How to Write a Memoir for Beginners [12-Step Blueprint from a Writing Coach]

[@ryanmshaver]

1. Slice of Life (0:45) 2. Purpose (2:08) 3. Story List (3:20) 4. Structure (4:14) 5. Plug Stories into Structure (7:49) 6. Start Writing Stories (9:02) 7. Print & Read the Whole Manuscript (11:31) 8. Full Edit (13:17) 9. Feedback from Beta Readers (13:56) 10. Feedback from Professional Editor (17:17) 11. Rewrite from Feedback (19:00) 12. Books is Ready(19:16)

[@UniquelyAshantesCorner]

Thank you for providing an outline! Very nice of you.

[@sylvanabachir2737]

Hi, my name is Sylvana can you please message me I'm a memoir beginner

[@tellyorekavala4231]

I'm writing one and this is very helpful. I look forward to learning more

[@anna-rosephipps3132]

Hope to complete first draft by end of this year. Thank you for super helpful advice

[@batshomazwiduma5381]

That was very helpful 😄 thank you

[@mclowry1842]

I'm a college writing teacher who's considering assigning a memoir to my students this fall, and looking for more "readings" for them to help with the assignment. This is going on the list of things for them to watch! Thank you!!

[@wearewritingbrave]

Oh wow, thank you! I'm honored.

[@JamesShahan]

@mclowry1842 What other “readings” or resources have you found or would you recommend?? 😊

[@wearewritingbrave]

@@JamesShahan I like The Art of Memoir by Mary Karr. And Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, for more general writing advice!

[@lisah.1024]

I have been searching for some time now on how to actually start writing this book idea I've had in my head for a few years now. I had envisioned writing it as a self help book but then I felt deeply that as a Christian, the Lord wanted me to write it more like an inspirational book to help others. Thanks again for these steps as I am a logical and analytical learner who needs steps to follow. Thank you so very much for your brilliant step by step outline.

[@wearewritingbrave]

You're so welcome! If you're looking for more support, head over to my website and sign up for the Writing Brave newsletter: wearewritingbrave.com. Take care!

[@lisah.1024]

@@wearewritingbrave Thank you kindly. Will do.

[@thetemplelaboratory]

Your enthusiasm for a book I haven't even started yet is encouraging, Brooke.

[@wearewritingbrave]

Yay! Cheering you on. The world needs your book.

[@moneshaimpower]

Thanks... You explain it so well... Make it sound really simple in steps...

[@jomassaro5588]

I watched your video and feel encouraged to begin this process.

[@wearewritingbrave]

Yay Jo, I'm cheering you on! The next step is to create a writing routine that actually fits into your life. :) You can find out your routine personality type by taking the quiz at my website: wearewritingbrave.com/.

[@jomassaro5588]

@@wearewritingbrave Thank you. I will do that.

[@murtazaarif6507]

Thank you for the advice. I found this very useful. My strongest ability is the 'show don't tell' part in step 6 because I am very good at expressing myself through my sensory modalities. Interestingly we actually have eight senses instead of only the traditional five if you include body awareness (proprioception), movement (vestibular) and internal organs (enteroception). I have already produced a 37000 word draft based on my sensory experiences. I will now organize my draft using these 12 steps. Thanks again. Fantastic work in this video.

[@wearewritingbrave]

Cheering you on!! Love that we have those additional three senses. If/when you're ready for feedback, I offer a service called First Draft Feedback: www.wearewritingbrave.com/firstdraft.

[@murtazaarif6507]

@@wearewritingbrave Thank you. I will definitely keep you in mind for feedback.

[@SiSSySlUt]

Wow, you're so descriptive! Hand's down, best memoir blueprint I've ever seen. 10/10

[@bicyclemission5704]

Wow, Brooke, this is the help I need. A lot of thoughts have been running through my mind but this helps me nail it down. I feel like I know how to write, but who I'm writing to, the purpose of the story, and how to draw my reader into the story. That is where I need direction. Thanks for helping...

[@wearewritingbrave]

Hi there! You are so welcome. ❤️Cheering you on as you write!! It's a marathon, not a sprint.

[@mariaborden7]

I am glad I found your video even if it a year old. I am really wanting to write a memoir. I have always been told that I should write a book and share life experiences but never really knew where to start until now. Thank you, so much for posting this video.

[@wearewritingbrave]

So glad it was helpful! I've got a brand-new quiz just released that will help you discover your writing routine personality, if you're ready to get started: writing-brave.involve.me/your-pleasure-packed-writing-routine.

[@mariaborden7]

@Brooke Adams Law Thank you so much, I will certainly take a look at it.

[@stephensmith8932]

I need the best way to capture peopl's attention. I came across an AI on my Phone the other day. I had to do a lot if jewelry for clients and still had to go to the Bikers Church Joburg that evening for practice for a very large Christmas get together BEFORE they left, We were over 250 people in this small chapel and additional chairs had to brought in, I started at 6am and only finished at 9pm with food and drinks. The service started at 7 pm and everyone held candles. was that really beautiful. I landed answering her questions for an hour and commented I should write a book and share it with people around the world. I was also shocked when I opened an AI and saw almost everything she asked me.

