Your Voice Belongs in Our Anthology!

Your Voice Belongs in our Anthology!

Our anniversary anthology is shaping up to be something really special! If you haven’t submitted yet, now’s the time—the deadline is March 31, and I’d love for everyone who wants to be included to have a spot in the book.

A reminder:

Theme: The Day That Changed Everything
Word count limits are just guidelines—if your piece doesn’t quite fit, reach out.
Poetry counts too!

Pivotal Points as Inspiration to Write Memoir

It hadn’t occurred to me just how perfect the “The Day That Changed Everything” theme was until I was speaking with Rita this week. As she reminded me, it’s often these pivotal moments that push us toward writing memoir—the events that redefine our paths, shift our perspectives, or force us to confront something within our lives.

Plus, it’s common advice to open our memoirs with that defining moment, that conflict that changed everything. It’s what draws readers in, and it’s what makes memoir such a powerful genre.

So it’s only natural that this anthology will not just celebrate our community, but also showcase your writing and help promote your work.

Share the Story Behind Your Story

In addition to your main piece, I’d love for you to include a short 4-8 paragraph reflection answering (directly or indirectly) one or more of the following:

- What made you decide to write memoir?
- How has writing memoir changed your life?
- What has Memoir Mentors (or writing communities in general) meant to you?
- Has writing memoir surprised you in any way?
- Where do you call in from for our meetings? (Let’s show how international we are—bonus points for anyone who has joined from their car or RV! –Layla, Dee, and Esther, looking your direction!)
- Do you write in other genres besides memoir?
- What’s one of your favorite memoirs or books about writing memoir.
- Where can people find more of your writing?

📩 For more info and how to submit click here

Read, Learn, and Support: Growing Together as Writers

Two of our memoirists, Brenda & Nutan, have committed to spending 30 minutes a day reading, clapping, and commenting on Substack or Medium posts they enjoy. I love this idea! Supporting each other not only lifts up our community but also helps us discover inspiring reads.

Plus! Reading others’ work is a powerful way we can grow as writers. Seeing how others shape their stories, handle structure, and capture emotion expands our own storytelling skills. Sometimes, a single phrase or insight in someone else’s work can unlock something in our own writing that we never expected.

I created a subgroup in our WhatsApp chat for recommended reading—a place to share our own writing plus anything that captivates us. Join here:
👉 WhatsApp Reading Group

📖 Here’s something I wrote recently that struck a chord with many:
👉 Memoir & Self-Doubt: Telling Your Story Anyway

Do you write on Substack or Medium? I’d love to follow you! Drop your link in the comments or reply to this email.

Looking forward to reading your submissions and supporting each other in our writing journeys!

💙 Christina

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Next Book Club Choice: Wild – by Cheryl Strayed

This time, we’ll be discussing:
Wild by Cheryl Strayed – This book is often used as an example of a well-crafted memoir, particularly in discussions of structure, voice, and emotional depth. As we read, let’s consider how we can apply Strayed’s techniques to our own writing.

What it’s about:
At twenty-two, Cheryl Strayed thought she had lost everything. In the wake of her mother’s death, her family scattered and her own marriage was soon destroyed. Four years later, with nothing more to lose, she made the most impulsive decision of her life. With no experience or training, driven only by blind will, she would hike more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mojave Desert through California and Oregon to Washington State — and she would do it alone.

Told with suspense and style, sparkling with warmth and humor, Wild powerfully captures the terrors and pleasures of one young woman forging ahead against all odds on a journey that maddened, strengthened, and ultimately healed her.

Find our Book Club Questions here: https://memoirmentors.com/book-club-questions/