Five Inspiring Memoirs that will Motivate You to Write

I'm not going to lie, memoir is one of my favorite genres to read because I get to enjoy a compelling story, and I also almost always get a takeaway message I can apply to my real life.

Recently, I’ve been reading memoirs that have provided  inspiration and new ideas for my writing life. And that’s what inspired me to write this post to share some of my favorite memoirs for writing inspiration . These books are perfect for anyone who is feeling like they need some extra motivation – with a dash of drama – to pick up the pen.

Five Must-Read Memoirs for Writing Inspiration

Three of these selections are books I’ve recently read, while two are old favorites that I return to often when I need reminders why I chose to cultivate a writing life. Of course, my list of must-read memoirs is made up of mostly BIPOC writers, but there is a token white writer included, because I don’t discriminate when it comes to good books. (Although I do play favorites, because that’s my business.)

So, without further ado, check out my list of Must-Read Memoirs that I guarantee will motivate you to get writing.

1. Manifesto: On Never Giving Up

I just finished reading Manifesto by Bernadine Evaristo and I enjoyed every bit of this easy-to-read memoir/how-to live a creative life. Evaristo, for those who don’t know, is a British author, playwright and winner of the 2019 Man Booker Prize for her novel, Girl, Women, Other (I loved that book, BTW). She is a biracial woman who grew up in London, the child of a strict Nigerian father and a white school teacher mother. The book chronicles Evaristo’s life as a creative writer, beginning with her early love for the theater. I loved the book because Evaristo connects her biracial identity and working-class upbringing with her identity as an artist. And she shares all of the ways she eschewed convention to pursue her passion for writing. Even though Evaristo is not directly telling readers how to live their lives if they want to be successful writers, she’s offering up her own path as an example of what is possible if we always put our writing first. “Be wild, disobedient & daring with your creativity, take risks instead of following predictable routes; those who play it safe do not advance our culture or civilization,” Evaristo writes and it feels like both permission and a dare to live the writing life of your dreams.

2. Between Two Kingdoms: What Almost Dying Taught Me About Living

I picked up this book by journalist, Suleika Jaouad, because I started following her on Instagram and I wanted to learn more about her. Sadly, her memoir,  Between Two Kingdoms is her story about beating cancer in her early 20s, but since following her on Instagram, I’ve learned that her cancer has returned. Still, her book was so inspiring to read. And the truth is, it’s not really a book about surviving cancer, although it does detail that journey. Between Two Kingdoms is a book about finding the courage to write and how writing can save us all. Even though I picked up this book solely interested in learning about Jaouad’s backstory, I found myself constantly underlining passages that spoke to me as a writer and writing teacher. Jaouad herself yearned to be a writer, but lacked the courage to put her work out into the world. Only when she was faced with a literal expiration date on her life, did she find the motivation and that missing courage to starting writing. And she kept writing throughout her experiences. Writing saved her. Writing gave meaning to her life that felt meaningless as she waited to find out if she was going to live or die. “Write as if you were dying. We are all terminal patients on this earth – the mystery is not ‘if’ but ‘when’ death appears in the plotline,” Jaouad reminds us and I couldn’t agree more.

3. Misfits: A Personal Manifesto

Most people probably know Michaela Coel from one of the characters she’s played on TV or in film. I fell in love with her in her debut TV series, Chewing Gum. But even though Coel is an actress, she is a storyteller at her core. In this slim little volume, Misfits, adapted from a lecture she presented in the UK, Coel shares her personal journey from unknown “misfit” to well-known “misfit” in the world of TV and film. More than any kind of how-to vibe, Misfits is a call for authenticity and courage from people who society is keen on ignoring, oppressing and abusing. I devoured this little gem of a book in an hour and when I was done, I was ready to create something magic and meaningful. “What part can I play,?” Coel asks at the end of the book and I suppose we should ask ourselves the same things. “What thing can I contribute or say to help?”

4. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

I mentioned that I was going to include my token white author, so here he is, Stephen King.  I don’t even remember when I bought King’s memoir/writing manual, but I do know I loaned it to someone who never gave it back, so I bought another copy. That’s how much I treasure this book. I’ve used it as a text book in writing classes. I come back to it for encouragement and advice when I’m grappling with fiction. And sometimes, I just read the first part of the book over again, where King details his journey from working-class drug addict to world-class author, because I want to remind myself that nobody arrives at success without struggle. The second half of the book is truly a how-to write fiction treatise, where King walks the reader through his best advice for writing good stories. It’s easy to read, written in a conversational tone, such that it feels like the master of horror is talking just to you. Considering I don’t like reading horror, I was quite surprised at how much I enjoyed King’s writing voice. If you’re looking for inspiration and solid, nuts-and bolts instruction for your writing, pick up a copy of On Writing.

5. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings + The Next Four Autobiographies of Maya Angelou

I can honestly say that it was reading Maya Angelou’s series of autobiographies that made me believe I could be a writer. Even though Angelous isn’t prescribing the writing life in her books, she is sharing her authentic life experiences – the good, the bad and the ugly – and mining them for riveting storytelling. Also, despite the fact that Angelou probably tried on dozens of different professions throughout her lifetime, she was always writing. Writing and reading were the through lines in all of her stories. Maya Angelou is my patron saint of the creative life.

What are Your Must-Read Memoirs for Writing Inspiration?

Okay, that’s my list of memoirs that will have you rededicating yourself to the writing life after reading. These memoirs pack a punch of inspiration and drama. If you’ve been dragging and need a boost to get back into the writing game, grab one of these titles and start reading.

Do you have a go-to must-read memoir that inspires you to write? Please share in the comments below so we can all check it out.