How to Write Memoir That Reads Like Fiction

Julie Ryan McGue — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 20:21:58 GMT

Current Revision posted to Education and Craft by Julie Ryan McGue on 4/29/2025 8:21:58 PM

For memoir to fully engage readers, it must give readers the sense that they are “right there,” experiencing life’s pivotal moments alongside the narrator. In this webinar, award-winning memoirist Julie Ryan McGue will offer techniques and share concrete examples that will assist writers in crafting memoir that is sure to keep readers turning the pages. McGue will show participants how to borrow elements from fiction by looking at character, plot, scene, dialogue, and voice from the angle of writing compelling memoir that sells.

Here are the 2 handouts referenced in the session:
www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../McGue_2D00_ALC_2D00_Memoir-Summary-Handout.pdf
www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../McGue_2D00_ALC_2D00_Memoir-Recommended-Reading-Handout.pdf
www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../HowtoWriteMemoirThatReadsLikeFiction25.mp4

About the Presenter:
Julie Ryan McGue is an American writer, a domestic adoptee, and an identical twin. Her first memoir, Twice a Daughter: A Search for Identity, Family, and Belonging (She Writes Press), released in May 2021, won multiple awards. Her work has appeared in Writers Digest, Story Circle Network Journal, Brevity Nonfiction Blog, Imprint News, Adoption.com, Adopting.com, Lifetime Adoption Adoptive Families Blog, Adoption & Beyond, and Severance Magazine. Her personal essays have appeared in several anthologies, including Real Women Write: Seeing Through Her Eyes (Story Circle Network), Real Women Write: The Power of Friendship (Story Circle Network) and Art in the Time of Unbearable Crisis (She Writes Press). Her collection of essays, Belonging Matters: Conversations on Adoption, Family, and Kinship (Muse Literary) released in November 2023. She writes a bi-weekly blog and monthly column (The Beacher Newspapers), in which she explores the topics of finding out who you are, where you belong and making sense of it. Her third book, Twice the Family: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Sisterhood (She Writes Press) released February 4, 2025. Julie splits her time between northwest Indiana and Sarasota, Florida.

Tags: Self-Help, Nonfiction, Subscriber, Religion & Spirituality, Recorded Webinar, biographies & memoirs

How to Write Memoir That Reads Like Fiction

Author Learning Center — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 20:20:27 GMT

Revision 6 posted to Education and Craft by Author Learning Center on 4/29/2025 8:20:27 PM

Here are the 2 handouts referenced in the session:
www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../McGue_2D00_ALC_2D00_Memoir-Summary-Handout.pdf
www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../McGue_2D00_ALC_2D00_Memoir-Recommended-Reading-Handout.pdf
www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../HowtoWriteMemoirThatReadsLikeFiction25.mp4
About the Presenter:
Julie Ryan McGue is an American writer, a domestic adoptee, and an identical twin. Her first memoir, Twice a Daughter: A Search for Identity, Family, and Belonging (She Writes Press), released in May 2021, won multiple awards. Her work has appeared in Writers Digest, Story Circle Network Journal, Brevity Nonfiction Blog, Imprint News, Adoption.com, Adopting.com, Lifetime Adoption Adoptive Families Blog, Adoption & Beyond, and Severance Magazine. Her personal essays have appeared in several anthologies, including Real Women Write: Seeing Through Her Eyes (Story Circle Network), Real Women Write: The Power of Friendship (Story Circle Network) and Art in the Time of Unbearable Crisis (She Writes Press). Her collection of essays, Belonging Matters: Conversations on Adoption, Family, and Kinship (Muse Literary) released in November 2023. She writes a bi-weekly blog and monthly column (The Beacher Newspapers), in which she explores the topics of finding out who you are, where you belong and making sense of it. Her third book, Twice the Family: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Sisterhood (She Writes Press) released February 4, 2025. Julie splits her time between northwest Indiana and Sarasota, Florida.

Tags: Self-Help, Nonfiction, Subscriber, Religion & Spirituality, Recorded Webinar, biographies & memoirs

How to Write Memoir That Reads Like Fiction

Julie Ryan McGue — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 19:22:29 GMT

Revision 5 posted to Education and Craft by Julie Ryan McGue on 3/10/2025 7:22:29 PM

Here are the 3 handouts referenced in the session:
www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../McGue_2D00_ALC_2D00_Memoir-That-Reads-Like-Fiction-Handout.pdf
www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../McGue_2D00_ALC_2D00_Theme-in-Memoir-Handout.pdf
www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../McGue_2D00_ALC_2D00_Resource-Recommended-Reading-Handout.pdf
www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../HowtoWriteMemoirThatReadsLikeFiction.mp4

About the Presenter:
Julie Ryan McGue is an American writer, a domestic adoptee, and an identical twin. Her first memoir, Twice a Daughter: A Search for Identity, Family, and Belonging (She Writes Press), released in May 2021, won multiple awards. Her work has appeared in Writers Digest, Story Circle Network Journal, Brevity Nonfiction Blog, Imprint News, Adoption.com, Adopting.com, Lifetime Adoption Adoptive Families Blog, Adoption & Beyond, and Severance Magazine. Her personal essays have appeared in several anthologies, including Real Women Write: Seeing Through Her Eyes (Story Circle Network), Real Women Write: The Power of Friendship (Story Circle Network) and Art in the Time of Unbearable Crisis (She Writes Press). Her collection of essays, Belonging Matters: Conversations on Adoption, Family, and Kinship (Muse Literary) released in November 2023. She writes a bi-weekly blog and monthly column (The Beacher Newspapers), in which she explores the topics of finding out who you are, where you belong and making sense of it. Her third book, Twice the Family: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Sisterhood (She Writes Press) released February 4, 2025. Julie splits her time between northwest Indiana and Sarasota, Florida.

