CREATIVE WRITING INSIGHTS: “How Do I End My Memoir?” by Lorilyn Roberts

I received this question in my email today from a reader and it’s a great question to consider, so I share it here for those who may find my advice helpful.

Hi, I am emailing you to ask for your help, please, as I have a huge respect for you and your work.

I am an artist who is trying to write a memoir, but struggling with the ending.

My story is obviously true, based on my losing my dad in the summer. He took his own life.

The whole event was like a film. It didn’t seem real, the build-up, the actual event, and the aftermath. 

I feel I also need to share this event as self-therapy more than anything as I am still struggling to come to terms with what happened.

I know how to start my memoir, the middle, but it’s just the end - how do I finish it? What’s the point to it? 

Do I finish it on the one-year anniversary, for example, when I will return to where it happened and finish up my feelings, and how I haven’t ended it all myself, which was going through my mind when I stood at the spot where it happened last June? 

I really don’t know, I am so stuck on how to end it and not make it a pointless book, but I just don’t know how.

I appreciate it. You are probably very busy yourself, but just a moment of your time and a reply would be so hugely appreciated. I can't even begin to tell you how much.

Thank you very much and I look forward to hearing from you.

*~*~*

Here was my response:

Dear _____

The ending is the redemption — if you haven’t figured out how God used this event in your life to teach you more about your heavenly Father, then I would stop and spend some time in prayer. Here are some questions to ponder:

1. What have I learned about God’s sufficiency?

2. Am I closer to God because of this painful experience?

3. How has this impacted my life for the future?

4. How can I help others who might be faced with a similar situation?

5. Have I let go of my anger, my unforgiveness, my sin, my false expectations of my father, and given my heavenly Father first place in my life?

6. Do I love God more, enough to let go and move on with my life?

Think about these things. A memoir must first be written to you — to work out your own salvation, and then you can help others work out theirs — for God’s glory and your healing.

I will add here, that writing a memoir can be one of the most gut-wrenching undertakings you ever do and should be bathed in prayer. God can teach you much about grace and joy, even if you never publish your memoir. To read my award-winning piece on how to write a memoir in twelve easy steps, click here.

BOOK REVIEW: Seventh Dimension - The King: A Young Adult Fantasy: Four Stars from Amazon Reviewer Hannah

I (an Amazon reviewer) received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Seventh Dimension The King: A Young Adult Fantasy is the second book in Lorilyn Roberts' Seventh Dimension series. Though this is a series, I feel that the books could be read out of order and be enjoyed just as much. At least the first two can.

Daniel is a Jew, albeit one who doesn't practice his Jewish heritage. He lives in Israel, and during the time we start the book they are in a middle of a war. To summarize these events, he opens a door and is transported to the Seventh Dimension.

If you don't know exactly what the Seventh Dimension is, you may be a little confused until the character figures it out as well.

The Seventh Dimension is an alternate reality, during the rule of Rome and the life of Jesus of Nazareth. The Seventh Dimension is just like your reality, complete with your family and possibly other acquaintances. The only difference is the time period, not to mention the fact that residents of the Seventh Dimension don‘t understand that you aren't from the same dimension as they are.

Characters are transported here to ... sort themselves out. To find who they are and figure out their relationship with God.

This book is similar to the story of the first book in the series in the way that it contains the same events, except told from a different character's point of view. From what I remember of the first book, the author did a great job of meshing the stories together; I didn't notice any inconsistencies between them.

I found the first part of Seventh Dimension - The King to be a bit somber, but it seemed to more or less ease up after you got a few pages into it.

It was a believable and realistic story, and well-written.

I know this has nothing to do with the story itself, but I enjoyed the fact that most of the chapters were short; it made it easy to read while on a break.

While in the Seventh Dimension, Daniel experiences many miracles, all the while wrestling with his own emotions and opinions. I find that during the course of the book, Lorilyn Roberts does an accurate job portraying what it must have been like to live at that time and the wonderings and opinions that people may have had in response to the events taking place.

As we follow Daniel through his journey we see him change, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse, but in the end, he makes the right decision and finds both who he is and who he wants to be.

Even if you aren't a particularly religious person, there are still elements of this book that you can enjoy. Especially if you like chariot racing, told from the point of view of the racer. I found that part of the book to be particularly interesting.

In the first book, I didn't particularly like the relationship between Daniel and Shale (the protagonist of the first book in the series). I felt that it developed too quickly and that the characters should have been focusing more on their spiritual lives, especially if they wanted to leave the Seventh Dimension. However, in the second book, you find that it wasn't pointless and that it is conducive to the plot.

Overall I found this to be a well-written and believable book, slightly Narnia-esque in its concept, and enjoyable for young adults as well as adults.

By Amazon Reviewer, Hannah