The reason The Memoir Writing Workbook is the best book on writing memoir is because it gives you the ‘whole’ picture.
The Memoir Writing Workbook is unique. It reveals the buried secrets of how to create a good story. And shows you how to do this using personal life experiences as base material.
And by following my unique memoir map, you will be guided along a memorable memoir writing journey – that shows you step-by-step, how to develop, create and write your story so that it hops off the page!
All of this is achieved using innovative right-brain / left-brain visual writing techniques and exercises.
The Memoir Writing Workbook reveals the buried secrets of how to create a good story.
Why The Memoir Writing Workbook is unique
The Memoir Writing Workbook is unique because it works on so many levels.
The Memoir Writing Workbook teaches:
- the hidden secrets of story creation and structure
- the full A to Z on how to trigger memory and write memoir
- an in-depth approach on how to enhance writing development
The Memoir Map will guide you each step of the way as you discover the depth and nuances of how to build your story, using right-brain / left-brain innovative writing exercises, writing tips and plenty of writing tricks!
The Memoir Writing Workbook is a complete workshop in how to write memoir successfully.
The Writing Process
There is a lot going on in each page of the workbook as you progress through your writing journey. The Memoir Writing Workbook is not just another book with chapter after chapter giving you hints and prompts, bits of information and general chat about memoir writing.
The Memoir Writing Workbook is a comprehensive ‘whole’ workshop on how to approach the art of memoir writing from day one of starting your memoir.
The Memoir Writing Workbook shows you how to trigger memory. How to find the kernel of your life stories, and how to make meaning of your life path – through writing.
You will learn how to creatively develop your life story using various modes of thinking and major learning modalities. These processes then translate into multi-layered exercises using right-brain/left-brain learning techniques which help to trigger memories, develop memoir and enhance writing abilities.
And the good bit is, all of these processes provide a lot of fun! They are simple to do, and invigorate learning.
The Memoir Writing Workbook shows you how to make meaning of your life path – through writing.
The innovative blend of exercises throughout The Memoir Writing Workbook help to stimulate the learning curve, thus deepening the abilities to understand the art of writing memoir.
The Importance of Story Creation
The Memoir Writing Workbook also explains story creation, and how to merge each element of story into a creative whole, to create story from life experiences.
It is very common for books on writing memoir to omit this crucial element from the writing mix. Yet it is this element that is crucial to writing your memoir.
It is another reason why The Memoir Writing Workbook is the best book on writing memoir.
And now, for the first time since it was written in 2009, The Memoir Writing Workbook is available to buy.
History of The Memoir Writing Workbook
Having studied complementary methods of learning in Los Angeles in the late 1980s, as well as studying writing in UCLA, I was really excited to delve deep into my own writing process to see how I could foster a process to deliver a course or workshop on how to write creatively, using at the time, fiction writing as my base material.
In 1991, I launched The Creative Writer’s Workshop, and it took off.
People of all ages from all walks of life, from all over the globe attended my workshops, learned how to write story, and praised my unique approach on how to create and write story creatively.
Fourteen years later, in 2005, I was ready to adapt my proven visual writing techniques and right-brain / left-brain writing exercises I had taught in my fiction workshops, into a memoir workshop.
And again, people from all over the globe came to study with me. They were astounded by their writing results.
George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, USA, set up a 6-credit month-long study abroad Summer Writing Program with me in Ireland to teach their students the art of writing using my right-brain / left-brain approach. It was highly successful over the seven years we ran it. You can view feedback from the students on a video HERE
The Story Behind the Workbook
Roll on to 2007, I felt it was time to commit my writing techniques to paper, and choose memoir as the medium, as I feel really passionate about everyone leaving even a little of their lives in print. And to know how to do that.
It took me two years to complete The Memoir Writing Workbook to the standard and design of how I wanted it. I wanted to be able to show with clarity and creativity how to write from the first word. And it has worked, very successfully.
The Irish President, Michael D Higgins, launched The Memoir Writing Workbook in the National Library of Ireland on 11 May 2009. It was a super achievement and I felt very honoured. It again validated the praise hundreds and hundreds of workshop participants had given me regarding what they had personally achieved in using my story writing techniques.
I made the decision at that point, in 2009, that The Memoir Writing Workbook would only be available to participants that attended my workshops.
Online Memoir Writing Course
Another three years rolled by, and in 2012, after some serious hard work and dedication, I transitioned The Memoir Writing Workbook into a 12-week interactive online memoir writing course in The Memoir Writing Club.
This course is audio-led, (82 audios). The principle is to listen to a short audio, read The Memoir Writing Workbook, and do a writing exercise as you develop and write your story, building on the process all the time and following my Memoir Map in the workbook.
And again it has worked! So many more people can now engage with me online.
Start Your Own Memoir Writing Club/Group using The Memoir Writing Workbook as your guide.
In Feb 2026, The Memoir Writing Workbook, for the first time, became available to buy.
And as The Memoir Writing Workbook is not only for individual use, it can also be used in a ‘writing group’ situation… so I launched a memoir writing initiative called; Start a Memoir Writing Club/Group.
This new initiative encourages people to write memoir with friends and family in local areas or online, using The Memoir Writing Workbook as their guide.
After 35 years of teaching workshops, I am confident The Memoir Writing Workbook will enable everyone to have access to the world of story creation and the art of writing memoir.
Thousands of writers can’t be wrong!
The Memoir Writing Workbook works!
It’s proven.
The techniques work.
Go Write!
Creatively!
Because now you can find out how.
Want a helping hand and guide to put this into practise?
The Memoir Writing Workbook (240 pages) is based on right-brain/left-brain visual writing techniques. It has 36 multi-part focused exercises and 45 writing tips to help trigger memory and learn story creation. Each chapter with examples, show how to develop and write memoir, using the unique Memoir Map.
Do join Irene for a FREE LIVE Chat on How to Start a Memoir Writing Club
Or join Irene in her 12-week Online Memoir Writing Course or on one of her Writing Retreats
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