If you’ve ever promised yourself, “This week, I’m finally going to start writing,” only to watch seven days slip by in a blur of life, laundry, and lost time… this one’s for you.

Let’s be honest: it’s not that you don’t want to write. It’s that life refuses to give you those mythical uninterrupted hours we imagine “real writers” have.

But what if you didn’t need them?

What if 20 minutes a day could change your writing life?

That’s the heart of this week’s episode of the Making Memoir Magic Podcast:🎧 “The Power of 20 Minutes.

In this episode, I break down:1. Exactly how to implement a 20-minute daily writing ritual.2. Why short, consistent sessions build more momentum than long, sporadic ones.3. How to make writing feel like a gift, not a grind.

Here’s the truth: waiting for hours of peace and inspiration is a trap.The writers who finish their books? They don’t wait for ideal conditions.They create tiny pockets of time, and they fiercely protect them.

Twenty minutes is long enough to build a scene, capture a memory, or sketch an outline. It’s short enough that you’ll actually do it. And, it’s powerful enough to turn your dream of writing a memoir into a habit that lasts.

So grab your favorite notebook, pour something warm, and set a timer for 20.Start small. Stay steady. Watch how showing up for yourself changes everything.

🎧 Listen to the full episode now:👉 The Power of 20 Minutes

PS:

If you’ve been telling yourself “I just don’t have the time,” this episode is your gentle nudge to reclaim it — 20 minutes at a time. Your story deserves a place on the page, not just in your heart. Join my free Facebook Group for Aspiring Authors HERE.Click the button below to access free resources to help you begin writing your memoir, or to revive a stagnant work in progress.

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When it comes to memoir, where you begin is everything, and it’s almost never the beginning.

In this episode of Making Memoir Magic, Kerry Kriseman helps aspiring authors move past the overwhelm that stops so many stories before they start. You’ll learn why writing your life story in chronological order kills creativity, how to uncover your defining moment (the scene that changed everything), and how to begin your memoir with clarity and confidence.

If you’ve been stuck wondering where to start your story, listen in and graqb the free resource offered. It’ll have you starting your memoir today!

🪶 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

* The #1 reason writers never start (and how to move through it)

* Why chronological order flattens your story’s emotional arc

* How to identify the moment that changed everything

* A personal “a-ha” moment from Kerry’s own memoir, Accidental First Lady

* A mindset shift that will help you start writing today

💬 Key Takeaway

Your memoir doesn’t begin at the beginning. It begins at the defnining moment where your life split into before and after. That’s where your story finds its pulse.

📘 Mentioned in This Episode

Free Resource:👉 The Memoir Blueprint: A Simple Guide to Outlining Your Life StoryDownload your free copy here.

Kerry’s Memoir:📖 Accidental First Lady: On the Front Lines (and Behind the Scenes) of Local Politics

🧭 Next Steps

If today’s episode sparked something in you, keep going.Grab your free Memoir Blueprint Guide, and then join Kerry’s online course, Make Memoir Magic, to turn your outline into a finished memoir you’re proud of.

Learn more about Make Memoir Magic here.

💌 Connect with Kerry

* Website: www.kerrykriseman.com

* Instagram: @kerrykriseman

* Quiz: Is My Story Worth Telling? Take the 2-minute quiz and learn why your story is worth telling, and strategies for putting words to paper. Click here to take the quiz.

🎧 Episode Quote

“Don’t start with the first memory. Start with the most meaningful one.Write into the heart of your story, not its history.” — Kerry Kriseman

Staring at a blank page and wondering, Where do I even begin my memoir? You’re not alone. Many aspiring authors feel overwhelmed when it comes to choosing the “right” opening for their story. Here’s the secret: memoirs don’t start at birth. They start where something shifts.

In this episode of Making Memoir Magic, Kerry Kriseman, memoir coach and author, shares practical strategies and simple prompts to help you pinpoint your most powerful starting point. You’ll learn how to identify the spark, uncover the turning points in your life, and break past the paralysis of perfection so you can finally start writing.

