Memoir resources for when you’re staring down a blank page

Even the most seasoned writer sometimes feels hopeless when they sit down to write and nothing comes. Here, 7 helpful resources for budding memoirists.

memoir & writingDawn M. RoodeAugust 18, 2025what to do when i have writers block, ideas and help for beginning memoir writers, i am having trouble writing about my lifeComment

How to turn an oral history into a compelling story

Four steps to help you turn spoken stories into engaging written narratives—so once the family history interview is done, you can create a lasting legacy.

family history, memoir & writingDawn M. RoodeAugust 4, 2025how to write family stories from interviews, what to do with my family history interviews after transcribed, how to write and edit family stories that are interestingComment

A new book to help you write the hard stories

Brave the Page by trauma-informed writing coach Megan Febuary shares how to probe memories, write about your hard experiences, and find healing.

reviews, memoir & writingDawn M. RoodeJuly 21, 2025how to write about trauma, brave the page by megan febuary book review, helpful book for writing about traumaComment

“The messy middle”: Pushing through the toughest part of memoir writing

You start out with excitement and fervor—blank pages are feverishly filled with stories about your life. But what can you do when your memoir momentum wanes?

memoir & writingDawn M. RoodeJune 23, 2025what to do when i am stuck on my memoir writing, how to battle writers block for my memoir, why can't i finish my life storyComment

Putting the pieces together (aka memoir ‘making’)

By holding as your goal the idea of ‘writing your memoir,’ you are focused too soon on the end goal. Instead, think about writing towards your memoir.

memoir & writingDawn M. RoodeMay 12, 2025how to gain clarity on my memoir's theme, how to find the point of my memoir writing, how to write a memoir when I don't know where to startComment

“I’m scared.”

Are you nervous about undertaking a life story project? Working with a personal historian or memoir coach can help alleviate many of the most common fears.

memoir & writing, why tell your stories?Dawn M. RoodeApril 28, 2025common fears about writing my life story, how to get over fears about writing my memoir, what are common fears about writing about my lifeComment

Why you need emotional distance when writing memoir

Is there ever really a ‘right’ time to start writing your memoir? There’s not, in my opinion, but here are two questions to ask yourself to help you decide.

memoir & writingDawn M. RoodeMarch 24, 2025writing about trauma in memoir, when is the right time to write about my life\, how to get emotional distance when writing memoirComment

Do you keep a writing ideas notebook?

Writer’s block can happen to the best of us. This simple idea—keeping a notebook of self-generated writing prompts—will keep your memoir ideas flowing.

memoir & writingDawn M. RoodeJanuary 14, 2025how to keep a notebook of writing ideas, keeping track of things you want to write about from your life, how to make a notebook of personalized writing promptsComment