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Jennifer Leigh Selig's avatar

Brooke, this is such a good insight. "But increasingly I think linear narratives are best for stories that span shorter periods—a year, a couple or three years. If the story you’re writing spans a decade, two decades, a whole life, other structures will undoubtedly feel more freeing." I hadn't thought of it before, but of course.

Also, Elissa Altman! I wish I had read her memoir "Motherland" before I wrote Deep Memoir--so much to say about that memoir! She's a huge missing piece in my reading list in the end. Glad you'll have her on the podcast.

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Jennifer Silva Redmond's avatar

So true. Each memoir is its own unique story (within general types) and needs an opening that suits it. I was worried about opening my sailing memoir, mostly set in 1990, in the present day, but when I suggested starting with chapter three, my editor, my advance readers, and my publisher all said no!

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