Living Life Twice

  After more than 50 years engaged in a writing life as both teacher and writer/poet, I offer the following advice to young and inexperienced writers. Advice about developing good writing habits and thinking about your writing in ways that deliver some essential energy to continue writing.  I sincerely hope my words prove of value to you and you go eagerly to the page to write what matters, striving to build confidence and experience as authors. Here Goes! If your words sound boring to you, they will probably sound boring to your readers. Write so the reader wants to turn the page to find out what happens next. Read your writing out loud before you share it with anyone. Imagine yourself as a reader hearing the words for the first time. Listen carefully. Develop a routine for writing and stick to it. A routine time for writing is more valuable to you than waiting for inspiration to visit you. Make sure you read a lot. Reading adds fuel to your thoughts. Books provide a launchin...

  A memoir is not a review of an entire life. It is merely a piece of that life – a snippet, a chunk, an event that has taken place during that person’s life. It's the snapshot, not the album. The events are told from that person’s point of view. Imagine a pie, and that pie represents your entire life. Well, a memoir is a slice of that pie, not the whole pie... 'The writer of a memoir takes us back to a corner of his or her life that is usually vivid or intense.' Zinsser,W (Ed). (1987). “Inventing the Truth: The Art and Craft Of Memoir' A memoir incorporates a sequence of feelings, thoughts and observations surrounding the chosen event. Often the writer comes to a personal reflection on this event. How does this event reflect my life? What feelings, thoughts and observations are keys to this event? In teaching students to write a memoir piece, it is important for the writer to narrow the topic before commencing the task of committing words to paper. To begin, it may pro...