How to Find the Starting Point for Your Memoir

Staring at a blank page and wondering, Where do I even begin my memoir? You’re not alone. Many aspiring authors feel overwhelmed when it comes to choosing the “right” opening for their story. Here’s the secret: memoirs don’t start at birth. They start where something shifts.

In this episode of Making Memoir Magic, Kerry Kriseman, memoir coach and author, shares practical strategies and simple prompts to help you pinpoint your most powerful starting point. You’ll learn how to identify the spark, uncover the turning points in your life, and break past the paralysis of perfection so you can finally start writing.

Whether you’re at the very beginning of your memoir journey or revising a messy draft, this episode will give you the clarity and confidence to begin.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

* Why the “chronological beginning” is usually the wrong place to start

* How to spot the spark, the memory that still vibrates with emotional truth

* Why turning points are powerful entryways into memoir

* A simple exercise to identify your “before and after” moments

* 3 journal prompts to help you break through the overwhelm of a blank page

* The truth about why your first page doesn’t have to be perfect

Time-Stamped Highlights

* 00:00 – Welcome + the question that paralyzes so many memoirists

* 02:15 – Busting the myth of chronological beginnings

* 05:40 – Finding your spark: the scene that still pulls at you

* 09:20 – Using turning points to anchor your opening

* 12:15 – Prompts to loosen up when you feel stuck

* 14:00 – Why your first draft beginning doesn’t have to be your final beginning

Resources & Links Mentioned in This Episode:

* Want more writing support? Check out my Tools for Writers

* Grab my Goal-Setting Guide for Writers to help you carve out time and energy for your story. Let’s connect on Instagram

Get full access to Nothing Is Accidental at kerrykriseman.substack.com/subscribe

Thank you for listening to this episode of Making Memoir Magic. To learn more about my course, Make Memoir Magic, click here. 

Join my free Facebook Group, Memoir Magic for Aspiring Authors, where we honor your story, provide tips, create community, and help you write the story you were meant to tell. Join here!