Alexander Chee was so right — thanks so much for sharing your stellar/astute/helpful insights with us. These tips are great for writers going through their early drafts with an eye to revising their protagonist-self as a character. Would love to have you join us for a Memoiring convo in the future!
Meghan, you are generous -- sooner or later you will probably make your content paid-only (everybody is entitled to monetize their content), but this article is gold. Thanks.
This was great. I think you've identified what's so frustrating about AI writing: its blueprint is your 'telling' paragraph. Its goal is to actively stomp out any trace of authorial voice.
Meghan, I only stumbled upon your work today, and it is so insightful and helpful as I pick up my abandoned memoir and take it in an entirely different direction.
Love this! I’m teaching a Longform Feature Writing class this semester, and we’re focused on personal essay writing at the moment. The reflections and lessons you shared feel especially relevant to me and the lessons I’m trying to convey to students!
This is super helpful, as I've struggled with just how much of myself I should let be really true ans seen when I'm writing an every day essay. Looking forward to making some notes and getting a new piece started!
Really helpful. Several things resonated...my memoir is coming out and after reviewing the ARCs I remember struggling through much of this in rewrites and edits. Particularly the balance between sharing perception and staying too long in the narrator's head could be challenging...there were times two sentences was too long and times when a page was needed...it seemed to depend on how developed the perception was? I love the part about risk...over and over that was the wall I faced, and it was surprising that the real risk wasnt in what I revealed but in speaking of what I really thought about it. Before writing and facing that fear, I hadn't known it existed. I am from a drama prone Southern family, we overshare grotesqueries gleefully but never ever share what it means to us and the world.
So helpful and apt. I'm starting a long piece on family secrets over three generations, and realizing I need to make myself more present, almost as an observing character: your example and advice is right on point.
SO helpful. Especially about seeing the writer character perceiving on the page--my tendency has been to edit those parts out. So much to work with here. Thank you!
Meghan, this is the most concretely helpful thing I’ve read in, well, a very long time, about how to write a more compelling and persuasive personal essay. Thank you! I live in New Haven part-time and hope to bump into you so I can say thank you in person.
This was incredibly helpful and beyond insightful! Going to take your salient tips into my editing session today. Thank you for your wisdom here.
Thank you!
Alexander Chee was so right — thanks so much for sharing your stellar/astute/helpful insights with us. These tips are great for writers going through their early drafts with an eye to revising their protagonist-self as a character. Would love to have you join us for a Memoiring convo in the future!
So glad you liked! Yes, happy to join for a conversation...deep in writing my next memoir!
We’ll find a time that works for your schedule! I’ll reach out shortly. Thank you.
Meghan, you are generous -- sooner or later you will probably make your content paid-only (everybody is entitled to monetize their content), but this article is gold. Thanks.
This was great. I think you've identified what's so frustrating about AI writing: its blueprint is your 'telling' paragraph. Its goal is to actively stomp out any trace of authorial voice.
ha, good point...I'm writing an essay about AI and creativity so have been thinking exactly about this.
Meghan, I only stumbled upon your work today, and it is so insightful and helpful as I pick up my abandoned memoir and take it in an entirely different direction.
Thank you! Good luck...
Love this! I’m teaching a Longform Feature Writing class this semester, and we’re focused on personal essay writing at the moment. The reflections and lessons you shared feel especially relevant to me and the lessons I’m trying to convey to students!
This is super helpful, as I've struggled with just how much of myself I should let be really true ans seen when I'm writing an every day essay. Looking forward to making some notes and getting a new piece started!
Really helpful. Several things resonated...my memoir is coming out and after reviewing the ARCs I remember struggling through much of this in rewrites and edits. Particularly the balance between sharing perception and staying too long in the narrator's head could be challenging...there were times two sentences was too long and times when a page was needed...it seemed to depend on how developed the perception was? I love the part about risk...over and over that was the wall I faced, and it was surprising that the real risk wasnt in what I revealed but in speaking of what I really thought about it. Before writing and facing that fear, I hadn't known it existed. I am from a drama prone Southern family, we overshare grotesqueries gleefully but never ever share what it means to us and the world.
I love this wisdom about letting the reader shadow the character -- that's so helpful. Thanks for this!
So helpful and apt. I'm starting a long piece on family secrets over three generations, and realizing I need to make myself more present, almost as an observing character: your example and advice is right on point.
SO helpful. Especially about seeing the writer character perceiving on the page--my tendency has been to edit those parts out. So much to work with here. Thank you!
This is incredibly clearly articulated, thank you
This is so helpful!
Meghan, this is the most concretely helpful thing I’ve read in, well, a very long time, about how to write a more compelling and persuasive personal essay. Thank you! I live in New Haven part-time and hope to bump into you so I can say thank you in person.
so glad to hear it! I'll be doing regular Craft Talk posts that aim to offer this level of concrete specific advice. See you in NH sometime!
and loved your book, The Invisible Kingdom; I should read it again!
Inspiring, grounded, and practical. Many thanks.
🙏🏻
Excellent tips, Meghan. I’m going to reread the opening chapter of my draft with your words in mind.