Writer and musician
Time travel with me? Let’s go back to 1981. I am five years old. It's a wintery morning on the weaving road of the Tākaka Hill, top of the South Island, New Zealand. I am in the back seat of a Ford Zephyr. My dad is driving. My mother’s there too, wearing an old, cream …
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Kia ora, hi there 👋🏼 How is your writing journey going? Mine is all sorts of different feelings, some days I feel deeply inspired and eager to write, others I want to be outside frolicking in the sunshine with my dog. But I love to write, so I keep doing it 🤷🏻♀️ My news is …
Hey there, How is your writing project coming along? Today I want to tell you that sometimes it’s ok to take a break. There are days when we can write and we write until we can’t see the ‘wood for the trees.’ That’s usually a good time to step away from your words for a …
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Hey there, How is your story going? Reach out and let me know if you need a quick email to nudge you along ❤️ Today I want to share the story of something my Gran sewed for me during my biker days 🏍️ My poor parents, when I was a teenager I had two boyfriends …
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There’s something about old community halls that I love. They ooze history and character. They speak of the events of yesteryear, of the sweet new beginnings of weddings, of the many flavours of meetings that took place there, of the funerals - some expected, some not - and the iconic dances that people would travel …
Continue reading "Writing your memoir in an old Kiwi country hall"
There’s an old saw horse sitting under our feijoa trees. It’s rickety and scarred. Kinda like the man who used to use it. Actually, he probably would have taken exception with the word ‘rickety,’ dying before he could match that description, but he had some impressive scars, including one from a bullet, on his forehead. …
There will probably be moments when you have no idea why you started writing your story. Keep writing. There will be times when you ask yourself ‘does that make any sense at all?’ Keep writing. You may wonder if anyone will ever read your story. Keep writing. You may tell yourself ‘I am a terrible …
Kia ora, I write to you bleary eyed after a night of tending to a coughing eight year old. Because I felt tired when I woke up this morning, and I have a long list of tasks I want to cross off my list (I’m such a list person), I could have felt overwhelmed initially. …
Continue reading "How to deal with information overload when writing your memoir or family history"
Kia Ora 👋 This week I want to talk about helping readers understand what you experienced, by encouraging you to share what you sensed, in your story. What did you see, hear, feel, smell and taste? When you can bring in even one of your senses, do, because it brings so much more depth of …
Keep writing. For me, writing is nourishment. When I make the time to write, I’m amazed at what comes out of me! It’s almost like I’m reading it as I write it, I never know quite what’s going to come out. I’m working on my second novel right now, it’s going to take me a …
Kia ora memoir writer! How’s your story coming along today? Today I want to answer a question I often get asked - ‘where can I print my book?’ The answer is: it depends. If you’re keeping things simple and you’re not fussy about how it looks, pop along to your local print shop and ask …
Kia ora writers! Let’s talk about people and how they might appear in your story. For me, this is about accuracy and relationships. It’s pretty hard to avoid mentioning others in your memoirs, life stories and family histories. If possible, it’s good to take the time to make sure you’re quoting or paraphrasing them correctly. …
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Kia ora! This is Charlotte, reaching out from Golden Bay after a weekend of talking memoirs at libraries on the West Coast of the South Island. Welcome to my (mostly) weekly coaching session Coasters! Today I have an offering for both those who don’t feel comfortable writing and those who want to record ideas as …
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I popped into a cafe recently for my favourite salmon and cream cheese tart and the lady at the counter said she’d just been thinking of me. “I’ve been wanting to ask you to help me with my great aunty’s story for ages,” she said as she served me. “But I can’t now, because we’ve …
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Kia ora! Once you dive into writing your memoir it’ll be almost as if you’ve gone back in time, to the days you’re thinking of. The more you focus on those times, the more details you’ll remember from those days - people, experiences and feelings will resurface. That’s why I recommend you start a system …
Continue reading "Why you should keep a notebook close-by when you’re writing your memoir"
Where do you start, when you're thinking about writing the story of your life? I was recently asked this question by someone who very much wanted to write his story, but was daunted by the 'how on earth to do it' factor. Whether you're writing about your entire life, a period of time, or an …
Continue reading "How to prepare to write your memoir, even if you do it yourself"
Charlotte Squire 