A Writer’s Guide to Memoir
There are times, especially around my friends who write poetry and novels, that I blush to admit my love of reading and writing memoir. It seems so audacious to think that anyone in the world would want to read about my life. (But hey, if you incorporate enough owls in an essay, almost everyone’s interested!)
Those of you who share my angst regarding memoir, I’m excited to tell you about a new book that dignifies the genre. Sue William Silverman‘s Fearless Confessions: A Writer’s Guide to Memoir hits the stands on June 1st. I’ve just reviewed it for an upcoming issue of The Writer Magazine, and without plagiarizing myself, I want to tell you that the book is a fantastic read.
Silverman is generous with her information on craft, intelligent in her analysis of the pros and cons regarding book-length memoir, savvy in her marketing suggestions, and evocative in the personal examples with which she illustrates various facets of memoir writing. Reserve a copy. It’s well worth it just for the 16-page reading list of memoir in the appendix, and you’ll finish the book with a newfound respect for the genre–I’m sure of it.
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About
Photo by Jonathan B. Smith
Melissa Hart is the author of the memoir, Gringa: A Contradictory Girlhood (Seal, 2009). Her articles and essays have appeared in The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, The Advocate, High Country News, Orion, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Adbusters, Hemispheres, Horizon Air Magazine, and numerous other publications. Web: http://www.melissahart.com.
She lives in Oregon with her daughter, five cats, and her husband–photographer Jonathan B. Smith. She teaches Travel and Feature Writing for the School of Journalism and Communication at the University of Oregon. Contact her at melissa(at)melissahart(dot)com.
Become a fan of Melissa Hart’s writing on Facebook and receive regular updates on workshops, new publications, and items of interest to writers.
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