Denis Ledoux's Blog, page 63

Writing a Memoir Is Not Easy

Writing A Memoir Is Not An Easy Task To Sustain

When writing memoir the project typically starts with a burst of energy. “This is going to be a good piece of writing! What am I saying, ‘good?’

“It’s going to be great!”

So we write for a month or two or even three and the energy remains strong but…

There comes a day when the demon that plagues all writers raises its ugly head and snaps at you.

“What in the world were you thinking of committing yourself to writing this horribly insignificant...

Truth Telling – A Revolutionary Act

The Importance of Telling the Truth

One of the most transformative statements an individual can make is truth telling and objectivity. In a world where we are constantly being bombarded with subtle-and not so subtle—messages about who we ought to be, it is a bold statement to take a stand for personal authenticity.

“The telling of your stories is a revolutionary act.” — Sam Keen, writer

At its best, this is what a memoir is – a statement that declares “this is who I am, who I think of mysel...

How to Write a Successful Memoir: Approaching Neverland

Today’s writer is Peggy Kennedy, whom we first presented to you on June 5, 2009. Approaching Neverland, her memoir of a mentally-ill mother and a family that struggled to survive, is amazing—and redemptive. I hope you will procure a copy.

Denis Ledoux: Can you tell our readers what your book is about and why you were impelled to write it? What was driving you to spend the time, energy and money to get this book out into the world?

Peggy Kennedy: The name of my book is Approaching Neverland,...

Which Voice Will Write Your Memoir?

Choose A Voice To Write From

Choosing a voice is imperative.This may sound like a joke, but it’s not. In fact, it is a very serious question that will determine-or at least greatly influence-the tone and the theme of your narrative.

“But, I’m writing my memoirs!” you might answer. Yes, of course. It’s you! But, which you?

We’ve all had the experience of the various parts of ourselves in internal debate. For instance, a friend asks you to go to the movies. One part of you thinks, “Sure!” Ano...

The Importance of Facts in Memoir Writing

The importance of facts in memoir writing

The importance of facts in memoir writingsuch as dates, addresses, names, and relationships, are one of its special feature.

Memoir writing cannot, without deleting from its value, omit dates and specific identification of locales, names of individuals and their relationships to one another. Memoir writing is factual writing: hence the importance of facts. A memoir without these facts is like a map without route numbers. Whether I know the people i...

Lightning Bug Words

Are You Using Lightning Bug Words?

A lightning bug is a small, friendly flicker in our back yards, not enough light to illuminate even the smallest corner. On the other hand, lightning dazzles the eye. The sky is split open. Sometimes it makes our hair stand on end.

The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug.” — Mark Twain

Mark Twain uses the lightning/lightning bug comparison to talk about the importance of find...

Wrong Timing Will Sink Your Memoir

This third installment on self-editing offers basic editing tips around the use of time. A writer can effect these tips to bring a manuscript to a higher level of finish before sending the piece off to a professional editor. In this section, I write about time sequencing: specifically, cause and effect sequencing and the flashback.

Part 1:What You Can Do Before You Send a Manuscript To An Editor! Click here.

Part 2: Before Sending Your Manuscript to an Editor. Click here.

Cause and Effect

I...

Writing Time Wasters

Writing Time Wasters Do Not Elude Me

I’m no more immune than anyone else to the plague of time wasters. Time wasters are habits we fall into that consume the time we have allotted (or could allot) to writing so that we end up not writing! Here are some of the most insidious, that take up too much time and squander my writing energy.

1. Checking on e-mail before I begin to write for the day. Either it takes up a lot of time as I read through the e-notes or I come across an e-mail that gets...

Where Do You Start Writing Your Memoir?

Is there a best place to start writing your memoir?

It’s a quandary: where do you start writing your memoir? Many people may say: from the beginning. But, I don’t think that is the best place to start composing.

1. The answer is actually quite simple: Start writing your memoir anywhere in the story.

Start from where you feel like writing about on any given day and keep writing as long as you wish to do so. Then, if the topic ceases to interest you and you would like to write about something...

Tell the truth, or why washing family laundry in public is painful.

It is not always easy to tell the truth

Anyone writing a memoir must face the challenge of how to tell the truth of his or her story at the same time as one does not want to cause harm or pain. I have written elsewhere about telling the truth in a memoir. Those posts have been more on the objective level—the theory of telling the truth.

My latest memoir A Sugary Frosting has brought me face to face – personally – with the challenge of telling the truth. I’m not a great fan of “silly me thin...