New Writers Need To Believe--Memoirs and Family Stories

Ever hear naysayers in the world of those who want to write a memoir or family stories who utter things like:

I'm not a professional writer.

I can't write like some people do.

I want to write the story but I wouldn't know where to start.

My grammar is not good enough to write.

My writing is boring.

All of the above can be overcome. But the first thing you must do is believe that you can write a memoir or a book of family stories. Sounds easy? Maybe. Possible? Yes.

It takes some courage to do something new. Look at the people who zipline. Looks like fun but maybe a bit scary, too. Those who try to zip from one end of a line to the other have to believe they can do it or they'd never take step 1. 

An athletic kid who tries out for a sport has to believe in him/herself enough to make that effort. They know success is not ensured but they believe they can make it so they try. They're brave enough to give it a whirl. 

If you have a little bit of courage and a small dose of bravery, you can do many things you never thought you could. 

Believing in yourself is only part of being able to overcome the problems listed above. Another part is having the courage to try. Still another is working hard to be a better writer. How?

• Read--If you want to write a memoir, read as many as you can find. You'll see the various methods used.
• Read books on the topic of general writing--not just memoir or family stories.
• Attend conferences to learn more about writing methods.
• Do writing exercises--I pound and pound about this and too many writers want to skip it. Don't! Many books on writing have exercises at the end of each chapter. They are to help you. Try them!
• Sign up for a writing class--either locally or online. Don't be embarrassed to tell the others you're new at this game and here to learn. They'll admire you for that.
• Don't start out attempting to write a full book. Try short snippets that can be put together later. Taking on too much at the onset is overwhelming and sometimes defeating. A quick way to stop believing in yourself.

Becoming a better writer doesn't happen overnight or in a week or two. Time and hard work and writing on a regular basis all help you achieve that goal.