First, read. Then read more, especially in the genre you want to write.
Whether it’s memoir, micro-memoir, or personal essays, become a connoisseur of the voices that speak to your soul.
Choose writers you adore and read everything they’ve written.
Study the way they sound, tell story and use the page.
I hesitate to recommend too many books about writing because it’s easy to fall into reading about writing instead of actually writing.
That said, here are a few I return to again and again:
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On Writing by Stephen King – A masterful blend of memoir and craft, raw and terrifying in the best way.
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Several Short Sentences About Writing by Verlyn Klinkenborg – Quiet, clear, and radically honest.
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The Art of Memoir by Mary Karr – A sharp, wise deep-dive into personal storytelling.
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Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott – Except skip the over-quoted “shitty first drafts” chapter.
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Handling the Truth by Beth Kephart – Gentle, lyrical guidance on memoir that honors craft.
- The Writer’s Portable Mentor by Priscilla Long – The subtitle says it all, A Guide To Art, Craft and the Writing Life
These books will inspire you, but then, close the covers and pick up your pen.
Or go find a book to read, and study the way the author tells a story.
Feel how they do it, in scene, summary, dialogue, wisdom lines and begin to feel your own way into your writing.
I hope this is helpful.
Happy reading and writing!
