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
5 snips
Mar 6, 2023 • 38min
How We Can Reclaim Our Stories Through Fiction, featuring Cheryl A. Head
If you write fiction, you already know you’re the master of the world you create on the page. That comes with great responsibility, but it also can mean reclaiming the narrative and elevating the stories that didn’t get to be told. It’s often said that history is written by the victors, but in modern times, history is often revisited, increasingly so in fiction, to include the voices of those left for too long in the shadows. This week’s show explores all this and more with guest Cheryl A. Head, who’s written a new novel, Time’s Undoing, that explores what happened to her grandfather, who was killed in 1929 by Birmingham police, and the ripple effect that had on future generations. Nearly 100 years later, Cheryl unearths this story through a fictional lens. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 27, 2023 • 39min
Memoirs That Risk Everything, featuring Eden Boudreau
What are some of the memoirs you’ve read and loved that share unspeakable truths? This question is at the center of this week’s show—and we welcome guest Eden Boudreau to share about what we risk—and gain—when we dare to write those truths. Eden’s memoir centers a story of sexual assault, so listeners please know that coming in. She shares about how writing her story was healing, but beyond that how it helped her to carry on through some of her darkest hours. This is a heartfelt conversation—and an episode that celebrates how memoirs really do save lives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 20, 2023 • 31min
The Art of Brevity, featuring Grant Faulkner
Write-minded celebrates and honors Grant Faulkner this week as he releases his newest book, The Art of Brevity. Grant’s interest and obsession with the short form is the subject of this week’s episode, a conversation about flash fiction, discipline, and what’s so appealing about the short short form. Grant shares a story as a means to show how plot exists in a 100-word piece, and considers the rising popularity of flash fiction against the backdrop of our modern world where there’s more content—and ways of sharing our content—than ever before. An inspiring and inspired conversation! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 13, 2023 • 31min
How Psychology Drives Good Fiction, featuring Ana Reyes
Psychologically complex thriller writer Ana Reyes discusses the connection between psychology and literature, the symbolism of a haunted cabin in her first novel, and the transformation of her book into a psychological thriller with the help of her agent. The podcast also explores the impact of the USA Today bestseller list going on hiatus and the changing landscape of book tracking and reviewing.
Feb 6, 2023 • 53min
Making Art from Your Life, featuring Jeannine Ouellette
Author Jeannine Ouellette discusses craft, emulating other writers, and the value of reading and studying other memoirs. She also shares insights into the structure and creation of her memoir, the decision to rewrite it as a novel, teaching workshops, and the surprising success of Prince Harry's memoir.
Jan 30, 2023 • 39min
The Art of Revision, featuring Peter Ho Davies
This week’s show is a celebration and exploration of revision. The old adage is that revision is writing, and Peter Ho Davies has some gorgeous and rich advice around the process and the discovery that comes with this part of the writing process. Revision is a world all its own, an opportunity to go to even deeper depths in your writing. Befriend revision, love revision, embrace revision—and join us for this conversation as a jumping-off point. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 23, 2023 • 45min
True Inclusion in Book Publishing, featuring Rebekah Borucki
This week’s episode focuses in on our favorite hard topic—inclusion in book publishing. But this conversation is not just a run-of-the-mill conversation about DEI, which we acknowledge can and has gotten a bit diluted in recent months. Instead it’s a fresh and inspiring conversation about what inclusion really means in book publishing, and we interview an inspiring publisher, Rebekah “Bex” Borucki, who is doing the hard work of creating true change in publishing by creating a publishing company that is focused on inclusivity in all the parts of the business and the business model. Geek out on publishing with us this week, but also be prepared to learn and be inspired by what Row House publishing is doing, and the woman who’s leading the charge. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
4 snips
Jan 16, 2023 • 43min
Discipline and the Writing Life, featuring Adriana Trigiani
This week’s episode is a celebration of discipline with author Adriana Trigiani, who says that the creative expression is the highest expression of our souls. As such, discipline is honoring the gift. We delve into what Adriana learned about working as a writer for the show, A Different World, and her take on the vast changes in the publishing world from her vantage point as a veteran author of more than twenty books. An insightful show that celebrates working hard! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 9, 2023 • 43min
Saving Reading, featuring Andrew Limbong
Should we be worried about the current state of reading? It’s hard to answer no to this question. Which is why Grant and Brooke take up the topic this week with guest Andrew Limbong, host of NPR's Book of the Day podcast. Tune in to set a reading goal with Grant, commiserate with Brooke about the kids’ reading habits these days, and hear some great book recommendations from a guest who’s more on top of the book scene than most. We also talk about the reading brain vs. Internet brain, and throw in a little neuroscience for good measure. Join us! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 2, 2023 • 17min
Getting Reinspired, Again, with Grant Faulkner and Brooke Warner
Grant Faulkner and Brooke Warner reflect on their writing goals, the challenges of imperfect writing, and the importance of writing for oneself. They discuss the concept of a 'what happened draft' and share insights on the upcoming release of 'The Art of Brevity'. They also highlight the value of guest teachers, book events, and writing classes for inspiration and craft.