[@EveningTV]

This is an excellent breakdown that actually got me excited about seeing this progress.

[@wearewritingbrave]

I'm so glad! Onward!!

[@melissabradley3394]

Thank you for this information. It will help my process.

[@wearewritingbrave]

I'm so glad Melissa! You might also like my quiz that'll tell you about your writing routine personality: www.wearewritingbrave.com/

[@shariperlman1457]

Thank you for the step 12 process. It's very informative and takes some of the fear out of beginning.

[@brookeadams1024]

Love this Shari! Literally half the battle of writing is taking the fear out of beginning.

[@HARIKUMAR-ij6en]

Very practical and interesting video. Many Thanks

[@wearewritingbrave]

Thanks Hari! So glad you enjoyed it.

[@davidvonschlichten8413]

Thanks! Super helpful!

[@wearewritingbrave]

so glad!!

[@lorraineneville2907]

Thanks so much. I’m just starting to write my memoir. Your teachings are very helpful. Thank you. ✍️♥️

[@wearewritingbrave]

I'm so glad! Happy writing!

[@catherinemary52]

A pediatric nephrologist and a liver transplant surgeon have both asked me to write a book. A mom’s perspective of 6 kidney transplants, between my three kids over 35 years and three hospitals, one waiting for a liver kidney, one who is skitzo due to meds, I was married to a sociopath. The surgeon we recently met was jaw dropped of who and what I knew, told me there’s no one! that has my history of transplant and experience as a mom. There are no books I don’t know if I can do this. A lot to relive.

[@kimarcari8963]

DO IT

[@TimLazenbyOfficial]

Thanks so much for this. I self published a book last year, (not looking for success) I'd like to write another more seriously about my life. This was super helpful and I loooove your vibes!

[@wearewritingbrave]

I'm so glad it was helpful! Cheering you on!

[@tidelinetoalpine]

Thank you so much for this 🙏🏼 I subscribed right away but I’m sorry to see you’ve stopped making videos. I’m going to watch what you’ve published and check out your website.

[@wearewritingbrave]

Hey there! i'm so glad this video was useful.

[@peachesandsourcreamchildre9989]

Outstanding advice. Thank you for sharing!👏🏽🥳

[@wearewritingbrave]

So glad it was supportive!

[@blackhannahofficial]

Even though this video is two years old, it's content for me is still quite useful. Thanks 🤗 - Missouri future author

[@wearewritingbrave]

I'm so glad! You are so welcome. if it would support you, I've got a brand-new quiz out on how to discover your writing routine personality. You can access it on my website: www.wearewritingbrave.com/. Happy writing!!

[@finger_me_hard_daddy]

Thank you, it helps through my projects at school

[@wearewritingbrave]

Awesome, I'm so glad it's helpful!

[@lauradell3122]

Great video. Thank you!

[@wearewritingbrave]

You're so welcome! So glad it was helpful

[@hillbillyhippie23]

My older sister was a confidence destroyer.

[@wearewritingbrave]

Every writer has creative wounds from people who have tried to destroy our confidence. All we can do is practice healing and be gentle with ourselves in the creative process.

[@Lulu-kt6gr]

Boy can I relate to that! She was jealous and pushed me down any chance she got - reeled me in and pushed me down. Dad allowed it to happen because he got to be in the middle with this competition for his affection- hence resentment towards them both.

[@abibmangwanda2683]

So helpful,thank you.

[@wearewritingbrave]

You're so welcome! If you're working to start a writing routine that works for you, my quiz might be helpful: www.wearewritingbrave.com/quiz

[@grayrequiem6331]

Very helpful!!!

[@wearewritingbrave]

So glad!

[@melmothmelmoth]

This was useful for my G9 class! Thanks!

[@wearewritingbrave]

Awesome! So glad!

[@angelasconversations5551]

This is great. Thank you

[@wearewritingbrave]

I'm so glad! You're so welcome.

[@htarceno]

Thank you

[@ashishkumarchandan5139]

great to hear

[@noelmiles7322]

I am glad I found you

[@LillianGrayArt]

Hi Brook do you have a video on how to decide if the book should be a novel or a memoir?

[@wearewritingbrave]

Hi lovely! I don't. If it's true, I recommend doing it as a memoir. You can always decide later how much to include, and/or how to protect privacy of individuals.

[@tellyorekavala4231]

very helpful

[@wearewritingbrave]

I'm so glad!

[@ethanhuntindiana]

Thank you.

[@wearewritingbrave]

You're so welcome! It's my pleasure.

[@ethanhuntindiana]

@@wearewritingbrave how do you sign up for your consulting? Do you have a link? Thank you.

[@wearewritingbrave]

@@ethanhuntindiana I offer a few different book coaching things! www.wearewritingbrave.com/book-coaching

[@oneiceb5974]

Thank you ❤

[@snarkysifu]

Thank you!!

