionate distinction between emotional truth and outright fabrication.
It just doesn’t matter. Yet it does matter.
Grant Faulkner encourages memoirists to embrace the uncertainty and inefficiency of the writing process, likening it to surfing a wave or wandering without a map. Rather than fearing detours or stuckness, writers are urged to view these moments as creative opportunities that leads to more authentic storytelling.
Theme: The Unifying Throughline of Your Story
Brooke Warner writes about the essential role of theme in memoir writing, distinguishing it from “aboutness” by positioning it as the deeper meaning beneath the surface story. She outlines three key ways to think about theme: 1) Theme is your North Star; 2) Theme is seeing your story through theme-colored glasses; 3) Theme is the air the reader breathes.
Listening as a Pathway to Your Story
A lyrical piece from Grant Faulkner about the profound connection between listening and writing, urging writers to practice deep, receptive, and curious listening—not just to others, but to the world and themselves.
Memoir as Kuleana
Brooke Warner uses Sara Goo’s memoir Kuleana as a springboard to talk about the concept of the Hawaiian word, Kuleana, which means “responsibility,” or “stewardship,” and how the writing we’re putting into the world is or can be our personal kuleana.
A Memoir Manifesto
Grant Faulkner’s manifesto is a passionate call to honor your creative self by committing to writing your story—because storytelling is how we stay alive, make meaning, and reclaim our lives from daily distractions. He invites you, too, to write your own manifesto for the journey ahead.
Why Aboutness Matters
Brooke Warner introduces a simple but powerful memoir exercise—repeating the sentence: “My book is about _______” until you arrive at a clear, distilled line of aboutness that captures your memoir’s central focus.
Beginnings
Grant Faulkner writes Memoir Nation’s inaugural post to introduce our community to a new creative community born from Grant’s personal loss and a long-held vision. Memoir Nation celebrates the transformative power of memoir, and we welcome you to our community and thank you for joining us on this adventure.