Writing

Over the last decade or so, memoir has grown into one of the most popular reading genres. But the truth is, personal stories have been part of the human DNA for a very long time. We have been telling our tales to each other for centuries. But in modern times, more…

On a recent trip to Ireland, Wales, and England, I was hoping to keep a daily travel journal. Although, I’m a writer by trade, it seemed a daunting task. Taking the time each and every day of the trip to consider what I had seen and experienced is one…

As Flannery O’Connor famously quipped, anyone who has survived childhood has enough material to write for the rest of her life. That’s good for us because memoir writing is one of the most popular pursuits in retirement, but also daunting for many people…

So you want to be a writer? Well, after having written for over 20 years, I can say it is the best job in the world. There is nothing more thrilling than not only seeing your words in print, but hearing from people who have read them. It is one of the most humbling…

The stories of our lives are based on our everyday experiences, but, we are the authors of our own autobiographies. We decide how to interpret what we have done and what has happened to us. Looking back on our lives, our memories feel real. In reality, our memories are constructions of our minds…

I have always loved to write. Should you give it a try? The answer depends on what you want to do – and be. Many people think that this is a glamorous activity, but I can assure you that it is not. You sit at home on your own, in your own world…

You’re a Boomer, so what? So you’re retired, or at least retirement is on your radar. Studies have shown that the average retired person has 7.5 hours of leisure time every day. It’s a beautiful thing if you’re a golfer or live in a climate where you can putter…

These days there are many options if you’re hoping to publish your book. You can do it yourself using Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing, IngramSpark.com or other similar services. You write your book, format it and upload files to the website…

December is a good time for an annual review and also a good time to reevaluate that you are doing all that you can do to bring joy into your life. Discovering and claiming our passion is about knowing what we love doing…

In a previous blog we touched upon the importance of identifying themes when writing your memoir. Here we will examine and explore what happens after you’ve outlined your book themes. That will enable you to plot a patchwork story…