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What’s the Opposite of Taking Someone’s Virginity?
I finally slept with my best friend, just before he died—and I started to fall apart after he was gone. Then a conversation with his ghost—and a…
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Elizabeth Laura Nelson
2
How to Get Started on Writing Your Deepest, Most Honest, Most Personal Essays
We all have those things we know we want (maybe even have) to write about but find difficult go get into. Here’s how I push myself to start getting…
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Caroline Rothstein
8
WATCH: 48 Minutes with “The World’s Worst Cancer Mom”
Elizabeth Austin opens up about how to get vulnerable on the page, how to pitch memoir articles...and how to talk to your kids about Chappell Roan…
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Elizabeth Austin
 and 
Brendan Spiegel
47:26
48 Minutes With the "World's Worst Cancer Mom": Join our LIVE VIDEO CHAT with Elizabeth Austin
Did you read Elizabeth's awe-inspiring story? If you did (or plan to!) and you want to know the behind-the-scenes of the piece, come join us this…
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Narratively
Shamu Saved My Life. Or Did He?
It’s one of the clearest memories of my childhood: My dad changed our plans so we could go to SeaWorld, and then our original flight crashed. But why am…
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Angie Chuang
2
How I Turned My 35-Year-Old Journals Into a Memoir
When it comes to honest, reflective first-person writing, there’s nothing more valuable than your own in-the-moment thoughts.
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Rebecca Evans
7

January 2025

The January Edit: Imperfect Moms, Meditation and More
January is all about bettering ourselves… and sometimes failing. From a story about a spiraling cancer mom to how to use meditation in your writing and…
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Jesse Sposato
4
Last Chance to Join '28 Days, 28 Essay Prompts: A Month of Generating Inspiration and Ideas for Memoir'
PLUS: Check out the winner of our recent 'worst job' prompt contest!
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Brendan Spiegel
I Was the World’s Worst Cancer Mom
The cancer ward (and my Insta feed) were filled with picture-perfect moms moving heaven and earth for their sick kids. Meanwhile, I spiraled into heavy…
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Elizabeth Austin
8
Prompt: What Was The Worst Job You Ever Had?
Every writer’s dream is to quit their “day job,” but I personally love reading about day jobs!
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Amy Barnes
102
Secret Life of an Anonymous Speechwriter to the Stars
At work, I’m a ghost: always heard, never seen. But mastering the voices of celebrities and politicians helped me learn to speak for myself.
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Claire Rudy Foster
2
Last Chance to Join The 90-Minute Seminar for Kickstarting Your Memoir!
PLUS: By popular demand, we've added a new session of our sold-out class, The Fine Art of Deep Revision.
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Brendan Spiegel
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