micro memoir
One day my friend disappeared. No goodbye. No explanation. No trace. At first, I thought she was simply taking a break from social media. I knew she had struggled with depression before, so I gave her the time and space I thought she needed. Weeks turned into months. Then months
Tips
A hook is the opening of a story that captures the reader's attention and makes them want to keep reading. It creates curiosity, emotion, surprise, or tension within the first few sentences. Think of it as the answer to the reader's silent question: "Why should
Poem
Every morning began with this cup. The enamel mug... chipped at the rim, stained by coffee. Morning after morning, it waited faithfully on the kitchen table. ~ Singapore, My Memories Who in your family always had an enamel mug? What do you remember about them?
micro memoir
I joined the school Red Cross Society when I was in Secondary 1. We had to buy our own uniforms, but I could not afford a pair of boots. One of the leaders, Loy Sai Lee, and several teammates pooled their money together to help me. I went to Sungei
micro memoir
My eldest sister, Annie, was the light of our family. Although she stopped schooling after Primary 4, she was the most entrepreneurial among us and successfully ran a hair salon business. One day, while on a tour in Beijing, she did not return to the tour bus. The tour guide
short story
I generally don't like dealing with people, including myself. Human nature is flawed. People can be irritating. Some can even be cruel. I was fortunate for much of my career. I spent 12 years as a researcher, curating information. I hardly had to talk to anyone. Then I
Tips
A speaker may share a story with 20 people in a room. But when that same story is written and published online, thousands may read it. One of my stories published quietly reached more than 5,000 views. A speaker spoke once. The written story continued speaking long after the
Tips
Have you ever wanted to write your life story but didn't know where to begin? Start small. Write one memory at a time. I teach a simple framework called MEL. Moment Emotion Lesson Every good micro-memoir has these three ingredients. Here's an example. I was
micro memoir
I hated studying. I simply didn't know how to learn. I spent an hour trying to memorise one page, only to forget it after turning to the next. Every poor exam result made me believe my future was doomed. My mother warned me that without a good school
micro memoir
I joined officer cadet training but failed to graduate. I spent a long time reflecting on the reasons. Perhaps I was too shy, spoke too softly, feared making mistakes, and lacked the boldness expected of a military leader. I was more of an analytical strategist and planner than an infantry
micro memoir
Every evening, I sat on my father's lap at our front door as he read the Bible to me. I was too young to understand the words. I understood his voice. Years later, many verses have faded from memory. The feeling of being loved has not.
micro memoir
When I was in my twenties, I dreamed of becoming an electone player. The music moved me emotionally and lifted my spirits. Music made me happy. Every Sunday, I would visit Yamaha at Plaza Singapura to watch the free electone performances. One day, I bought two second-hand electones, one
