Memoirous

I have a new series underway at https://janehertenstein.substack.com/ What’s the difference between Freeze Frame (Substack) and Memoirous (the blog you’re reading)? I’m trying to build up the professional side of my writing and promote my Flash Memoir Workshops. Right now my Substack articles are FREE but would eventually like to use Substack commercially, a bit like Patreon. The plan is for Substack and the workshops to supplement my writing career.   I know, a bit too late when you’re past 65—but, hey, never give up! The biggest difference between content on the two sites: Memoirous acts as my everyday platform. Here you’ll read ubiquitous observations, Zen-like meditations, rants, and insights into writing and life and the writing life. It’s a bit more nimble than my Substack, as I post more frequently. Freeze Frame on Substack consists of articles geared toward those who are intentionally seeking to write—either memoir, novel, flash—or blurred genre. I put a lot of...

Recently, there’s been a dust-up in the publishing world: Controversy surrounding the successful memoir The Salt Path by Raynor Winn. It is one thing to use novelesque devices in order to pen a literary memoir. To cast an alter ego or stand-in for yourself. To write the memoir in third person. To change names to protect the identity of certain people. For clarity’s sake to eliminate characters or even to create a composite—as long as you alert the reader, such as in an introduction or disclaimer in the front matter. This is all acceptable. Real problems occur when one intentionally writes fiction and then tries to pass it off as memoir. When one writes in order to deceive then that writer has crossed a line. They not only harm their own reputation, but also break trust with their readers. Imposters such as James Frey with his A Million Little Pieces was intentional in his deception. Frank McCourt in Angela’s Ashes might have gone around a few curves in spinning his memoir—but ...

 Why I’m on Substack This question is one I often ask of anything: How can I align the stars? I’d like to be a working artist. I’d like to get paid for my content, for being a creative. I’d like to be a real author. If only the universe allowed me. I’ve been doing this shtick for over 35 years and I’m not a spring chicken anymore. For instance, random strangers ask me if I’m retired. The answer is no and I often don’t even know what it means to be retired. But, again, I’d like to. Some days all I want to do is write and feel like I’m reaching an audience, that my work has meaning. Substack is, hopefully, one more way to engage a reader and grow my audience. It’s about having a platform—something writers are constantly asked about particularly if they want an agent. It’s a lot like Wordpress.com especially as I’ve noticed at Wordpress more premium options. The difference is Substack is free. Whereas at Wordpress you have to pay—if even just to make sure your site is fr...

The past few weeks I’ve been busy building a Substack account. Now, to be honest, I’m still not sure what Substack does and how it’s much different from Blogger Wordpress And all the other platforms I use to generate interest in me, my books, and the workshops I offer. And, again, if I’m honest. I’m not sure how much time and effort I want to put into building a presence—especially when it cuts into my creative writing time—which is very limited these days. I’ve asked to go down on hours at my “day” job so that I can devote more time to writing and summer hang out. I feel like I need to refill the tank, as it were. Substack is an all-in-one site for those authors interested in linking Instagram, Facebook, Youtube, and their podcast and where they can also blog and leave updates. Newsletters, etc are directly mailed out to subscribers. There are also levels of subscribers. Some are lurkers who don’t subscribe, but are just checking the site out. Some folks might subscribe but ...

Now is your best chance to find my book, Freeze Frame: How To Write Flash Memoir, available HALF OFF at @Smashwords as part of their Annual Summer! Find my book and many more at  https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/chicagojane     all month!  Many of us are looking to write memories—either in the form of literary memoir or simply to record family history. This how-to book looks at memoir in small, bite-size pieces, helping the writer to isolate or freeze-frame a moment and then distill it onto paper. What reviewers are saying: Mary Ellen Gambutti 5.0 stars Excellent# I have read this book twice, and highlighted extensively. As a new memoir writer who works in slice of life and brief moments, I find her approach helpful. Highly recommend to all writers of memoir. Enjoyable read! Karen Douglass 5.0 stars Free to Write Short Just recommended this book to my memoir-writing friends. She has freed me from the shackles of narrative and chronology.

You’ll likely see this plea for the month of December. My books are available for download through Amazon Kindle and Smashwords (click on either to go to those pages). Also through Amazon you can order paperbacks of most of my titles. Through month of December Smashword downloads are 25-50% off. Highlight of this post: Freeze Frame: How To Write Flash Memoir Many of us are looking to write memories—either in the form of literary memoir or simply to record family history. This how-to book looks at memoir in small, bite-size pieces, helping the writer to isolate or freeze-frame a moment and then distill it onto paper. What reviewers are saying: Mary Ellen Gambutti 5.0 stars Excellent# I have read this book twice, and highlighted extensively. As a new memoir writer who works in slice of life and brief moments, I find her approach helpful. Highly recommend to all writers of memoir. Enjoyable read! Karen Douglass 5.0 stars Free to Write Short Just recommended this book to my memoir-writ...

