Insecure Writers Want to Know
The best piece of writing I’ve created so far would have to be my book-length college memoir. At this point, it is the only book I have written. I have created young adult adventure short fiction for the magazine market and quite a few of the stories have been published. I have written poetry and have placed in poetry contests. Some of my poetry is online. And I have written personal essays which have been published in anthologies and online. You can find some of the essays under “Learning From My Journey” on my Books page.
But, Determination: A Mother of Five Conquers College is my favorite writing to date because it shows—or rather, reminds me of—the accomplishment of a dream. A bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Pennsylvania. All while raising my five children.
I won the Gold Award for writing at the Milford Readers and Writers Festival Celebration for this college memoir. In this competition, writers were graded on the following criteria:
Best First Page – Opening page that immediately draws the reader in,
creating curiosity and a desire to learn more about the story.
Strong Character Development – Main character that is believable,
relatable, and original.
Engaging Dialogue – Dialogue that advances the plot, reveals information,
and contributes to the overall narrative structure.
Effective Prose – Clear, concise, and engaging writing style that enhances
the reading experience.
Writing a book can be a lonely endeavor, as you all know. I am truly amazed at all the novels you dear IWSG friends have written. To have literary critics choose your book for an award helps writers believe in themselves. I am truly honored to have won the Gold for Determination: A Mother of Five Conquers College.
I have two writing workshops in October. The first is a FREE Memoir Workshop on Thursday, October 16, 2025, at 11 a.m., at Monroe County Library, the Hughes Main Library branch. Here’s the information:
Using Memories to Create Memoir:
Participants will explore the differences between autobiography and memoir. We’ll start with individual anecdotes from their lives to create personal essays or simply stories to share with family and friends. Tips on how to create memoir will be offered.
The Hughes Main Library branch is located at:
1002 North 9th Street
Stroudsburg, PA 18360
Registration required. Call 570-421-0800 ext. 317.
The second FREE workshop is with the Pocono Liars Club in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. It is their Writers Workshop on Saturday, October 25, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the same library as the first workshop, but downstairs in the main meeting room.
There are six different topics on writing to choose from. I will be teaching:
Making Memoir Universal:
Participants will explore the key differences between autobiography and memoir, discovering how to transform personal experiences into compelling narratives that resonate with readers. Through the lens of narrative memoir—a true story shaped with the tools of fiction—they’ll learn how to craft vivid scenes, develop voice, and sharpen their message to connect meaningfully with today’s audience. This workshop is a little more detailed than the “Using Memories to Create Memoir” workshop.
If you are in the area for either of the FREE workshops, I would love to meet you at the library.
Sign-up for the Pocono Liars event is online: https://poconoliars.com/2025/08/23/sign-up-now-for-the-free-2025-writers-workshop/?fbclid=IwY2xjawMdVuJleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFCNXpvaHp4QnptYTVmV3A2AR5zS_c7uGTThg8uFQvlSayTzaiPjPEX4MU_rKU7Fq_dIvrKdve1rxt2RXvchA_aem_uukVlqja_chwUGx8Pcyj8Q.
So, how about you? What is YOUR favorite piece of writing? Why is that so? I can’t wait to see how you all addressed this question on personal favorites for writing.
Thank you for stopping by my little spot on the web. Please come again! And please sign up for my FREE monthly newsletter to find tips on writing and camping. https://victoriamarielees.com/contact/ It’s greatly appreciated.
This post was written for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/ I’d like to thank our co-hosts for October: Beth Camp, Crystal Collier, and Cathrina Constantine! Please visit them if you can.
Our group posts on the first Wednesday of every month. To join us, or learn more about the group, click HERE. http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html
Cool you got the award. Good luck with your workshops!
Thank you so much, Alex. I always appreciate your comments. Have a beautiful day!
Your memoir is a great choice. Congrats on winning the award.
Thank you so much, Natalie. It is always a pleasure seeing you here at Adventures in Writing.
Congrats! Your memoir clearly connected and that’s something to be proud of for sure. Best of luck for the workshops.
Thank you, Nick! Yes, I’m hoping my college memoir connects with many other readers.
Thanks for visiting Adventures in Writing.
Yay for your memoir! I struggle with this kind of writing. Actually, I can’t usually read this stuff either — get to overwrought, too emotional and achy in the heart for people. But I appreciate a good memoir.
Thank you for your good wishes, Crystal. Yes, because memoir is about a true life, it can get emotional. I can’t read memoirs about grief. I’m too depressed. Luckily, my college memoir is upbeat. I hope.
Thanks for your note! Happy IWSG day!
I am in awe of anyone who can do college while caring for a family. I don’t think I could have done it. And kudos on the award!
Thank you for your kind words, Melissa. I truly appreciate them. I cannot say that raising children–especially a special needs child–and attending college for ten years was easy. But I’m certainly glad I did it.
Happy IWSG day!
I admire anyone who can write a good memoir. I cannot!https://cleemckenziebooks.substack.com/
Thank you for your kind words, Lee. No. Creating a good memoir is not easy, but we can learn a lot about ourselves while writing it. And hopefully others can learn from it, too. Thanks for your comment.
Congratulations on writing your memoir AND winning recognition for an outstanding job. Your experience resonates with me for I also worked my way through college, balancing a full-time job. May 2026 bring you many more words!
Thank you for your kind words, Beth. They mean a lot to me. And bravo to you, balancing a full-time job with college. A truly difficult endeavor. More power to you. And thank you for your good wishes. Happy IWSG day!
I do love memoirs more than most any other writing. I’ve been slowly compiling stuff for my own memoir. I’d love to join your workshops, but it’s a bit far from Los Angeles. I need to just start some focused writing I think.
Lee
Good for you, Arlee, for gathering the material. That’s a start. I offer writing tips in my FREE monthly newsletter. https://victoriamarielees.com/contact/ If you sign up, I can offer some notes for you. Stay strong!
Congrats on the award! Your workshops sound wonderful. I wish I lived closer. Hope they go well!
Thank you for your kind words, Jenni Enzor. I really appreciate them. Yes, it’s difficult when workshops are local and we are not. Like I told Arlee above, if you sign up for my FREE monthly newsletter, I offer writing tips. https://victoriamarielees.com/contact/
Thanks for your good wishes. Have a beautiful day!
I am so proud of you and all you have accomplished! You go, girl!
You are too kind, Louise. You realize how writers need to hear this. Especially insecure writers. Thank you with all my heart. Have a great weekend!
Wow. College with 5 kids is an incredible feat. Being able to write down the experience as a memoir is another. Between that and the awards you gotten and the publications, you have quite a good talent there! Kudos to you and best of luck with your writing.
Thank you so much, Miffie, for your kind words. They mean the world to me. As insecure writers, we need to be reminded of all we have accomplished, sometimes, to move forward in our careers. Again, your kindness is greatly appreciated. Have a great day!