Memoir Writing
Living with Purpose
Why Sharing Our Stories Matters If you’ve ever wondered whether sharing your story is worth it — whether anyone will care, whether it’s too messy, too personal, or too much — this post is for you. I’m resharing something I wrote in April 2022 that articulates exactly why I believe so deeply in the power…
Read MoreFor a long time, I treated “someday” as a plan
On perfectionism, timing, and what helped me begin Six years ago, I was stuck in a loop that will probably sound familiar to anyone who tends toward perfectionism. Should I write a book? Not can I write one. I knew I could put words on a page. The question was heavier than that. Was I the right…
Read MoreYou may not be writing it yet, but you’re already in it
For the woman with notes, questions, and a story she has not said out loud yet Most women I know, especially women around my age, are carrying big questions. Have I made good decisions? Are my kids going to be okay? How do I care for my aging parents? What do I want this next…
Read MoreWhat Happens After the Life You Planned Isn’t the Life You’re Living
A reflection on midlife disorientation, the fear of telling the truth, and why the story you hesitate to name may be the one that helps you make sense of your life. At some point, a lot of women look up and realize the life in front of them is not the one they thought they…
Read MoreWhen Perfectionism Puts On A Blazer
I don’t know if you feel this way when you create, but I tend to do one of two things: I either get it out fast (a nod to my years as a public information officer and emergency management communicator), or I get stuck in creative revision. Now that I’m out of public service and…
Read MoreThis Is Not for Everyone (and That’s Okay)
I’m not AI-generated. My hair is gray and curly. My eyes need correction, and my wrinkles are becoming more prominent. I know who I am, what I need to do most days, and—just as importantly—what I don’t know yet. I try not to imply expertise where I don’t have it. I speak in the same…
Read More12 Days of Christmas (Memoir-Writer Edition)
Every December, I love finding small ways to reconnect with my creativity. This year, I decided to give the classic “12 Days of Christmas” a memoir-writer twist — something light, joyful, and totally permission-giving with ChatGPT.This is what we came up with: On the first day of Christmas, my memoir book coach gave to me:…
Read MoreHow the Story Unfolds: Chapter One
Angry storm clouds, pregnant with rain, screamed with lightning as I gripped the seat handles and stared out the window of the plane, willing this trip to Montana to be over. The dark, tumultuous sky seemed to mirror our family’s last two and a half months. I gazed at my thirteen-year-old daughter, Katie, as she…
Read MoreHow Writing Helps Me Hold What’s Hard
For almost 25 years, I’ve been writing about the girl who would become my daughter—trying to make sense of a parenting journey that has looked nothing like the one I once imagined. From the posts I sent to listservs during our Russian adoption process (back when the internet was barely finding its legs), to my…
Read MoreNever Underestimate Your Impact
When I was a college student, I had an opportunity to work for Councilmember Harold “Rusty” Fairly. I was interning for his public affairs consultant, who said, “I want you to go help Rusty out.” So I walked a block over to City Hall and met the man who would be like a second father…
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