The awakening power of spring reminds me to unfold at my own pace and cherish each moment of my writing journey while rereading my previous Confessions of a Memoirist and witnessing tremendous growth. 

Memoir Update

I announced my memoir celebration and its next stage in my January Tuesday Museletter, Trust the Mystery of Life. 

Yes, I finished my first MESSY draft! It took me years. Even though I know life happens, I’m determined to bring my memoir to the ready-to-be-published stage.  

My writing journey in 2024 has been bumpy so far. In December and January, I took some much-needed breaks from my memoir project but kept reading others’ memoirs and getting inspired. 

Realistic Goals for Revision and Challenges

In the past, I dreamed of publishing my book in an unrealistic time frame. I’m so grateful to have a mentor who is several steps ahead with her memoir revision. She shows me what’s achievable and brings me back to reality. 

Now, I’m in the revision stage, and it looks treacherous. My mind has been all over the place, confused about what to focus on. 

My human curiosity and restlessness swept me away when I questioned the resources I had to start the revision. Instead, I searched online for anything helpful that would solve my “situation” with a single “whoosh!” of a magic wand. I know it was my safety mechanism that could only lead me down the endless rabbit hole of research and away from revision itself.

But the closer I work with my writing coach, the lighter my journey becomes. We discuss challenges, and I gain clarity on my next steps.

In February, I took classes on mastering the writing craft and reviewed my memoir outline. I can see clearly that my first book will not include many of my experiences because I’m writing a memoir, not an autobiography. 

It’s March already, and after having a focused and intentional conversation with my mentor about my memoir, we set doable goals for at least two months. 

My First Steps of Revision

I’ve been reading the core of my memoir—the first three chapters—and making notes. 

Chapter 1 brought me to a realization. Oh, my, it’s so shitty and messy. I give myself grace without judgment to remember that it was meant to be that way—shitty, as many authors call it. 

After reading, I need to form my writing into ONE flowing story. And I can tell you, it isn’t easy for a non-native speaker. So far, all I have read is my hungry desire to preserve childhood memories of where and what happened to me, with a hint of humor. 

My next task is to write several possible beginnings of my memoir and then play with the written material, shifting paragraphs, scenes, sections, cutting, expanding, and rewriting to create flow. 

Wish me luck and resilience on my memoir revision journey. (Wink-wink) 

I need your help, dear reader. 

Unfortunately, the writing groups I was involved in are no longer operational.

I write weekly in the significant “accountability” task-completion groups Shut Up and Write and LWS Writing Hour. However, I need a small, writing-focused group of two to three people for additional support, feedback, and accountability. 

Writing can be a lonely journey, but it doesn’t have to be.

We can meet locally within the DMV area or virtually at least once a month to revisit our writing goals and create an editing or accountability group. If you’re interested, please email me. 

Please share your comments with me. It’s always a pleasure to hear from you.