Sarah Saffian

An article by Sarah Saffian was featured

July 2016

Get Over Yourself! Some musings on the art and craft of memoir

In my years as a memoir teacher, editor, and coach, and as a memoirist myself, I’ve found that the greatest challenge for a personal writer is to create work that is meaningful to others. And the most crucial question a personal writer...
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Robyn Michele Levy commented on Sarah Saffian's article Get Over Yourself! Some musings on the art and craft of memoir

March 2011

Good advice! I am currently at the end of the long process of writing my memoir and I am grateful and lucky to have a fantastic editor. She is helping me to focus the story. Personally, the greatest challenge I am facing is being honest --...

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Katherine Jenkins commented on Sarah Saffian's article Get Over Yourself! Some musings on the art and craft of memoir

March 2011

Excellent post. My memoir will be published spring 2012 and what you write here is definitely key. Sculpting your story is so important. While uniqueness and universal appeal are also equally important, asking and answering the question "Why am I...

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Adela Crandell Durkee commented on Sarah Saffian's article Get Over Yourself! Some musings on the art and craft of memoir

March 2011

Thanks! I started blogging my childhood memories, just as a warm up for my "real" writing. I thought it might be fun for my family to read. I am still surprised that what I write resonates with all ages. I have readers from India, China,...

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Kristen commented on Sarah Saffian's article Get Over Yourself! Some musings on the art and craft of memoir

March 2011

Sarah - Thank you so much for this - it's very helpful! The quote by David Carr is very poignant, and something I will remember.

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Sharon D. Dillon commented on Sarah Saffian's article Get Over Yourself! Some musings on the art and craft of memoir

March 2011

Thank you for the info, Sarah. I'm struggling with my memoir because I'd like others to avoid some of life's traps that I fell into. I want enough of my story to make it personal yet generic enough that the reader can see his/herself and want to...

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Christina Brandon commented on Sarah Saffian's article Get Over Yourself! Some musings on the art and craft of memoir

March 2011

Thanks for that "who cares" reminder! It helps narrow the focus of some unwieldy pieces.

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Jo Vraca commented on Sarah Saffian's article Get Over Yourself! Some musings on the art and craft of memoir

March 2011

Amen to "Your whole life isn’t relevant". I'm ghostwriting an autobiography of an 82 year-old Holocaust survivor and, while so much of her life is compelling, it's only at this 3rd draft that I'm coming to terms with the word "CUT". If the event...

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Jennifer Hazard commented on Sarah Saffian's article Get Over Yourself! Some musings on the art and craft of memoir

March 2011

I'm working on this and it's very enlightening, the focus on the physical and sensory both sharpens and dis-empowers the memory at the same time...

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Sarah Saffian commented on her article Get Over Yourself! Some musings on the art and craft of memoir

March 2011

Appreciate the tip, Cathy!

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