Episode 24: Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey

In these memoir deep dives I highlight my takeaways from the book and how I can apply what I learn to writing my own memoir.

Here's what I learned from Greenlights:

- Coin a term for the title of your book.

- Open with a powerful, visual scene.

- "The choices we make write the chapters."

- Take creative liberties: experiment with more dialogue!

- Repeat themes/ideas you want the reader to remember.

- Make your book unique: McConaughey had little poems written throughout; I want to write fantastic Acknowledgments.

- The midpoint of your book should be an up or a down for the "protagonist" (ie me). This is similar to feature length screenplays. The midpoint of Greenlights is the moment McConaughey becomes famous.

- Write a chapter on how you met the person you chose to spend the rest of your life with (obviously... because this is the most important decision of your life).

- Endings are hard, but it might just write itself. Write the bulk of the book, and then think about the ending. I don't need to start with the ending in mind.