Write a Great Memoir: How to Start (and Actually Finish) Your First Draft

Write a Great Memoir: How to Start (and Actually Finish) Your First Draft

What does it take to write a memoir? Not just any memoir—a great memoir, one that people love and talk about and share with their friends?

In this guide, I want to talk about how you can start writing your memoir, how you can actually finish it, and how you can make sure it’s good.

If you read this article from start to finish, it will save you hundreds of hours and result in a much better finished memoir.

How to Write a Good First Chapter: A Checklist

How to Write a Good First Chapter: A Checklist

For the writer, there’s nothing harder than writing the first chapter and final chapter of a book. It is here that all of your perfectionism rears its ugly head calling for a full halt to your progress.

I’ve written and rewritten my first chapter dozens of times, and I’m not alone. Most writers struggle figuring out how to start their novel, and it makes sense. Your first chapter can make or break your book: with readers, agents, and publishers.

So then how do you do it? How do you write a good first chapter? In this post, I’m going to walk you through the ten things you need to accomplish in your first chapter, and give you a checklist that you can use in your novel.

Deep POV: 6 Ways to Master Character Voice

Deep POV: 6 Ways to Master Character Voice

So, you’ve got an intriguing story idea and you’re picturing some of the scenes in your mind, eager to get them down on paper and begin wowing readers. But unless you ground your reader with deep POV, you’ll have a hard time getting them to care or like your book. 

There are specific techniques that master writers use to draw readers in and keep them engaged. In this article, I’ll be teaching you about the first and fundamental—absolutely indispensable—technique that pulls readers in and makes them forget they’re reading.

So get out your notebook and prepare to level up your writer’s toolbox. This will be a game changer!

Info Dumping for Writers: What It Is and How to Avoid It

Info Dumping for Writers: What It Is and How to Avoid It

Have you ever been given feedback that there was too much info dumping in your story? Did you not really understand what that meant?

Info dumping is a common piece of feedback for authors who include too much information in their stories. If you info dump, you will slow the pace—and worse, you’ll likely bore readers. You never want to bore your readers.

So how do you know when to include a “chunk of info” and when it is better to strip your scenes to the bone? (Almost always, by the way.)

In this article, you can learn what info dumping is, along with some common ways writers accidentally do it. You’ll also learn some editing questions that can help you condense your writing, leaving your reader with only necessary information that develops characters or advances the plot.

The First 10 Steps to Write Your Book in 2025

The First 10 Steps to Write Your Book in 2025

Do you have an amazing book idea but not sure what to do with it? Are you hoping to write a book? Is 2025 the year you finally accomplish your dream?

A new year is a time for fresh starts and audacious goals. And if your goal this year is to write your book, you’re not alone.

One year is the perfect length of time to develop a writing schedule, meet your daily word count goal, and publish a book.

To do this, however, it’s worth listening to some writing tips on how to write a book. In this article, I’ll share ten practical steps that will help you find the writing time you’ve always wanted—and finally write (and finish) that book begging for your attention!