How to beat memoir writer's block in 8 simple steps

House tour tips for writing an autobiography

First published July 2017: This article has been updated and improved.

Ever since I was in primary school, my grandmother, ‘nanny’, taught me to bake.

She liked to cook ‘quickly’ and get it out of the way early, first thing in the morning.

Even though we worked swiftly, she would tell me stories about her family and life growing up on a dairy farm.

Looking back now, I realise that many of these anecdotes were inspired by the food we were cooking, the way we were preparing it and even the utensils we were using.

One classic example was the heart-shaped sponge cake tins we used to cook birthday cakes in her over-worked gas oven.

The set may have seen better days but it was a link to the past for my nanny.

Her mother would also bake her children heart-shaped sponge cakes on birthdays.

Before the cutting of the cake, it would be placed in the centre of the room, with coloured ribbons stretching from the cake platter to the corners of the room.

And once the cake was cut, the birthday child would put on a coat with many pockets, filled with lollies, and be sent out into the garden to be chased down by the other children.

Talk about good old-fashioned fun!

Dredging up memories like this for your autobiography doesn’t have to be hard.

If you are in the zone ready to write but anecdotes are failing you, don’t despair!

Inspiration to beat writer’s block is not far out of reach, in fact, it might be as easy to find as taking a walk around your house.

Give these ideas a try this Easter weekend…

Beat writer’s block by unearthing old treasure

Pull out those old photo albums or forgotten boxes of slides you have in the garage – you know the ones!
Also review letters, diaries, newspaper clippings, or other memorabilia and keepsakes.
Look at ornaments in your lounge, pictures on your walls, sentimental jewellery or clothes in your cupboards, travel mementos in the hallway, or even inherited dishes and bowls in the kitchen.

All of these ‘things’ have their own stories and can spark a memory or three worth including in your autobiography.

‘Sensing’ a good story

Sound: Get your groove on by pulling out your rock ‘n’ roll vinyl collection or flicking through your electronic music library. Songs are a powerful way to time travel to different parts of your life and relive the moment. Plus all that dancing is sure to get the blood pumping!
Smell: Cook up a storm in the kitchen or poke around the pantry. The smell of different dishes or ingredients is a sure-fire way to overcome writer’s block and recall memories.

Coaching Calls Forever Young Autobiographies. Open hand outstretched over sparkling water.

Make a move to stop writer’s block

Take a stroll around your garden or (I’m not kidding!) take a shower. Doing routine or easy tasks can absolutely kick-start ideas and creativity.
Pick up the phone and call a relative or friend. They can definitely help you fill in the blanks and give another perspective to a specific event. Plus you might even learn a new story or two!
Grab your library card or hop online to read published autobiographies. Seeing what is out there and what others have written can be inspirational. And of course reading will help you become a better writer.

Final say

Sparking memories to bust writer’s block doesn’t have to be hard, in fact, it should be fun!

Taking a ‘stroll’ through your home will unearth many details and stories you may have forgotten or overlooked to include in your autobiography.

Try unearthing old treasures (photos, memorabilia, ornaments), using your senses and make a move by going into the garden, calling a friend or heading online.

These will help give life to your memoir and wipe away writer’s block.

Completing your life story is an important job.

It is an act of love to be enjoyed – much like a heart-shaped sponge cake.

Happy Easter and happy writing!

Your next step after getting memories flowing is to organise the important ones into a rough book outline. I’ve made a FREE video training on how to do this. Sign up here.

How do you overcome writer’s block? I’d love to hear about it. Send me an email.

Have you hit a roadblock planning, writing or finishing your autobiography? Let me know here so I can help!

Don’t miss an article, sign up to get instant notifications when new material is published.

This article first appeared on the website Forever Young Autobiographies.com.