  Many of us are looking to write memories—either in the form of literary memoir or simply to record family history. This how-to book looks at memoir in small, bite-size pieces, helping the writer to isolate or freeze-frame a moment and then distill it onto paper. Mel G. 5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent# I have read this book twice, and highlighted extensively. As a new memoir writer who works in slice of life and brief moments, I find her approach helpful. Highly recommend to all writers of memoir. Enjoyable read! Freeze Frame: How to Write Flash Memoir, available through CreateSpace and as an eBook available EVERYWHERE. Order it today.* *The link takes you to Amazon, but also available through other online retailers

 learn to do what I do and buy  https://www.amazon.com/Freeze-Frame-Write-Flash-Memoir/dp/1974670597 a review at Amazon 5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Fantastic Resource!Reviewed in Australia on November 21, 2018 Verified Purchase I am a huge fan of flash fiction and lurking in my writing interests has been the desire to document my personal history - but it is a daunting process, coming that close to hurts and pains, without just documenting all the good stuff and making a one-sided biog. Jane Hertenstein has made this process soooo much easier by teaching the writer in me to touch into my history in small flashes. That single 'freedom' has made this book so valuable that I have read it twice in the 9 days I have owned a copy! And the second time around I found I was - for the first time - drawn to a style of poetry I feel I could tackle! So two victories in this book for me! (Can't wait to see what I get when I read it third time around!) I read a LOT of writing books as I ...

Sue Maynes 5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Fantastic Resource! Reviewed in Australia on November 21, 2018 Verified Purchase I am a huge fan of flash fiction and lurking in my writing interests has been the desire to document my personal history - but it is a daunting process, coming that close to hurts and pains, without just documenting all the good stuff and making a one-sided biog. Jane Hertenstein has made this process soooo much easier by teaching the writer in me to touch into my history in small flashes. That single 'freedom' has made this book so valuable that I have read it twice in the 9 days I have owned a copy! And the second time around I found I was - for the first time - drawn to a style of poetry I feel I could tackle! So two victories in this book for me! (Can't wait to see what I get when I read it third time around!) I read a LOT of writing books as I learn and try the various styles and genres of writing - but of all the books I have read - this gave me...

Have you ever wanted an Ebook copy of Freeze Frame or Flash Memoir? End of Year Sale Runs December 25 through January 1= 50% off, follow the link, https://www.smashwords.com and type in name of book to search (Freeze Frame is only $1.50) PLEASE feel free to share!

Via Facebook—I know the thing we love to hate and is stealing our elections—at the Uptown Historical Group, I discovered the wonderful little photo postcards of CR Childs. These have been featured at the site several times and this weekend decided to check them out. Places to click were plentiful through Pinterest and eBay—aka examples of his work available to purchase. The subject matter seeming to be the Midwest circa 1900 – 1910. Outside of that I was having difficulty finding a bio. It seems as though Lake County and the Chicago Historical Societies have CR Childs’ postcards in their archives. Childs started his own printing company that produced these penny postcards. Regional photographer Charles R. Childs (1875 – 1960) was born in Elmwood, Illinois and worked for the Joliet Daily News before moving to Chicago to start his own commercial photography business about 1900. By 1906, Childs was specializing in real-photo postcard views of Chicago's neighborhoods and suburb...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1974670597 https://tinyurl.com/m4eg5jf

Kathleen 5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book! June 11, 2013 Format: Kindle Edition I have been interested in writing flash memoir, and this book is an excellent resource! This resource is well written, easy to follow, has concise and well-structured chapters, and lots of prompts to get a writer going. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in writing flash memoir, or learning more about it. Glenda Council Beall 4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent reference book September 12, 2014 Format: Kindle Edition This book is helpful for those of us who are new to flash fiction and flash memoir writing. It is a good reference book to read when we have questions. As a writing teacher, I will continue to use it with my students. Mary Ellen G. 5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent# June 18, 2016 Format: Kindle Edition I have read this book twice, and highlighted extensively. As a new memoir writer who works in slice of life and brief moments, I find he...

Many of us are looking to write memories—either in the form of literary memoir or simply to record family history. This how-to book looks at memoir in small, bite-size pieces, helping the writer to isolate or freeze-frame a moment and then distill it onto paper. Mel G. 5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent# I have read this book twice, and highlighted extensively. As a new memoir writer who works in slice of life and brief moments, I find her approach helpful. Highly recommend to all writers of memoir. Enjoyable read! I'll be teaching Holiday Flash at OCWW in Winnetka, Dec. 20 @ 9:30 - 12 noon Freeze Frame: How to Write Flash Memoir, available through CreateSpace and as an eBook available EVERYWHERE. Order it today.* *The link takes you to Amazon, but also available through Apple Baker & Taylor Blio Baker-Taylor Axis360 Barnes & Noble Diesel Flipkart Gardners Exte...

Freeze Frame: How to Write Flash Memoir, will inspire you and keep you writing. *The link takes you to Amazon, but also available through Apple Baker & Taylor Blio Baker-Taylor Axis360 Barnes & Noble Diesel Flipkart Gardners Extended Retail Gardners Library Inktera (formerly Page Foundry) Kobo Library Direct Odilo OverDrive Oyster Scribd Sony Tolino txtr Yuzu