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As we dive into a new year, I’ve been thinking of compassion. I’ve become a lot more compassionate since my daughter Teal’s death 2012. And that’s not a mistake. Her nickname was Kwan Yin, for the goddess of Compassion. Because, well, that’s how she was. And so I’m edging that way myself. In that spirit, I begin this show by reading an essay from my blog called On Learning to Be Compassionate and Why It’s So Important It seems unlikely that you might get a big self-care boost from writing a memoir … but oh, my friends, you seriously can! Even if you don’t think of yourself as a writer at all. Really, it’s kind of like a massive journal fest that delivers a book that teaches both you and the reader. And no one teaches that process more simply or effectively than my friend Racheal Herron. A best-selling writer and memoirist, she has brought her wisdom to this awesome interview…. Here’s what I learned: The difference between memoir and autobiography Why get into this at all … and how it applies to self-care Surprising lessons Racheal has seen unfold in her teaching What to do about tricky family situations you want to write about, etc What to do if you fear it will trigger trauma What is the value of writing your memoir quickly? How to get started I hope you find this conversation as informative and enlightening as I did! RESOURCES Fast Draft Your Memoir: Write Your Life Story in 45 Hours Racheal’s Writer’s ‘Want Help Writing?’ emails and tools Rachael’s Email MORE ABOUT RACHAEL Rachael Herron is the internationally bestselling author of more than two dozen books, including thriller (under R.H. Herron), mainstream fiction, feminist romance, memoir, and nonfiction about writing. She received her MFA in writing from Mills College, Oakland, and she teaches writing extension workshops at both UC Berkeley and Stanford. She is a proud member of the NaNoWriMo Writer’s Board. She’s a New Zealand citizen as well as an American.