micro memoir

Twinkle, Twinkle After 37 Years

Yesterday, I learned to play the melody of my first song in 37 years.

The last time I played the Electone, I was still a virgin. Yes, that long ago.

And what was the great song I played after 37 years?

"Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star."

A simple nursery song. Nothing impressive. Nobody is going to give me a standing ovation for it. But when my fingers found the right notes and I heard that familiar little melody coming from the keyboard, I was genuinely elated.

Today, I will try to add the chords.

Small baby steps.

Perhaps I will forget the song tomorrow. Perhaps there will be days when my fingers refuse to cooperate and I wonder whether I will ever become the piano player I hope to be.

That is okay.

I am learning to enjoy progress without demanding mastery from myself. One little melody after 37 years is still a little victory.

Today, I celebrate that.

Tomorrow, I play again.

Memoir Writing Tip 6: Add a Picture to Your Story

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Memoir writing tip 5: How I Organise My Manuscript

When I start writing a memoir, I don't begin with a blank Word document and simply write until I reach the end. I create the skeleton of the book first. I open a Word document and create a working table of contents. It doesn't have to

Memoir Writing Tip 4: Why Share Your Life Experiences?

Some of us grew up keeping our thoughts to ourselves. We dealt with our struggles quietly because we thought they were private, embarrassing, or simply something we had to handle on our own. But something changes when we begin writing and sharing our stories. The more you share your journey,

Memoir writing tip 3: Write Your Life in Little Pieces

You don't have to start your memoir with, "I was born in..." and then write your life in chronological order. Sometimes that makes memoir writing unnecessarily difficult. You start worrying about dates, sequence, missing years and what happened before what. Try something easier. Write a collection

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Memoir Writing Tip 6: Add a Picture to Your Story

Memoir writing tip 5: How I Organise My Manuscript

Memoir Writing Tip 4: Why Share Your Life Experiences?

Memoir writing tip 3: Write Your Life in Little Pieces