How to Write a Memoir When You Don’t Remember Everything (Memory, Trauma & Emotional Truth) with Sue William Silverman

Send us Fan MailWhat do you do when the memory you need most for your memoir is the one you can’t quite reach? You listen to this week’s guest, Sue William Silverman. Sue is the award-winning author of nine works of nonfiction and poetry and co-chair of the MFA in Writing program at Vermont College of Fine Arts. She joined me for a deeply honest, craft conversation about what to do when you can’t remember, how to work with fragmented memory, how to use structure, voice, and sensory detail to tell the emotional truth of your story, and how to trust yourself even when certainty is impossible. If you’ve ever felt stalled by memory gaps, afraid of getting it “wrong,” or unsure how to write what you can’t fully recall, this episode will give you both permission and practical tools to keep going. Let’s dive in.Episode Highlights04:48 Writing Memoir When Memory Feels Unstable05:48 From Bad Fiction to Honest Storytelling07:13 The Five Senses Trick for Unlocking Memories09:38 Emotional Truth vs. Perfect Facts20:29 Writing the Gaps: What You Don’t Fully Remember27:30 What You Cut (and Why It Matters Later)30:55 You Don’t Have to Fit Your Whole Life in One Book33:47 Finding the Voice That Can Tell the StoryResources for this Episode: Books by Sue William Silverman: Selected Misdemeanors: Essays at the Mercy of the ReaderBecause I Remember Terror Father, I Remember YouAcetylene Torch Songs: Writing True Stories to Ignite the SoulLove SickHow to Survive Death and Other InconveniencesWriting Hard Stories: Celebrated Memoirists Who Shaped Art from Trauma by Melanie BrooksThe Part That Burns by Jeannine OuellettePlaying with Dynamite by Sharon HarriganThe Queen’s Path by Stacey SimmonsFinding Your Voice and Crafting Stories that Ignite the Soul with Sue William SilvermanCan You Trust Your Memories? with Stacey SimmonsDitch Your Inner Critic Now Sue’s Bio: Sue William Silverman is an award-winning author of nine works of nonfiction and poetry. Her new book, "Selected Misdemeanors: Essays at the Mercy of the Reader," is longlisted for the 2026 PEN/Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award for the Art of the Essay. Sue has appeared on such programs as The View, Anderson Cooper 360, and PBS Books. She’s co-chair of the MFA in Writing program at Vermont College of Fine Arts.Connect with Sue: Website: https://www.suewilliamsilverman.com/Facebook: @SueWilliamSilvermanInstagram: @suewilliamsilvermanBuilding Better Memoir Scenes: https://janefriedman.com/building-better-memoir-scenes-with-lisa-cooper-ellison/Connect with your host, Lisa:Get Your Free Copy of Ditch Your Inner Critic: https://lisacooperellison.com/subscribe/Website | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | LinkedInProduced by Espresso Podcast Production