The roses are blooming and at this time of year we enjoy birdsong, and blossoms, shades of green, wafting soft breezes, happy earthworms. Our minds melt into dream with such richness of the earth with new life, the flowering of what will be the fruits of the harvest. I believe that when we tune into the natural forces of the earth and the cycles of time, our creativity is lit up, inviting us to dig into the treasures of our hearts and souls.

Memorial Day is a time of memory, when we remember our loved ones who have died, when we honor the memories of our family with flowers and celebrations and “remember when” over hot dogs and barbecues. Many people who want to write a memoir are thinking about family legacies, the stories that they are passing down to the generations to come. After all, if you don’t tell your story and the story of your ancestors–and your own story–who will?

At NAMW we want to help you write your memoir, to help you capture the memories that have meaning to you. We have given seminars for several years about the power of writing to heal–and I know that for myself, I was able to work on transforming generations of family patterns through writing my story over the years, researching the truth, and finding forgiveness and compassion as I completed both of my memoirs Don’t Call Me Mother and Song of the Plains. Writing these books changed my life!

A memoir is about emotion, and it’s about motivation and action. You know that it takes some doing to get your memoir done.

I always ask people to create a checklist like this as they are work on their story.

• What are my turning point stories—the most important moments of my life. Keep updating this list throughout your writing process.
• How many turning point stories have I finished? How many are started?
• The three things that inspire me to keep writing are:
• What is my word count for the week or the month?
• How does my writing buddy or community support my project?

Each month at the National Association of Memoir Writers, we offer our Virtual Book Club discussions and member teleseminars to help you learn skills of memoir writing from the professional writers and teachers we invite. The callers enjoy chatting with me, the presenters, and each other. Over time, we get to know each other and build a feeling of community. The NAMW member group coaching with me answering questions and helping each caller individually with their project offers personal learning.  Each year we offer Teleconferences with experts to add to your knowledge base.

Join us on our NAMW Facebook group! Tell us what you’re writing and reading, the new skills you’ve developed, and what is happening in your writing life.  Make sure to connect with us on our Facebook page as well so that you can follow important NAMW updates!  

Join NAMW Today!

This weekend only, May 26-May 28, you can join NAMW as a new member for only $119 or renew your membership for only $109.  This is a a full $30 off our usual fee.  

If you join or renew your NAMW membership this Memorial Day weekend, you will be eligible for entry into our annual spring giveaway.

You could win:

• A half-hour introductory coaching session with me (a $75 value)
• A free copy of my latest memoir – Song of the Plains. I will be giving away six paperback copies! (a $16.95 value)
• A free copy of the transcript for Breaking Silence – one of our most popular teleseminars. (a $40 value.)
• A free enrollment into our 30 Day Memoir Writing Course (a $59 value.)

We love personal contact with you during our monthly events, and we’ve also launched new virtual learning opportunities to help you keep writing.

• The Taste of Memoir, a free four-week program to help you begin your memoir.
• The 30 Day Memoir Writing Course, which you can do at your own pace. I hope you enjoy these new courses!

You see, it’s our goal at NAMW to listen to your needs and get you on track for your memoir writing journey, from first thoughts to final draft to seeking publication.  We believe in the power of telling your story.

If you like to surround yourself with writers like you who are also eager to tell their story, click below to join today!

Copyright: neirfy / 123RF Stock Photo