Hi,
A writer in my group asked for suggestions for the best books on writing memoir. Does anyone have any memoir craft books they love? Thanks!
Books about writing memoir
Hi,
A writer in my group asked for suggestions for the best books on writing memoir. Does anyone have any memoir craft books they love? Thanks!
Writing True Stories by Patti Miller.
A wonderful book and I also took a workshop with Patti, who is an excellent and compassionate instructor.
https://lifestories.com.au/patti-miller/books/
I use Sonja Livingston’s 52 Snapshots and Sue William Silverman’s Fearless Confessions.
I found Mary Karr’s The Art of Memoir accessible and inspiring. https://www.marykarr.com/the-art-of-memoir.html
That’s a good one, Lisa! Thanks for adding that.
Thank you, everyone!
While it is not explicitly a book about memoir writing, Living Revision by Elizabeth Jarret Andrew has excellent exercises for exploring and deepening the story we are trying to tell. She uses examples from writing her memoir, as well as memoir writers with whom she has worked. Sue Reynolds offers a workshop series based on the book that works equally well for memoirists and fiction writers.
https://www.elizabethjarrettandrew.com/books/living-revision/
Also love Living Revision.
Agreed Alana! I do a whole 10 week workshop based on that book and learn something every time I present it!
This is not necessarily memoir focussed, but Bird By Bird by Ann Lamott was life changing for me. Also just found “Write it all Down” by Cathy Retzenbrink. I am going to check her work out as she has written about memoir specifically. Love this forum.
Thanks for the recommendation Alana. I see that book is available on Kindle for 1.49 Cdn. Crazy reasonable. I’m going to pick it up and check her out, thanks to you!