It is time for me to update you on my memoir’s development once more. I can tell you for sure, the revision journey hasn’t been without its struggles. 

In reality, I am stuck in the murky middle of my memoir, trying to navigate the thick fog, where I don’t even see my hands.

As I delve deeper into my childhood and investigate times when I was born in the USSR, I shake up my foggy memories. Like a stream of light, certain memories reveal themselves.

When I need professional support, I reach out to my therapist to navigate emotional upheaval and process memories quickly.

Challenges of the Second Draft

My days of revising my memoir vary. 

😀 Whenever I am clear about my goals, I am on fire. I am excited and confident, creating flow and smooth transitions one paragraph at a time. 

🙁 Other days, doubt creeps in. My writing sessions spin and drag me into a rabbit hole. I question whether I am focusing on the right things during the revision, despite the road map I created during the recent Memoir Revision Bootcamp.

• Am I falling behind or a few steps ahead of myself? 
• Do I need to get back to the basics, or keep moving forward while learning writing crafts along the way? 

I wonder if my storyline is clear, while I get lost in the differences between confusing terms: story, plot, narrative arc, and structure. 

The chain of events is foggy—welcome to my murky middle. I play with the skeleton of the timeline, eager to sculpt the connecting pieces between important memoir scenes.

I want to find the method that works for me: revisiting and clarifying outlines with a clear timeline, creating sticky notes with important scenes, and arranging them on the back of my office door.

This process feels tedious but is necessary to gain clarity.

Building a timeline skeleton with the important scenes. My revising process of outlines, chapters, and subchapters.

I feel like I have every resource there is—a writing coach, accountability groups, a revision partner, tons of writing books, craft classes under my belt, and my commitment. But something is missing… 

Is it someone who believes in my story and what I have to share? 

Perhaps I need to believe in myself more, get a better organization and a loud cheerleader, and gain more clarity. Or even better—remember my why.

Young Natasha is my inspiration.

As I look at the photo of me at 7-8 years old, I write this memoir for her. Her name is Natasha. She went through and overcame a lot at a young age. She survived and found love for herself and others. She forgave those who tossed her like a paper doll and kept loving those people anyway. 

I am 7-8 years old at the orphanage

I’m no longer her anymore. I’m a different person now. But she was the first who bravely stepped into this journey called life. She showed me how to weather any storm and adapt to any situation. And this memoir is for her.

I know slow and steady wins the race. 

However, in my case, it’s not a race but a marathon. It is all about the journey to the clear destination—my published memoir. I will get there, and this is just a stage of revision, where I take two steps forward and one step back or the other way around. 

The beauty of the process is that I consistently show up for my memoir, no matter how slow the progress is.

When I need inspiration, I read.

When I need clarity, I journal.

When I need to show up, I simply do.

My dear, keep moving forward with your dreams.

Leave a comment below with extra encouragement or tips, or share your received insights from reading this blog.