Ask Me Anything with the Empowered Women Book Club on August 27
+Memoir WIP update & call for subscriber news
You’re reading Memoir Lines by Joelle, explorations of truth-telling, life after trauma, and changing one’s mind. Join us—we have fun and shake things up a bit.
Next Wednesday, August 27, you’re warmly invited to an Ask Me Anything session with the Empowered Women Book Club in celebration of two years since my debut memoir, The Secret Practice: Eighteen Years on the Dark Side of Yoga, was published.
I’m happy to chat about any aspect of my story, writing and publishing memoir, cultic control and spiritual abuse, or anything else on your mind.
We meet online at 1pm EST/6pm UK time. The event and joining details are in the Empowered Women Book Club private Facebook group. You can also respond to this email or message me.
I’d love to see you there!
So you think you have an amazing first draft.
This week I finished reading the first draft of my childhood memoir WIP, around three pages.
I took my time with it because, as per an earlier post, this is draft zero—before the story emerges.
Draft zero it is! The words and memories on the page read like a vast wilderness of shrubs with the occasional flower that makes you stop and think: this is special.
Now I need to take those flowers and create an intentional bouquet the reader will enjoy.
The process of reading this early draft, bursting with memories from my early years, made me realize why balanced memoirs aren’t riveting. The author must take a point of view, a storyline, and cleave to it.
Otherwise, the reader will be left in a wilderness wondering where the path lies.
Memoir readers and writers, what do you think?
Subscriber News
From next month I’ll be featuring subscriber publication news. Send me your news and order links, and I’ll share them with the Memoir Lines community!
As a memoir reader, I couldn't agree more! You're searching for your through line, which once you discover it, will only enhance and give depth to your story's theme-and ultimately your message to your readers. Such an exciting place to be with your memoir! I'm looking forward to your session on the 27th!