MAKING MEMOIR MAGIC Kerry Kriseman: Read Like a Memoirist - Five Books That Can Help You Tell Your Story
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Read Like a Memoirist: Five Books That Can Help You Tell Your Story
Sometimes, one of the best ways to strengthen your memoir is to study how other writers have shaped theirs. In this episode of Making Memoir Magic, Kerry explores five memoirs currently on her reading radar and the craft lessons they may offer aspiring authors. Each book approaches true storytelling differently—through braided narratives, physical journeys, vivid settings, family history, and research.
Memoirs mentioned
The Electric Woman by Tessa Fontaine
A model for braiding two journeys around a shared emotional question.The Unlikely Thru-Hiker by Derick Lugo
An example of using a physical journey to give a memoir direction and momentum.Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls by T Kira Madden
A reminder that setting can do more than establish place—it can reveal conflict and contradiction.The Cooking Gene by Michael W. Twitty
An exploration of how food can open the door to family history, cultural identity, and inherited stories.The Art of Waiting by Belle Boggs
An example of expanding a personal experience through research and a larger cultural conversation.
In this episode, you’ll learn
Why memoir writers benefit from reading like writers
How structure can help you decide what belongs in your story
Ways to use place, food, travel, and research as storytelling tools
How to borrow a technique without copying another writer’s voice
Three questions to ask while reading your next memoir
A writing prompt for you
Choose a memoir you’re reading—or one you would like to read—and consider:
What central question appears to hold the book together?
What structure did the author choose?
What single technique could you experiment with in your own memoir?
UPCOMING EVENTS
Oct. 23 and 24 - I'll be teaching two workshops at Florida Writers Con 2026: I'll be presenting "How to Discover the Memoir Within Your Memories" and "Writing Masterful Memoir Scenes."
WritersCon 2026 includes over 20+ workshops from industry professionals and successful authors, hands-on craft workshops, a dynamic keynote address from former Orlando Poet
Laureate Shawn Welcome, Writers Connect (introvert friendly networking), and the Book Marketing Hot Seat (get your burning marketing questions answered live!). Use my discount code KERRY26 to get $30 off the FWA member registration rate or $60 off the non-member registration rate. Learn more about Florida WritersCon 2026 here: https://www.floridawriters.org/florida-writerscon Register for Florida WritersCon 2026 here: https://www.floridawriters.org/registration
Nov. 11 - Online Workshop with Revisionist Magazine, live via Zoom, 7 p.m. They are based in Charleston, SC. More details to come.
STAY IN TOUCH
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