What’s a Memoir Take Away?

Opening Salvos #8 by Matilda Butler

Add a “Take Away” To Your Opening

What do pizza-by-the-slice and memoir openings have in common? Before I get into that, let me tell you about an intriguing interview that Kendra Bonnett and I just had with Jessica Bram. Jessica’s memoir, Happily Ever After Divorce: Notes of a Joyful Journey, has recently been published. As a writer (The New York Times, Women’s Journal, Child Magazine, etc.), speaker (National Public Radio’s “All Things Considered,” etc.) and teacher (Westport Writers’ Workshop that she founded), Jessica both practices and preaches (well, teaches) about the craft of memoir writing. In the interview, Jessica answered umami questions such as: 

— When do you know if you have rewritten a piece 

    enough?

— What is the difference between positive and 

    constructive feedback?

— What do you do when you go off on tangents when you write? How do you recognize 

    a tangent?

— When you write a memoir, how do you “serve the reader?”

— How do you know when it is time to write about that traumatic time in your life?

— Can you write a memoir even if you don’t have an upbeat message?

— And more questions from women memoir writers.

Near the end of our interview, I asked Jessica to share with us her experience in writing the opening for her memoir. Although she talked about several factors she wanted to include as well as the many rewrites required to get it “right,” I think you’ll appreciate her concept of the “take away.” 

So, finally, I’m back to pizza-by-the-slice and memoir openings. We know about take away foods and pizza is frequently in that category. In many food courts across the country, you can walk up to a counter and purchase a slice. There’s more still in the pan, but you have something to eat right now. Similarly, Jessica talks about providing a take away for your readers right in the opening of your memoir. It is a small slice of your memoir. It gives your reader an immediate treat, something to think about, something that tells your reader where you are going.

Notice in the photo above how the cheese strings still link the slice back to the rest of the pizza? Similarly, the take away you provide in your opening needs to be written in a way that continues to tie it to the rest of the memoir. 

Want to learn more about Jessica’s advice on memoir openings? CLICK HERE. 

If you would like to hear her entire interview, visit our website: www.womensmemoirs.com 

Find that you get bogged down in your writing?

Matilda Butler – Opening Salvos #7

Try story poems. 

In these Opening Salvos blogs, I usually provide insights from my interviews with memoir authors. This month, I’d like to invite you to help shape our upcoming interview with author, fellow blogger and SCN member Janet Riehl. 

Janet made numerous presentations based on her memoir Sightlines: A Poet’s Diary. She often enlivened her readings with a bit of music (she plays the violin) and additional family anecdotes. Afterwards, she often heard comments about how much the music and stories added to the emotion of the poems. Finally, she decided it was time to take the words of praise seriously.

That began her journey to create a CD, now released, called Sightlines: A Family Love Story in Poetry & Music. Ask Janet how she did this. Ask her how story poems might help you in your own writing. Ask her any question you’d like that will give you ideas and suggestions for your own writing.

You can CLICK HERE to read her guest blog and writing prompt. Then just ask your question in the Comments field. We’ll include your question in our live interview with Janet on Thursday June 11 at 10 AM Pacific Daylight Time (1 PM Eastern). Details on phone number and access code are provided in the blog – CLICK HERE. If you can’t listen in, we’ll post the audio of the interview on Monday June 15 on our website, www.womensmemoirs.com 

Don’t let yourself get bogged down. There are many creative ideas that will spark your imagination and your writing.