The Case Files of Ordinary Life

This week, I found myself juggling roofing delays, flooring disputes, a package stranded in a warehouse, and a hole in my kitchen ceiling.None of it was life-threatening.All of it required persistence.Phone calls.Documentation.Follow-up emails.Advocating for ourselves in ways no one ever prepares us for.Somewhere in the middle of all of it, I realized that writing memoir asks something remarkably similar of us.As memoir writers, we often become reluctant advocates for our own stories.We dismiss memories as too ordinary.We assume no one would care.We deny our own claim before anyone else has the chance.In this episode, we’re talking about:* the hidden labor of ordinary life* why advocacy is a creative skill* the biggest lie memoir writers tell themselves* why ordinary moments are often the heart of great memoir* how to recognize the stories worth preservingWriting Prompt:Finish this sentence:“What exhausted me most wasn’t ________. It was ________.”You may discover the real story hiding underneath the obvious one. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kerrykriseman.substack.com/subscribe