Whether you’re at the very beginning of your memoir journey or revising a messy draft, this episode will give you the clarity and confidence to begin.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

* Why the “chronological beginning” is usually the wrong place to start

* How to spot the spark, the memory that still vibrates with emotional truth

* Why turning points are powerful entryways into memoir

* A simple exercise to identify your “before and after” moments

* 3 journal prompts to help you break through the overwhelm of a blank page

* The truth about why your first page doesn’t have to be perfect

Time-Stamped Highlights

* 00:00 – Welcome + the question that paralyzes so many memoirists

* 02:15 – Busting the myth of chronological beginnings

* 05:40 – Finding your spark: the scene that still pulls at you

* 09:20 – Using turning points to anchor your opening

* 12:15 – Prompts to loosen up when you feel stuck

* 14:00 – Why your first draft beginning doesn’t have to be your final beginning

Resources & Links Mentioned in This Episode:

* Want more writing support? Check out my Tools for Writers

* Grab my Goal-Setting Guide for Writers to help you carve out time and energy for your story. Let’s connect on Instagram

Do you ever wonder if your story is “special enough” for a memoir? In this episode, Kerry breaks down the five unmistakable signs you already have a book-worthy life story inside you. She shares practical strategies to help you uncover themes, capture lessons, and move past fear so you can start writing.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

* Why your story doesn’t have to be extraordinary to be powerful

* The 5 signs you have a memoir waiting to be written

* Quick strategies to turn your experiences into compelling material

* How to silence the inner critic that says, “Who cares?”

Resources & Links:

* Take the free quiz: Is My Story Worth Telling?

* 10 Writing Prompts to Unlock Your Story: Download here.

* Explore my online course Make Memoir Magic

Change is inevitable — in life and in writing. In this episode, I talk about the power of embracing new seasons and how you can use life’s natural transitions as fuel for your memoir. Whether you’re moving into retirement, stepping into a new role, or simply turning the page on a personal chapter, change gives you fresh perspective. I’ll share simple steps you can take to harness these shifts and get words onto the page, even when it feels daunting.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

* Why seasonal changes in your life often spark the richest material for memoir.

* How to reframe change from “loss” to “possibility.”

* Simple, practical steps to use change as momentum for writing.

* A journaling exercise to help you capture your emotions during transition.

Resources & Links:

* Explore my online course, Make Memoir Magic

* Download my free guide: Top 10 Books Every Memoirist Should Read

Food is never just food—it’s memory, culture, and story. In this episode, Kerry shares how lemons, a community garden, and family recipes all become powerful starting points for memoir writing.

You’ll discover:

* Why food is one of the best doorways into memory.

* How sensory details invite readers directly into your story.

* A personal reflection on lemons, limoncello, and the richness of shared meals.

* The connection between food, memoir, and identity.

* An invitation to Kerry’s live workshop: Savor and Remember: Writing Memoir Through Food.

✨ Save your seat at the workshop here

Taylor Swift may be celebrating an engagement, but what she really deserves applause for is her storytelling superpower. Every album is a chapter, every lyric a scene—and she always defines her own narrative before anyone else can.

In this episode of Making Memoir Magic, I’ll show you how Taylor’s approach to songwriting offers powerful lessons for memoir writers:

* How to own your narrative before others define it

* Why vulnerability and detail create connection with readers

* The importance of honoring every era of your journey

* How to redefine and reinvent yourself while staying true

Whether you’re a Swiftie or simply an aspiring memoirist, this episode will inspire you to be bold with your story.

📖 Ready to start your memoir? Explore resources, classes, and coaching that can help you at www.kerrykriseman.com.

Links:

* Blog and Podcast

* Tools for Writers

* Instagram: @kerry.kriseman

What if the secret to unlocking your life stories isn’t hiding in a dusty journal—but in your kitchen?

In this episode, I take you into my grandmother’s kitchen for Nana Muffins, then into my own for a Thanksgiving turkey that’s been part of my family for 30 years. Along the way, I’ll show you how food can be one of the most powerful tools in memoir writing.

Food isn’t just sustenance—it’s memory, history, and love served up on a plate. When you write about what you ate, you’re really writing about who gathered, who taught you, who loved you, and who you were at that moment in time.

