The Challenges of Writing Coming-of-Age Memoirs

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This week, you'll hear from Laila Rall, a writer working on a memoir about her chaotic, bicultural childhood with an unstable mother. We will explore two of the biggest challenges writers of coming-of-age memories grapple with: when does my story really begin and how do I gracefully insert my wisdom into scenes that involve very young narrators?

Episode Highlights

• 2:25 Exploring the Scope of Your Book
• 3:15 Feedback on the Childhood Voice
• 5:43 Are You Starting in the Right Place
• 7:15 The Importance of Beat Sheets
• 18:15 Maintaining the Mystery

Resources Mentioned During This Episode

• Suzette Mullen Interview
• The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
• This Boy’s Life by Tobias Wolff
• Autobiography of a Face by Lucy Grealy
• The Liar’s Club by Mary Karr

Laila’s Bio: Laila found her most meaningful work as a teacher after pursuing a B.A. in English and an M.A. in Education from UC Berkeley. She’s currently writing a memoir about her chaotic, bicultural childhood that included a murder trial, misattributed paternity, an outing to exhume a dead relative, transatlantic smuggling, and a life-changing promise to a pig. She lives in Santa Cruz, California, and loves cave diving, close encounters with sharks, and dark espresso.

Connect with Laila

• Substack: https://lailacoryrall.substack.com

Connect with your host, Lisa:
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Produced by Espresso Podcast Production