Theo Pauline Nestor
Category Archives: Memoirists
The Thing You Least Want to Write About
In a June 2017 Fresh Air interview, Roxane Gay shared that her book, Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body, “felt necessary to write because it was the book I wanted to write the least.” She goes onto explain: “When I was thinking about what to do next in terms of nonfiction just before Bad Feminist came out, I thought You know, I’d really never want to write about fatness. And in that moment I knew that’s something I have to write about.” Continue reading
What I Learned at a Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour Concert
And as Taylor S rapid cycled from a Speak Now era youthful romantic in a pink Cinderella gown to a Reputation era bad bitch clad in black and red to an Evermore cottage fairy, I found myself thinking about how the entire magical show was a giant lesson in self-acceptance and reclaiming the disowned parts of ourselves. And, how that reclaiming of disowned selves is 90 percent of why most who’ve tried it will agree that writing a memoir can be, um, hard. Like, brutally. Continue reading
Posted in Memoirists, More Stuff for Writers, Taylor Swift, Writing Tips
Tagged finding your voice, writing advice
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The Essays That Came Before the Book Deals
Writers worry about “giving the story away” before their book is out in the world. But publishing a personal essay about a related story can stir up interest in the memoirist’s larger narrative. And, that following you create as an essayist can pay off when you go to sell your memoir. “That following” is also known as a platform, an author’s existing audience for a particular story. (This is why writing/revising/submitting an essay to a target publication is a key part of my Platform Building 101 course). Writing essays also gives a writer a chance to develop a story and explore its themes before setting out to write (and rewrite) 300 pages. But perhaps the greatest benefit of those essays: Early reader enthusiasm that boosts writer confidence and wards off those thoughts of who’s gonna care anyways? that haunt each of us with a personal story to tell. Continue reading
How to Write a Memoir Book Proposal (That Stands a Chance)
Learn how to write a memoir book proposal. Continue reading
Posted in Memoirists, More Stuff for Writers, Publishing, Webinars, Writing Tips
Tagged advice, book proposals, literary agents, Memoir, Publishing, Writing, writing advice
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4 New Year’s Resolutions for Memoirists
Want to finish your memoir this year? Here are four resolutions to help you create an enduring memoir that transforms your individual experience into a universal one that speaks to a wide readership. 1. This year I will make myself … Continue reading
Posted in Memoirists, More Stuff for Writers, Writing Tips
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How to Keep on Writing that Freaking Book!
Question: When is 9 months “a year”? Answer: When the 9 months is spent in a manuscript class. I teach a memoir manuscript class here in Seattle at Hugo House. The class runs 9 months from September to June, and … Continue reading
Posted in Memoirists, More Stuff for Writers, Writing Tips
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What I Learned About Life and Writing Onstage with Cheryl Strayed
A few weeks ago I did an onstage conversation with Cheryl Strayed here in Seattle about her new book, Brave Enough, a collection of quotes that yield up her trademark no-nonsense wisdom. The entire experience was a Dear Sugar Boot … Continue reading
Posted in Author Interviews, Cheryl Strayed, Memoirists, More Stuff for Writers
Tagged advice, Brave Enough, Cheryl Strayed, Dear Sugar, Memoir, Writing
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Join Me at Black Mesa Writers’ Intensive!
Hi Readers, When I was writing the book Writing Is My Drink, I kept three books stacked together on my desk: Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, The Right to Write by Julia Cameron and Writing Down the Bones by … Continue reading
Posted in Black Mesa Writers' Intensive, Memoirists, More Stuff for Writers, Theo Finding Her Voice, Writing Is My Drink: The Book
Tagged Julia Cameron, Memoir, memoir writing, Natalie Goldberg, Personal Narrative, Santa Fe, Tanya Taylor Rubinstein, Theo Pauline Nestor, Writing, Writing retreats
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Goodbye to All That: My Class of 2012/13 Moves On
Every June another group of my memoir students takes to the podium for our end-of-year reading. It always amazes me how much progress they’ve made in their time in the Memoir certificate program through the UW’s Professional & Continuing Education … Continue reading
Posted in Memoirists, More Stuff for Writers
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Theo’s Summer Reading Recommendations
Interested in learning more about personal narrative and memoir? Here are some books you might want to read: Barrington, Judith. Writing the Memoir.Eighth Mountain Press, 2002. Goldberg, Natalie. Old Friend from Far Away: The Practice of Writing Memoir. Free Press, … Continue reading
Posted in Memoirists, What I'm Reading Now
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Writing Is My Drink 