Memoir Nation
Brooke Warner and Grant Faulkner
Memoir Nation: Weekly Inspiration for Writers is an extension of the Memoir Nation community hosted by Brooke Warner and Grant Faulkner, two friends and colleagues who bring a community-minded sensibility to the writing journey. Originally launched as Write-minded in 2018, this is a weekly writing podcast that focuses on memoir and personal writing, as well as industry trends and tips and resources for writers and authors. Memoir Nation features a segment called Substackin’ at the end of each episode to talk about topics, ideas, trends, and writerly inspirations that Brooke and Grant are tracking in their weekly Substacks (Writerly Things and Intimations). Brooke and Grant bring to this weekly podcast their deeply held belief that everyone is a writer, and everyone’s story matters. Discover more about Memoir Nation at memoirnation.com.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jul 31, 2023 • 55min
Parent-Adult Child Dynamics for Writers, featuring Gail Warner (Brooke’s mom)
This week’s show takes on an age-old topic—that of all the ways family’s feelings, impressions, and reactions play a role in our writing. No relationship is more complex and multilayered than that of the parent and adult child, which is why Brooke wanted to bring on her mom, Gail Warner, as a guest to discuss writing and how the act of self-expression is not an isolated experience. We have considerations, many of which involve our family—and this episode opens that conversation between one mother and daughter. It’s also the final episode of the fifth year of Write-minded, for which Grant conjures up an imagined parade to celebrate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 24, 2023 • 47min
The Art of Writing Unlikeable Characters, featuring Ben Purkert
This week's guest Ben Purkert, author of the newly released novel, The Men Can’t Be Saved, gives us some insight into the art of writing complex characters, including the downright unlikeable ones. Atrocious acts and bad behavior are at the center of storytelling, and when constructed well, supposedly unlikeable characters are often more gripping and memorable than likable ones. We’re titillated and drawn forth by a character’s conflict, bad behavior, and perhaps even downfall. A good author challenges their readers to be interested in their unlikeable characters—even through their flaws. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 17, 2023 • 53min
Community as Muse, featuring Kellye Garrett
On this community-minded podcast, we love to host a community-focused episode from time to time. Guest Kellye Garrett shares the many ways that community has been a boon and a boost in her writing life and writing career. She shares about communities she’s founded, communities she’s been a part of, and the ways that community has supported her and championed her along the way. Grant and Brooke touch upon how and why building community can be hard for people, recognizing the reality that finding community can be anxiety producing, too. Brooke recalls an early She Writes mantra—“Writers don’t let writers write alone”—which encapsulates the energy behind this week’s show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 10, 2023 • 39min
Coming-of-Age Stories, featuring Yasmin Azad
This week’s episode spotlights one of the most popular types of stories we see in both memoir and fiction—the coming-of-age narrative. Guest Yasmin Azad, author of Stay, Daughter, shares her considerations for writing her coming-of-age memoir. An episode about craft, the timeline of coming-of-age, why coming-of-age stories endure the way they do, and Brooke and Grant share some of their favorite coming-of-age memoirs and novels. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 26, 2023 • 40min
Graphic Novels, Literary Collage, and Poetry Comics, featuring Kelcey Ervick
This week Write-minded is expanding our literary horizons beyond the written word and into the myriad forms of visual creative expression that can accompany text. Guest Kelcey Ervick joins us to talk about her new book, The Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Graphic Literature, Artists and Writers on Creating Graphic Narratives, Poetry Comics, and Literary Collage, a compilation of pieces from graphic and visual artists of all sorts. In the episode we touch upon how to approach this space if you’re not artistically inclined, and what it means that “outside” forms are becoming more mainstream. Lots of interesting food for thought, and inspiration for getting more expansive with your own creative process. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
9 snips
Jun 19, 2023 • 45min
Leveraging Your Why, featuring N.D. Jones
This week we’re talking about purpose and passion with guest N.D. Jones, a prolific author of fantasy stories and series who’s also a nonfiction author and publisher with a beautiful and creative online presence. This week’s show is inspired by Jones’s desire to articulate her “why,” and Brooke and Grant discuss how important purpose—the why—is for authors who might be feeling a little lost in the quest to get published. This week’s focus is platform, brand, spin-offs, content—all within the context of purpose. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 12, 2023 • 30min
Taking the Dare, featuring Krystal Marquis
This week Grant and Brooke return to a topic we love—taking the leap, saying yes to the dare, finding inspiration in the thrill of writing the book you want to read. Guest Krystal Marquis has a special personal story, too, about taking on the dare to write a book from her brother. If you’re a writer who’s trying to find a story to write, or someone looking for a little boost of creative inspiration in your life, this episode will surely light a little fire. And maybe help you set your sights on saying yes to your own dare, and certainly saying yes to the many opportunities NaNoWriMo offers writers for staying on top of their goals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 5, 2023 • 41min
Stories That Must Be Told, featuring Nicole Chung
This is an onstage interview with Brooke Warner and this week’s guest Nicole Chung. Brooke interviewed Nicole at the Bay Area Book Festival in May. The conversation is wide-ranging and covers the topics and themes central to Nicole’s new memoir, A Living Remedy, as well as questions and considerations central to memoir and telling the stories that must be told. Don’t miss this thoughtful and relatable interview. If you’re writing your story, Nicole’s words will make you feel like you can and should keep going! Also, Write-minded is celebrating our 250th episode this week. We thank you for your loyal listenership! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 29, 2023 • 35min
Writing a Violent Story with Love, featuring Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
We bring you a powerful show stemming from a powerhouse of a guest this week. Write-minded examines the intersection of activism and writing and love with Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, author of Chain Gang All Stars. This week’s episode also makes a case for why dystopian fiction needs to be rethought and reclassified, and provides insight in the form of the reminder that the best stories are those that must be told because they shine light on uncomfortable truths. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 22, 2023 • 41min
Investigating Toward Deeper Truths, featuring Gretchen Cherington
This week’s episode covers the importance of investigation and research in works of family and personal histories and memoirs. Guest Gretchen Cherington shares the many ways she researched her latest family memoir, The Butcher, The Embezzler, and the Fall Guy, through first-person narratives, interviews, and countless documents and letters. Hers is a book that attempts not so much to solve a crime as to understand the powerful men at the center of a scandal, making for a rich interview about men and power, the legacy our families leave us, and how writing can help us see varying perspectives as we uncover complicated truths. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
