More To The Story

Today on More to the Story Podcast: Why I Don’t Do Outlines for Memoirs (Part 2 of the Genre Conversation)This is a continuation of the genre conversation from the last episode, and I dive straight into something I get asked about all the time: book outlines. Specifically, why I do create outlines for prescriptive nonfiction (what I call memoir-ish), and why I don’t use outlines for memoir or personal essay.I also introduce a new term I’m using with clients—memoir-ish—to distinguish prescriptive books that are driven by teaching, insight, or process but are supported by personal story. This is different from memoir-plus (or hybrid memoir), where the personal story leads and other elements supplement it.If you’ve ever wondered whether you “should” outline your memoir, or you’re trying to figure out what kind of book you’re writing in the first place, this episode will help with clarity, language, and direction.In today’s episode:* what I mean by memoir-ish and how it differs from memoir and hybrid memoir* the