Allison K Williams
Looking Backward—Giving Power to the Past in Memoir
July 26, 2024
11 AM PDT | 12 PM MDT | 1 PM CDT | 2 PM EDT
The key question for all memoirists: So what?
Why should the reader care? What’s in it for them? Just as we grew and changed in the story itself, our telling of it must grow and change the reader. Meanwhile, memoirists are already at a disadvantage in creating dramatic tension. We already know you survived, because you wrote a book about it.
Both these challenges are addressed through the retrospective voice—which is not the same as simply describing past events or using the past tense. The retrospective voice juxtaposes events to create meaning, and brings a sense of shared humanity and realization to the reader. This technique is one of our most powerful craft tools, and a skill every memoirist needs. Chances are, you’re already instinctively using it as you weave the past into the present, but the retrospective voice can feel a lot like “telling” unless it’s handled well.
We’ll discuss:
- What the retrospective voice is and why you need it
- How the retrospective voice is different than “the past” or “the past tense”
- Examples of successful retrospective voice in published memoirs
- Where in your memoir to use this technique
- How the retrospective voice creates dramatic tension—even when we already know what happened!
And we’ll demonstrate how to apply this technique to a scene from a volunteer.
BIO
Allison K Williams has edited and coached writers to deals with Penguin Random House, Knopf, Mantle and independent presses. She’s guided essayists to publication in the New Yorker, Time, the Guardian, the New York Times, McSweeney’s and TED Talks. As Social Media Editor for Brevity, she inspires thousands of writers with blogs on craft and the writing life.
A former circus performer, Allison has written for NPR, CBC-Canada, the New York Times, Creative Nonfiction and Writers Digest. She is the author of Seven Drafts: Self-Edit Like a Pro From Blank Page to Book.
Retreat in France at Clos Mirabel
Join Allison & Dinty W. Moore at a château in the French Pyrenees for a week of craft talks, live-editing, and writing-in-company.
August Virtual Intensive
Generate new work, connect with fellow writers, shape your memoir or collection and explore publication in this four-day virtual intensive with Allison K Williams and Dinty W. Moore.
Sign up below to receive access to Zoom and the recording.
My story is about tragic loss and living with the aftermath. There are no stakes. Why would someone read my story
Great question! Think about what you want the reader to take away, by imagining: Your friend loves your book. And they have a friend who has just experienced–what? Your friend is going to give your book to their friend, and say “You’ve got to read this book, it will–” What? Filling in the whats may give you more sense of the purpose of your book. The stakes are what happens if you don’t achieve that purpose.
So, I’ve got to show you can survive tragic loss by doing… which means the narrator-you in the book has to almost *not* survive, then make the choices that change her path.
Hope that helps!
Thank you!
You’re welcome – hope to see you Friday!
NA
Hi Tamara – I hope you managed to register successfully! If not, email me and I’ll make sure you get on the list?
Hi Tamara,
You have been registered for the event. Please email us at customersupport@namw.org if you have not received the event access info via email.
Kind Regards,
Erica
NAMW
Looking forward to the wisdom to come!
Allison always offers great value in every writing-related activity. This one too promises to be the same n I am very keen to attend. Where do I sign up?
Thanks, Corrine – see you Friday!
Interested in attending Friday workshop
Interested but how to register?
Love to have you! I think maybe some computers/browsers aren’t showing the sign-up field. Go ahead and email me, allison at idowords dot net, and I’ll make sure you get on the list?
Hi Michele,
You have been registered for the event. Please email us at customersupport@namw.org if you have not received the event access info via email.
Kind Regards,
Erica
NAMW
Currently revising my memoir manuscript, and would love to understand how best to use the retrospective voice to engage readers.
It’s such a useful technique! Hope to see you Friday –
How do I register for Allison K Williams lecture on Friday,
July 26, 2024 at
2:00 pm.
Love to have you! I think maybe some computers/browsers aren’t showing the sign-up field. It’s at the bottom of the listing, or if you can’t see it, go ahead and email me, allison at idowords dot net, and I’ll make sure you get on the list?
