Some say the best things in life are free
You don't have to be a paid subscriber to enjoy Must Love Memoir
So you’ve received my introduction email and you haven’t unsubscribed yet. Or you stumbled across this newsletter in another way and decided to join me here. Let me and my unofficial assistant, Gunther, just say thank you for joining us.
You might be thinking at this point, that you aren’t ready to commit to upgrading to a paid subscription. It might be because you already subscribe to a lot of newsletters, or you have too many streaming subscriptions, or you’re saving up to buy a hamster (cue the recognition from F.R.I.E.N.D.S fans) and the last thing you need is another monthly amount debited from your account. I totally get it.
If you simply don’t have the budget or aren’t ready to commit to upgrading, that’s okay. I struggle sometimes with those same kinds of decisions myself. There are a lot of creative people out there who need your support and I understand you’re pulled in a lot of different directions with your money. That’s why I’m starting this newsletter with all the written content available to free subscribers.
I’m doing this because I want you to all get a feel for what to expect here and truly see if it has value to you, and I want to make sure that I am providing quality content. There will still be plenty of things hidden behind a paywall (which you’ll read about in my next post) and those things will provide more concrete ways to get involved with Must Love Memoir and build a community around writing.
For now, here are all the things you’ll get with your free subscription:
Must Love Memoir information and recaps
On the second Tuesday of each month, a group of nonfiction writers gather in a small room in the basement of Jake’s Dilemma and share our stories. It’s a magical night that has become my favorite evening of the month.
Over the last year, I have sent out a semi-regular monthly email about the upcoming reading series. Now that information will be here in much more detail so that you can get a better idea of what each event will be like.
Twice a month you will receive emails regarding the reading series. I will share reader’s bios, books and published readings so that you can get even more excited about upcoming events. I will also share a monthly recap summarizing the event, sharing short excerpts when possible and my thoughts about the readings.
Monday Memoir Musings
Every Monday, I will use this space to talk about the craft of writing and publishing creative nonfiction. My vision for this section is to explore the memoir genre from all angles. These musings will include anything from writing advice, to craft questions, to the ethics of writing about others.
Sometimes I will write about subjects I feel strongly about, but mostly I will be interested in responding to questions you have about writing nonfiction. No subject will be off limits!
No Books but Notebooks (Coming Soon)
I am constantly blown away at the talent in this city and especially at my reading series (mostly because I’m biased). It is easy to find the established authors who have a number of publications under their belt or have a book already out in the world — but there are so many incredible writers out there who are just getting started.
Many of these writers have read their pieces at Must Love Memoir, so I am devoting a weekly spot on this newsletter to them. Once a month, on the third Thursday, I will publish a piece of work by a former reader or another emerging writer who is just getting started. This section will also eventually open up for submission opportunities.
Curated Reading Lists
It’s no secret that the the best way to be a good writer is to be a reader. There is so much to learn from other writers on everything from voice, to structuring a story, to personal research.
Once a month I’ll curate a list of some of my favorite memoirs that all share a similar theme or structure. The goal is to provide you with some inspiration to finish your story, comparative titles to consider when querying agents—but also just to highlight some great books to read.
We’ll see where it goes from here…
There are so many other things I’d like to incorporate into this newsletter but I think this is a good start.
I can’t wait to see which sections you respond most to and what the future of this community holds. Over the next few months, I will be anxiously listening to you all to tell me what you need from this space and I will do my best to deliver it.
My next post will introduce all the ways paid subscribers can get involved in much deeper ways. I’m most excited about introducing virtual write-ins and accountability workshops to help bring structure to your writing practice and give you some tips for holding yourself accountable.
In the meantime, keeping loving memoir ♥️