Use this template every month. Replace the bracketed sections. Delete any block you skip that month. Keep the tone earthy and direct. Cut anything that sounds like marketing copy.
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Subject line: Writing about family without losing your voice
Preview text: How to write about family with honesty, compassion, and respect
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This month, I've been thinking about writing about my family in my memoir. Actually, I'm thinking more about my parents. Truth is, I found it difficult to write about them when they were alive. It got easier after they died. Was I a coward?
All I can say is that I felt freer to write about the uncomfortable parts of my early life and the role my parents took in it after they had passed away. Does that sound like you? If so, the practical tips below might help.
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[One short piece, 150 to 300 words. A story, an idea, or a lesson from your practice. Give the reader one clear takeaway they can use in their own writing. End with a question or a small challenge, not a summary.] Hello friends,
One of the questions I'm asked most often is: "How do I write about my family?"
It's understandable.
Family stories carry love, grief, loyalty, and uncertainty.
This week's article offers seven practical ideas that can help you write honestly while remaining compassionate.
I hope it gives you the confidence to begin. Are you ready?
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When I Think Back
Try this prompt: "When I think back on ___________________, I go back to the day when . . ."
This prompt works because it focuses on a specific time and place and encourages you to write a scene rather than a chapter.
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- "Start Writing Your Life Story" - a DIY course, 6 modules designed to take you through life's major transitions; for aspiring memoir writers. Work at your own pace. Available now. Click here.
- [Program name] - [One line: what it is, who it's for, when it starts.] [Link]
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From the Garden
[One line on what members are writing about or working through this month. Skip the sales pitch. If you want to invite new members, say why the Garden helps, not what it includes.]
[If nothing new: cut this section.]
[One quote from a client, a hospice resident, or a writer you admire. Get permission if it's a client. Attribute it. No filler transition into or out of it.]
[1 to 2 sentences. Point the reader toward one next step: reply to the email, try the prompt, sign up for one thing. Sign off as yourself.]
Michael