Tags: Nonfiction, Subscriber, Religion & Spirituality, Recorded Webinar, biographies & memoirs

How to Write Memoir That Reads Like Fiction

Julie Ryan McGue — Wed, 01 Sep 2021 15:05:04 GMT

Revision 4 posted to Education and Craft by Julie Ryan McGue on 9/1/2021 3:05:04 PM

Here are the 3 handouts referenced in the session:
www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../McGue_2D00_ALC_2D00_Memoir-That-Reads-Like-Fiction-Handout.pdf
www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../McGue_2D00_ALC_2D00_Theme-in-Memoir-Handout.pdf
www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../McGue_2D00_ALC_2D00_Resource-Recommended-Reading-Handout.pdf
www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../HowtoWriteMemoirThatReadsLikeFiction.mp4

About the Presenter:
Julie Ryan McGue is an identical twin and an adoptee. Her writing centers on finding out who you really are, where you belong, and making sense of it. In May 2021, Julie’s debut memoir "Twice a Daughter: A Search for Identity, Family, and Belonging" released and immediately became #1 New Release in Family & Personal Growth on Amazon. Julie writes a weekly blog, and a monthly column for her local paper, called That Girl This Life. Her work has been featured on the Brevity Nonfiction Blog, Lifetime Adoption Adoptive Families Blog, Severance Magazine, Adoption & Beyond, Adoption.com, and The Imprint online newspaper. Julie splits her time between NW Indiana and Sarasota. She is currently working on a collection of personal essays and a second memoir.

Tags: Nonfiction, Subscriber, Religion & Spirituality, Recorded Webinar, biographies & memoirs

How to Write Memoir That Reads Like Fiction

Julie Ryan McGue — Wed, 01 Sep 2021 15:04:40 GMT

Revision 3 posted to Education and Craft by Julie Ryan McGue on 9/1/2021 3:04:40 PM

Here are the 3 handouts referenced in the session:
www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../McGue_2D00_ALC_2D00_Memoir-That-Reads-Like-Fiction-Handout.pdf
www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../McGue_2D00_ALC_2D00_Theme-in-Memoir-Handout.pdf
www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../McGue_2D00_ALC_2D00_Resource-Recommended-Reading-Handout.pdf
www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../HowtoWriteMemoirThatReadsLikeFiction.mp4

About the Presenter:
Julie Ryan McGue is an identical twin and an adoptee. Her writing centers on finding out who you really are, where you belong, and making sense of it. In May 2021, Julie’s debut memoir "Twice a Daughter: A Search for Identity, Family, and Belonging" released and immediately became #1 New Release in Family & Personal Growth on Amazon. Julie writes a weekly blog, and a monthly column for her local paper, called That Girl This Life. Her work has been featured on the Brevity Nonfiction Blog, Lifetime Adoption Adoptive Families Blog, Severance Magazine, Adoption & Beyond, Adoption.com, and The Imprint online newspaper. Julie splits her time between NW Indiana and Sarasota. She is currently working on a collection of personal essays and a second memoir.

Tags: Nonfiction, Subscriber, Religion & Spirituality, Recorded Webinar, biographies & memoirs

How to Write Memoir That Reads Like Fiction

Julie Ryan McGue — Wed, 01 Sep 2021 15:01:28 GMT

Revision 2 posted to Education and Craft by Julie Ryan McGue on 9/1/2021 3:01:28 PM

For memoir to fully engage readers, it must give readers the sense that they are “right there,” experiencing life’s pivotal moments alongside the narrator. In this recorded webinar, memoirist Julie Ryan McGue offers techniques and shares concrete examples that will assist writers in crafting memoir that is sure to keep readers turning the pages. McGue shows participants how to borrow elements from fiction by looking at character, plot, scene, dialogue, and voice from the angle of writing compelling memoir that sells.
www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../HowtoWriteMemoirThatReadsLikeFiction.mp4

About the Presenter:
Julie Ryan McGue is an identical twin and an adoptee. Her writing centers on finding out who you really are, where you belong, and making sense of it. In May 2021, Julie’s debut memoir "Twice a Daughter: A Search for Identity, Family, and Belonging" released and immediately became #1 New Release in Family & Personal Growth on Amazon. Julie writes a weekly blog, and a monthly column for her local paper, called That Girl This Life. Her work has been featured on the Brevity Nonfiction Blog, Lifetime Adoption Adoptive Families Blog, Severance Magazine, Adoption & Beyond, Adoption.com, and The Imprint online newspaper. Julie splits her time between NW Indiana and Sarasota. She is currently working on a collection of personal essays and a second memoir.

Tags: Nonfiction, Subscriber, Religion & Spirituality, Recorded Webinar, biographies & memoirs

How to Write Memoir That Reads Like Fiction

Author Learning Center — Wed, 01 Sep 2021 14:58:15 GMT

Revision 1 posted to Education and Craft by Author Learning Center on 9/1/2021 2:58:15 PM

Tags: Nonfiction, Subscriber, Religion & Spirituality, Recorded Webinar, biographies & memoirs