![]() I decided to restructure my manuscript to align with this engaging memoir. In fact, beginning a story in the middle is sometimes the best place to start.Ī few years into the writing, I discovered- Over My Head by Claudia L. Where should your story begin?Īs I would later learn, the chronological beginning of a story is not always the best place to start. Like Herman Melville’s Moby Dick, I had pages and pages of exposition before the real action began. The inciting incident-the onset of Matthew's unusual eye-rolling tic at age eight-didn’t show up until chapter 9. Chapter three began with my high-risk delivery and ended with my healthy newborn. ![]() The next chapter told about meeting and marrying my husband. ![]() My first chapter focused on my upbringing so readers would understand how I came to be the insecure mother and conflict-averse woman I was. I started at the very beginning I’d heard it was a very good place to start. I’d already written a master’s thesis, a health education curriculum, public service announcements, and business letters. ![]() After enough friends told me, “You should write a book,” I decided to dive in. But I had a story to tell-the tale of my eleven-year-old son’s diagnosis with a brain tumor. ![]() Over twenty years ago, when I decided to write a memoir, I knew next to nothing about creative writing. ![]()
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