How Can I Get Feedback on My Memoir?
Are you looking for feedback on your memoir? Do you find it easier to write in a group? Do you want feedback on your memoir as you write?
Feedback on your writing is important. It is also good to gain feedback as you write – that really helps you to go forwards in the writing process.
Writers cannot always afford a memoir writing coach, yet feedback is so necessary.
To gain feedback on your writing I am encouraging writers to form a Memoir Writing Group / Club with your friends and family. Here’s how.
How Feedback on Your Memoir Helps
Not everyone wants to write on their own. It depends on the writer. But there is a lot to be said for gaining feedback as you write.
Feedback helps to:
- keep your story focused
- know if your writing voice is working
- learn how others are handling various aspects of memoir writing
- gain awareness of how to write memoir creatively
- understand the key elements of how to write memoir
Encouragement is a great gift.
Writing in a group provides a host of benefits, and a lot of joy.
Benefits of Forming a Memoir Writing Group / Club
Sharing writing in groups, enhancing creativity and learning, developing and processing ideas together is not only fun, but is also a great way to keep your writing focused.
As Benjamin Franklin said: ‘Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.’
The Memoir Writing Workbook was developed and created by me with Benjamin Franklin’s ethos in mind. Each part of the workbook employs learning techniques so that the reader is involved, through exercise, through engagement of the learning experience, and the writing process.
Writing your memoir using right-brain / left-brain writing exercises is a powerful group activity. It allows the writer to gain feedback from a shared experience, which in turn allows for a common understanding from the writing outcome.
As Benjamin Franklin said: ‘Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.’
Writing need not be a lonely process. It is a creative, healing and wonderful pastime that should be shared.
Forming a Memoir Writing Group / Club with friends and family will provide many days and evenings of enjoyment and discovery.
It will also provide encouragement, and will allow you to share your memories and afford the opportunity for feedback.
Can I Form a Memoir Writing Club?
You may feel you would not be capable or have the experience to form a Memoir Writing Group or Club. Firstly, it is a similar concept to that of forming a Book Club, except in the Memoir Writing Club everyone is engaged in writing.
What will make you capable is The Memoir Writing Workbook. It’s simple. Each member of the Club has their own copy of the workbook. The group follows the innovative Memoir Map in the workbook, and the 36 multi-layered pioneering writing exercises in a step-by-step process.
During meetings the group agree on homework (the next exercise/reading or whatever) and be ready for feedback at the next meeting. It’s really flexible. It’s also possible to start an exercise at a meeting, and each member then completes it at home.
There is no teaching involved. In fact, The Memoir Writing Workbook is not for teachers to teach the course in the workbook. No one is actually licensed to teach my courses without permission. And to date we have not granted this option to anyone.
I want the joy of memoir writing to be shared as much as possible, without fees involved. That is my goal.
FREE LIVE Online Discussion on How to Start a Memoir Writing Group / Club
Chat to Irene Graham, Author: The Memoir Writing Workbook
Join Irene in a FREE LIVE Online Discussion on how to Start a Memoir Writing Club using The Memoir Writing Workbook as your guide. See dates and times in the above link.
Motto: The Memoir Writing Club
Encourage. Share. No Criticism. No Judgement.
History of the First Memoir Writing Club
Memoir, a hybrid of Autobiographical Writing and Personal Essay – dates as far back as St. Augustine’s writings of his life story in the 4th century.
The Bloomsbury set in London, including such notable writers as Virginia Woolf and E. M. Forster also recognised the benefits of writing memoir, and in 1920, set up what was probably the first ever Memoir Writing Group – which they called; The Memoir Club.
They met at regular intervals for an evening meal… and to read aloud papers that were usually autobiographical. The only condition that was imposed among these writers – was that of absolute honesty in their writing.
This Memoir Writing Club, is the next generation – conceived by Irene Graham in 2008 to encourage writers to write their memoirs.
As a memoir writing initiative, Irene is now encouraging people using the simple to follow creative step-by-step writing process in The Memoir Writing Workbook to start a Memoir Writing Club in their local area.
A Memoir Writing Club with friends and family provides an engaging and fun platform to learn the art of memoir writing, as stories come to life and become a legacy for the next generation.
For more help on how to write your memoir, do read my Blog: How to Write a Memoir About Your Life
How to Form a Memoir Writing Group / Club
You can start a Memoir Writing Group / Club using The Memoir Writing Workbook by Irene Graham, as your guide.
Note: The Memoir Writing Workbook is unique. It is an uncomplicated, clearly written, easy and simple to follow step-by-step program on how to write memoir. All right-brain/left-brain exercise based, it is a creative game changer in terms of understanding how to translate life experiences into story. It is fun to do.
Note: Each Club member will require a copy of The Memoir Writing Workbook in order to partake and continue with exercises and writing outside of club meeting times. The Memoir Writing Workbook is only available from this website. It is not available in book shops or from any other website.
Note: The Memoir Writing Workbook is not licensed to any individual to ‘teach’. It is prohibited by copyright law for any section of the workbook to be copied in any form.
- Become a Founder of a Memoir Writing Club in your area.
- Name your Club e.g.: The Memoir Writing Club | (name your area)
- Make a list of people, male and female, that you feel would complement and be supportive to each other.
- It is possible to form a Club and mix writers at all stages of writing – new, emerging and advanced. As all the exercises in The Memoir Writing Workbook become personalised, they work for writers at each stage of the writing process.
- Choose four to eight members. Less than four participants may inhibit sharing. More than eight may dilute concentration. It is advantageous in writing to listen to what a number of people write in response to the same questions. This enhances writing.
- Meet weekly if you can. Decide upon a time and day of the week that suits each member.
- Choose a place to meet. To be effective it is easier for participants to sit and write at a table. Your local library, art offices, community hall, school, pub etc may provide a room for the club. Perhaps you may alternate meetings between member homes.
- Organise your seating arrangement boardroom style, if you can, so that participants sit facing each other.
- The duration of the meeting should, if you can, be two hours. To aid and enhance creativity, there should be no breaks in this time period. Wait until after your meeting to celebrate and socialise.
- The founder of the club is the organiser. The founder does not have to chair each meeting. This role can, if wanted, rotate between club members on a weekly basis. You can agree at the end of each session who will guide the next meeting. Alphabetical order is an easy way to make this decision.
- There are no set rules as to how long it should take to complete the workbook, and therefore, how long the memoir club will continue.
For more help and guidelines on how to form and run a Memoir Writing Club, view and print my Guidelines in the PDF on the Start a Memoir Writing Club website page.
Enjoy the memoir writing process.
Find the joy in writing.
Let your creativity flow.
Grow as you write.
Comment on The Memoir Writing Workbook
‘Irene’s Memoir Writing Workbook is a complete step-by-step guide to writing the most evocative, sensitive and meaningful prose you will ever produce. Her book is as useful for fiction as it is for memoir, and the creative exercises she has illustrated will benefit any genre of writing you’re engaged in. The Memoir Writing Workbook is an enriching writing experience. Don’t miss it!’ ~ Frances Burke, Canada
See Irene’s other Blog posts to help develop further thoughts. There’s plenty more to learn and chat about!
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Want a helping hand and guide to put this into practice?
The Memoir Writing Workbook (240 pages) is based on right-brain/left-brain visual writing techniques. It has 36 multi-part step-by-step exercises and 45 writing tips and tricks to help you trigger memory and write your story, at your own pace.
Or join Irene in her 12-week Online Memoir Writing Course or on one of her Writing Retreats.
