Brooke Warner and Linda Joy Myers teach about emotional truth, and writing details even when they lurk beneath the surface. Learn how to identify and pull out those hidden gems. Plus, we'll explore a simple but important question: Whose truth are you telling anyway? (Spoiler alert: yours!) See the recording at: https://youtu.be/5QaK6ITx8xE

1. What Made
Running with
Scissors a Best-
Selling Memoir?
Linda Joy Myers & Brooke Warner
www.WriteYourMemoirInSixMonths.com

2. Thanks for joining us!
Linda Joy Myers, PhD, is president of the
National Association of Memoir Writers
and the author of a new memoir, Song of
the Plains (out this June), as well as Don’t
Call Me Mother, The Power of Memoir, and
Journey of Memoir.
Brooke Warner is publisher of She Writes
Press, and president of Warner Coaching
Inc. She’s the author of Green-Light Your
Book, What’s Your Book? and How to Sell
Your Memoir.
Together, Linda Joy and Brooke are the
co-authors of Breaking Ground on Your
Memoir and co-editors of The Magic of
Memoir.

3. Coming-of-age—what is it and how
to think about coming-of-age scenes
even if your scope is bigger.
• Timeframe for coming-of-age stories
• Examining scenes in Running with Scissors:
• Page 30-31: Mom delving into therapy
with Dr. Finch
• Page 190-191: Bible dipping after the
cat incident with Hope
• Why to write your memoir “in scene”
whether or not you’re writing coming-of-age

4. • Who are the “memoir police”?
• Memoir is testimony, a firsthand witness account
of what happened to you and how you felt about it—
your truth.
• Write the best truth you can tell, and dig into your
emotions to show your truths.
• Details in your scenes demonstrate authenticity.
Running for Scissors is loved for its many detailed scenes.
• Research what you don’t remember. If you aren’t sure, admit it,
but put in the work to fill in specifics.
Emotional Truth—keeping you out of
hot water with the “memoir police”

5. • Keeps your reader engaged.
• Helps with the pacing of your memoir.
• Scenes and details offer specifics,
and gives the reader the sense that they’re
there with you, reliving your experiences
alongside you.
• A look at some of Augusten’s specifics:
• Page 144-145: opening up the roof
• Page 244: Winnie Pye
How and why to write specific
scenic details and dialogue even if/
when the memories are vague.

6. Whose truth are you writing? Owning
your story, and how and why to keep
the critics at bay
• Controversial material in your memoir—
pros and cons.
• The chorus: family and friends who weigh in
on your story, what to do about them?
• Your truth is how you experienced and made
sense of situations in your story. No one else has
your lens or point of view.
• Specific details and reactions—the proof that you were
there. Slow down and write it all out.

7. Tonight’s EXCLUSIVE: $75 for our 4-week
RUNNING WITH SCISSORS class
Through tomorrow, October 3
http://writeyourbookinsixmonths.com/running-with-
scissors-free-webinar
EASY LINK FROM THE HOMEPAGE:
WriteYourMemoirInSixMonths.com
Sign up for the full 6-month course tonight—and get up to $200 off.
$100 off if you sign up tonight
Additional $100 off if you pay in 1 or 2 installments.
Make your deposit on the PROGRAM DETAILS page.
writeyourbookinsixmonths.com/program-details