A new way to shape your memoir, find your message, and share your truth.
🎧 INTRO
Hey friends, welcome back to Your Voice Matters. I’m Jen Chambers, and I’m ridiculously excited about today’s episode.
We’re flipping the script this week—literally. We’re talking about writing your life story… as a TED Talk.
Now, I’m not just saying this as someone who binge-watches TED on YouTube in fuzzy socks with tea—although, yes, guilty. I’m saying it as someone who actually hosted a TEDx event—TEDxVenetaWomen. I dreamed it up, applied through TED, built it from the ground up with nothing but heart and hustle—and it changed me.
Today, I want to show you how writing your own TED Talk—even just for yourself—can be one of the most powerful memoir tools you ever use.
PART 1: TED Talks as Memoir
Let’s talk TED.
TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, and Design—but what it really represents is ideas worth spreading.
TED Talks are short. Usually under 18 minutes. But the best ones? They’re personal. They’re vulnerable. And they often revolve around a single transformative idea—just like a great memoir.
📌 Think about:
* Brené Brown’s “The Power of Vulnerability”
* How to Figure Out What You Really Want | Ashley Stahl
* Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s “The Danger of a Single Story”
* Amanda Palmer’s “The Art of Asking”
* Lydia Yuknovitch’s The Beauty of Being A misfit”
These aren’t tech demos. They’re memoir moments, distilled into a single truth.
When Amanda Palmer talks about asking—she’s really telling the story of rejection, connection, art, and self-worth. It's a memoir, hiding in plain sight.
PART 2: How TED Builds the Message
According to official TED guidelines:
* Every talk needs one clear idea
* It should include a personal story or anecdote
* It builds connection through vulnerability, clarity, and relevance
Sound familiar? That’s memoir with a mic.
🧠 Here’s what TED asks of its speakers:
* Share your idea in a new way
* Tell real stories, not hypothetical ones
* Be specific, not general
They even have a rule: “Don’t sell from the stage. Teach from the heart.”
Isn’t that the goal of every story we write?
PART 3: Why Write a TED Talk, Even If You Never Give One?
So maybe you’re thinking—“I don’t want to stand on stage in a red circle in front of 500 people!” Totally fair. But hear me out.
Writing your own TED-style talk can:
* Help you distill your life story into one powerful message
* Boost your confidence in your voice and story
* Become the foundation for your memoir, keynote, or brand
* Give you a tight, 10-minute story you can use in bios, speaking, or even family storytelling
🎯 TED asks: What’s the idea you can’t stop thinking about?
Now ask yourself: What experience in my life taught me that lesson?
That’s where your talk begins. That’s where your memoir grows.
PART 4: Writing Prompts to Craft Your TED-style Memoir
Let’s get writing. Below are three writing exercises to help you start shaping your TED Talk-style memoir story.
✏️ Exercise 1: “The Idea I Can’t Let Go Of”
Start with the idea that keeps returning to you. It might be a belief, a lesson, or even a question.
Prompt:
* What is one belief or truth you’ve come to through lived experience?
* How did life teach it to you?
* What memory does it always take you back to?
💬 Example: “I believe asking for help is the most generous thing we can do.” Now tell the story that proves it.
✏️ Exercise 2: “The Moment That Changed Everything”
TED Talks often hinge on a turning point. This is your “what happened” story.
Prompt:
* What’s a moment where everything shifted?
* What did you believe before? What do you believe now?
* Who were you before, and who are you now?
💡 You don’t need to be dramatic. Some of the best TED Talks are about quiet, invisible changes—like forgiving yourself, or standing up when no one else did.
✏️ Exercise 3: “Say It Like You’re on Stage”
This is where you step into your red-circle energy. Write the opening lines of your TED-style talk. Pretend you’ve got just 2 minutes to grab our hearts and make us lean in.
Prompt:
* How would you open?
* What image or memory would you share?
* What question would you ask the audience?
📣 Hint: Start with a story, not a statement. Amanda Palmer opens with being a living statue on a crate. Not with a thesis—with a moment.
PART 5: Tips From TED for Strong Storytelling
Here are five golden TED-style storytelling tips that apply beautifully to memoir:
* Start strong – Begin with a story, image, or surprise. Get us in the door fast.
* Keep one thread – Don’t try to tell your whole life. Focus on one core idea.
* Be yourself – Authenticity is everything. Speak it like you’d say it to a friend.
* Make it universal – Use your personal story to highlight something we all feel.
* End with impact – Land your story with clarity. A lesson, a moment, a question.
💬 Brené Brown ends by saying: “Vulnerability is the birthplace of connection.” Can you do that with your own truth?
PART 6: Final Encouragement & Next Steps
Whether you want to stand on a TED stage or not, writing your story as a talk is a powerful tool. It forces clarity. It helps you find your point. It lets you discover what you actually believe.
So here’s your challenge this week: Write a 3–5 minute TED-style talk that captures one personal truth from your life. Use story, memory, meaning. Practice it out loud. Record it. Or just keep it in your journal. But write it.
And remember:
* You don’t need a license to be heard.
* You don’t need a platform to matter.
* You just need your story—and your voice.
Because your voice absolutely matters.
🔔 NEXT WEEK TEASER
Next week, we’re diving into Memory to Meaning, and how to find value in writing your story. Until then, write your truth, speak your idea, and maybe… step into that red circle—if only on the page.
Get full access to Jen Chambers at jbchambers.substack.com/subscribe