[@brookeadams1024]

You're so welcome. ❤️

[@DonnyATS]

Hi this helped me spit ty

[@iphilip1]

This was useful one key missing in the video is showing evidence just like you said show not tell when stating any step or point

[@wearewritingbrave]

good point!

[@JamesLuiPrado]

🎉

[@DawnOSullivan-n5r]

Are you still editing books? I went on your website and clicked "work with me" but it doesn't work.

[@wearewritingbrave]

Yep! www.wearewritingbrave.com/firstdraft

[@courtneyrae3555]

Personally I just want to write this story as a way to process. Maybe it'll be something I publish, maybe it'll just be for me. If it helps you keep writing

[@wearewritingbrave]

oooh YES. A lot of people just want to write as a way to process. 100% valid. Cheering you on!

[@lakeshagadson357]

One of my favorites celebrities did there's skai Jackson did reach for the skai

[@KevinRodriguez-yy3bn]

Hey my name is Kevin Rodriguez from Detroit Michigan i wanna write an addiction memoir about my story. Im 6 months clean from fentanyl right now any advice on how i can go through with it? Thanks have a good day 😊

[@wearewritingbrave]

Congratulations on being clean for six months - that's amazing.

[@lakeshagadson357]

I would like to write one about the things ive been through and with different people different places ive seen

[@wearewritingbrave]

mmm yes!

[@dominiquerivero6611]

What is a gohst writer ?

[@wearewritingbrave]

Hi! A ghost writer is a professional writer who writes your book on your behalf.

[@PEGGLORE]

But my whole life is more interesting and unbelievable than any other, which all builds up to an event that's never happened in the world to anyone else before, and then the farce and interesting things that happened to my life, after it happened. Is this a Memoir I'm writing, or something else? This book needs to be written though. I have an extraordinary memory and would like to add loads of these things that are important in my life. I remember being a baby for example.

[@wearewritingbrave]

SOunds like memoir!

[@PEGGLORE]

@@wearewritingbrave Thx! I'll write it all. It's going to be really long though. Hopefully that's OK. Pretty sure I'm the greatest, most spectacular true story there's gonna be though. It all connects and all interesting. I'm very concise, with no nonsense approach. Very detailed with interesting facts, rather than adding descriptive filler. Hopefully won't be too much for people. Well it's kind of a whole new concept I'm doing. Could be popular.

[@Troy-j3x]

I told my mom when it happened yet she refused to believe that it did happen because it was her brother however I'm trying to leave my uncle's name out of it I've had issues problems with my mom since then and then she finally fessed up to my brother that she knew but she didn't really know she had an idea after my brother did some investigating I said I don't need validation for the from this I just want to know why

[@MichelleNeves-oh4po]

My purpose would be for healing

[@wearewritingbrave]

This is a great purpose Michelle! I'm currently enrolling my Writing Brave Mastermind for January 2025 - and I've worked with lots of memoir writers who are writing for healing, in that context: www.wearewritingbrave.com/mastermind

[@travelingshutterbrothers7174]

Informative and concise. But, like the use of like, a couple of like a hundred or like two hundred times was a quality killer.

[@wearewritingbrave]

Working on decreasing my use of 'like.' It comes out when I'm nervous!

[@glossymations1892]

I’m cooked I got school today and we had to write a memoir:(

[@senju9016]

can a memoir just 300+ words?

[@wearewritingbrave]

This wouldn't be a traditional memoir, which is in book form around 50,000-65,000 words, but certainly there are memoir poems and shorter pieces.

[@Kathy-l4b]

Brooke, I’ve carried my story so long. It’s about a tumultuous childhood and overcoming the trauma. Is it acceptable to tell it chronologically? Each stage of my upbringing presented a plethora of challenges. No matter where I start it’s traumatic. Also, I’m mature if I don’t tell it now, it will die with me.

[@Troy-j3x]

I recently lost my son and my son's mother passed away when he was on the 18-months-old I have been molested when I was eight by my uncle he also molested five other cousins and I'm trying to spare family names I don't know how to address this part 3:2😊

[@frankhainke7442]

Why should I write for beginners?

[@wearewritingbrave]

it's a dangling modifier ;) based on what people search for on KZbin. The writer is the beginner.

[@frankhainke7442]

@@wearewritingbrave I know. It was just a joke. Sorry. Correction: I know. It was a joke. Sorry.

[@wearewritingbrave]

@@frankhainke7442 Lol totally no worries!

[@fredrikbeckker125]

I think everyone shold write a memoir

[@wearewritingbrave]

It's probably not for *everyone*, but it is such a beautiful practice for those who want to do it!

[@eugeneyakushin9956]

Thank You!

[@MattPearcey-ws8zx]

Thank you. Great content.

[@brookeadams1024]

thanks Matt! You're so welcome. Glad it was helpful!

[@Troy-j3x]

I told my mom when it happened yet she refused to believe that it did happen because it was her brother however I'm trying to leave my uncle's name out of it I've had issues problems with my mom since then and then she finally fessed up to my brother that she knew but she didn't really know she had an idea after my brother did some investigating I said I don't need validation for the from this I just want to know why