Nellie Jo Knox’s column is a heartwarming exploration of legacy writing, memoirs, and writing through grief. As a former palliative care chaplain turned memoirist, Nellie shares her expertise on how writing can be a deeply healing and reflective practice. With gentle humour and compassion, she guides writers through the process of writing meaningful life stories, offering practical tips on memoir structure, turning memories into vivid scenes, and using writing as a tool for emotional release and healing. A column that encourages writers to leave behind a legacy through the power of words.
How do writers like Hannah Gadsby, Lindy West, and Jenny Lawson talk about trauma, sexism, or mental health and still make you snort into your coffee? The answer lies in understanding that laughter doesn’t erase the hard stuff — it simply makes space for it.
In this guide, I’m going to walk you through what legacy writing can look like for those of us who don’t identify as professional writers, and how you can approach this project with confidence, whether you’re leading a business, nurturing a family, or caring for someone else.
Perfection is the enemy of beginnings. Many would-be memoirists stall because they think they have to craft the “perfect” first sentence or open at the “right” chronological point. Truth is, the first words you write may not even make it into the final manuscript.
Some memoirists blend first and third person — using first for deeply personal scenes and third for context or distance. Done well, this can offer intimacy and perspective. Done poorly, it can read like two different books stitched together.
Too many people dismiss the idea of writing their personal story with phrases like, “Nothing exciting ever happened to me.” But if you’ve ever loved, lost, doubted, hoped, grown, or simply paused to watch sunlight hit the kitchen floor — you have something worth writing about.