Hi Barbara,
You have been registered for the event. Please email us at customersupport@namw.org if you have not received the event access info via email.
Kind Regards,
Erica
NAMW
I’m interested in attending this!
Love to have you! I think maybe some computers/browsers aren’t showing the sign-up field. It’s at the bottom of the listing, or if you can’t see it, go ahead and email me, allison at idowords dot net, and I’ll make sure you get on the list?
Hi Amy,
You have been registered for the event. Please email us at customersupport@namw.org if you have not received the event access info via email.
Kind Regards,
Erica
NAMW
Where do we sign up for the Friday talk?
Love to have you! I think maybe some computers/browsers aren’t showing the sign-up field. It’s at the bottom of the listing, or if you can’t see it, go ahead and email me, allison at idowords dot net, and I’ll make sure you get on the list?
Hi Don,
You have been registered for the event. Please email us at customersupport@namw.org if you have not received the event access info via email.
Kind Regards,
Erica
NAMW
Interested in attending Friday workshop too – but don’t see a registration button 🙂
Love to have you! I think maybe some computers/browsers aren’t showing the sign-up field. It’s at the bottom of the listing, or if you can’t see it, go ahead and email me, allison at idowords dot net, and I’ll make sure you get on the list?
Hi Nora,
You have been registered for the event. Please email us at customersupport@namw.org if you have not received the event access info via email.
Kind Regards,
Erica
NAMW
Yes I am interested!
Love to have you! Scroll down to the blue box at the bottom of the listing, or if you can’t see it, go ahead and email me, allison at idowords dot net, and I’ll make sure you get on the list?
Hi Cathy,
You have been registered for the event. Please email us at customersupport@namw.org if you have not received the event access info via email.
Kind Regards,
Erica
NAMW
Hello! I’d like to sign-up please. Couldn’t find the link to register so I’m dropping a comment here.
Sanobar – I got your email into the list! See you tomorrow 🙂
Hi Sanobar,
You have been registered for the event. Please email us at customersupport@namw.org if you have not received the event access info via email.
Kind Regards,
Erica
NAMW
Interested in attending Friday
Hi Linda,
You have been registered for the event. Please email us at customersupport@namw.org if you have not received the event access info via email.
Kind Regards,
Erica
NAMW
Writers Bridge member interested in Friday workshop
Interested in attending.
Hi Sandell,
You have been registered for the event. Please email us at customersupport@namw.org if you have not received the event access info via email.
Kind Regards,
Erica
NAMW
Thank you for offering this workshop!
Same issue as others—no place to register for Fridays session with Allison K Williams and Linda Joy Meyers
Got you signed up, Casey!
Question: I’m weaving two key stories in my memoir, in sort of a “fish” structure.
Any advice on how to keep from confusing the reader?
Some memoirs use a year or date, but my two stories overlap in time, so that may not be helpful in grounding the reader.
Interested, but don’t see a registration button.
I also don’t see the registration button
Yes please to Friday’s workshop.
I am interested in the Friday workshop.
I am interested in Friday, July 25 workshop.
Hi Christy,
You have been registered for the event. Please email us at customersupport@namw.org if you have not received the event access info via email.
Kind Regards,
Erica
NAMW
I’m interested in attending Friday July 26 workshop.
Thanks!
Hi Ruth,
You have been registered for the event. Please email us at customersupport@namw.org if you have not received the event access info via email.
Kind Regards,
Erica
NAMW
Friday’s workshop please?
Hi Shelley,
You have been registered for the event. Please email us at customersupport@namw.org if you have not received the event access info via email.
Kind Regards,
Erica
NAMW
I’m interested in the zoom meeting Looking Backward…
Thanks!
Hi Leslie,
You have been registered for the event. Please email us at customersupport@namw.org if you have not received the event access info via email.
Kind Regards,
Erica
NAMW
I’d love to attend on Friday. Thanks!
Hi Caitlin,
You have been registered for the event. Please email us at customersupport@namw.org if you have not received the event access info via email.
Kind Regards,
Erica
NAMW
Am I too late to get a spot in this?
Looking forward to the session. I hope this registers me!