Writing Memoir with Uma Girish

Dear Creativity...Let's Write

Feb 22 2022 • 57 mins

This episode is a recording of a live session that Uma did in the Let’s Write the Book Club, so I had a list of questions from members as well as one member who joined us live and asked about writing challenging emotions.

In this episode, we discussed:

  • A brief discussion about language and writing your memoir in your first or second language
  • What exactly is memoir and how it’s different from other genres
  • How memoir is an importatn part of making meaning of our story and our lives and the importance of sharing that
  • How we have a contract with our reader to tell our most truest and honest story
  • The wisdom in the wound
  • Some thoughts on writing your story as a memoir or as a novel
  • Uma’s story of getting a contract with Hay House (which she attributes all to her mother after her mother passed)
  • The value of getting a writing community and group to improve as a writer and increase your confidence especially when you’re first starting
  • A great exercise to connect with the stories that want to be in your memoir using your body and memories
  • A brief discussion about showing vs. Telling to capture the emotion in your memoir

Links

The first episode Uma did on the Dear Creativity Podcast

The Let’s Write Book Club – a monthly membership for writers who are ready to write

Uma’s Books

Understanding Death: 10 Ways to Inner Peace for the Grieving

Losing Amma, Finding Home

Lessons From Grace

Meet Uma Girish

Uma Girish is an award-winning author. Both of her most recent books were finalists for the Chicago Book Awards. After reading her Losing Amma, it is clear why. Her memoirs are beautifully written, both heartwrenching and uplifting at the same time – no easy feat to achieve for a writer. She is currently working on a memoir on her marriage.

Connect with Uma Girish

Like the Podcast?

Are you a subscriber? If not, I invite you to subscribe, so you’ll get notified every time a new episode goes up.

Click here to subscribe on iTunes.

Click here to subscribe on Stitcher.

And, if you’re enjoying what you’re hearing, I’d be super grateful if you left me a review. Those help other creative souls find this show, and they’re fun to read. To leave a review, open up the podcast in your podcast player, and scroll down to the bottom where it gives you the option to review the show.

Stay Connected with Amy

Join the bi-monthly cowriting/creating sessions, you can subscribe to the newsletter to get ideas, tips, and inspiration to get started creating and acting on those creative callings.

Connect on Facebook

Connect on LinkedIn.

Connect on Instagram.

You Might Like

The Moth
The Moth
The Moth
Snap Judgment
Snap Judgment
Snap Judgment and PRX
Myths and Legends
Myths and Legends
Jason Weiser, Carissa Weiser, Nextpod
99% Invisible
99% Invisible
Roman Mars
LeVar Burton Reads
LeVar Burton Reads
LeVar Burton and Stitcher
Selected Shorts
Selected Shorts
Symphony Space
The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio
The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio
Adam Graham Radio Detective Podcasts
McCartney: A Life in Lyrics
McCartney: A Life in Lyrics
iHeartPodcasts and Pushkin Industries
The Sporkful
The Sporkful
Dan Pashman and Stitcher