This episode will not only give you a taste of my own food memories, but also invite you to start writing yours. And, if this excites you, I’ll tell you about a brand-new workshop I’m cooking up: Memoir Writing Through Food. You’ll get to help me decide how to serve it—90 minutes, a full-day feast, or a slow simmer series.

👉 Vote for your favorite workshop format here:

* 90-Minute Tasting Session - A quick, powerful online workshop to spark one vivid memory and get it on the page.

* Full-Day Feast (6 Hours) - A deep dive into cooking, memory work, and guided writing, with time to shape and share your story.

* Slow Simmer Series (3 Days over 3 Weeks) - A paced, immersive journey with cooking, multiple writing sessions, feedback, and polished stories to share at the end.

✨ Key Takeaways

* Food is a portal to memory. A single muffin or recipe card can unlock entire chapters of your life.

* Recipes are artifacts. They hold not just instructions, but family history, rituals, and personalities.

* Sensory detail is memoir gold. Smell, taste, sound, and touch bring readers to your table in ways words alone can’t.

* Start small. Write about the first meal you remember as a child and notice the details that surface.

* Memoir through food is both universal and deeply personal. Your story is unique, but it will spark recognition in others.

Check out my memoir course and tools for writers at www.kerrykriseman.com.Take the quiz: What’s Your Memoir Writing Roadblock?

Episode Summary:This week, I stepped into a recording studio to narrate the audiobook version of my memoir, and I didn’t expect it to be so emotional.

As I read each chapter, memories from my 22 years as a political spouse came rushing back, along with a profound realization: writing a memoir isn’t just an act of self-expression. It’s an act of generosity.

In this heartfelt episode, I share:

* The surprising emotions that surfaced while recording my book.

* How my memoir rippled out and impacted readers I’d never met.

* Why sharing your story openly can inspire, educate, and comfort others.

* Ten practical tips for writing generously — so your words connect deeply with your audience.

If you’ve ever wondered whether your story is worth telling, this episode will remind you that it is, and that someone out there is waiting for your words.

Resources & Links Mentioned in This Episode:

* ✏️ Free 5-Day Memoir in Minutes Video Series: Get one-minute daily prompts to jumpstart your memoir. Sign up here.

* 📚 My memoir, Accidental First Lady: On the Front Lines (and Behind the Scenes) of Local Politics; check it out here.

Episode Highlights:00:00 – Intro: The bold truth about memoir as generosity02:18 – A week in the recording studio — and unexpected emotions06:05 – The ripple effect of your story08:44 – Memoir as a sacred obligation11:02 – 10 tips for writing generously14:25 – Your invitation to begin your memoir today

If you enjoyed this episode:Please follow the podcast, share it with a friend, and leave a review. It helps more people find these conversations and start telling their own stories.

🎧 Episode Summary:Feel like your life is too full to write your memoir? You're not alone, and you're not out of luck. In this episode, I’m sharing how to create a writing habit that fits into your real life using a simple, 5-day approach that’s pressure-free and surprisingly powerful.

You’ll hear why we often don’t start writing (spoiler: it has to do with only imagining the finish line), and how to shift your mindset, one minute at a time. I’ll also introduce you to Memoir in Minutes, my free 5-day video series designed to help you gently build a writing habit that lasts.

Memoir doesn’t get written in a weekend. It gets written in moments. Let’s start logging those miles together.

🎯 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

* Why the end of your memoir can block you from ever starting it

* How writing for just 60 seconds a day can build creative momentum

* Real-life strategies I used while writing my memoir in the margins of a full life

* What Memoir in Minutes is, how it works, and why it’s perfect for busy writers

Sign up for the FREE 5-day video series: Memoir in Minutes

💬 Let’s Connect:Was there a moment in this episode that really hit home for you? I’d love to hear it. Reply to the email that brought you here or message me on Instagram @kerry.kriseman

⭐️ Love the Show?Please rate, review, and share this episode with someone who’s been putting their story on hold. Your support helps more people discover the magic of memoir.