How Curiosity Can Unlock the Story You Were Meant to Tell

It begins with the questions we ask

What creates lifelong writers is curiosity.

Embracing exploration, experimentation, and discovery can carry you further than sheer willpower alone. By adopting a learning mindset, you allow yourself to grow alongside your work.

When I was writing my memoir, I made it a habit to read a poem a day. I took a poetry workshop.

I wanted to deepen my writing by exposing myself to different forms, rhythms, tones, and observations. But it also made the writing process all the more dynamic and multi-dimensional.

I didn’t know at first how poetry would shape my memoir, but by following my curiosity, I discovered new ways to evoke emotion and rhythm in the narrative.

Learning from others no matter how seasoned you are, studying other genres, and playing with new techniques can bring surprising depth to your work.

The more curious you are, the more your own writing will have room to surprise you.

Using Curiosity in Memoir Writing

You may have an itch to explore a certain facet of a memory. A scent, a cadence of someone’s voice, a quirk you observed and can’t shake; a specific sequence of words that struck you. Explore it; you never know where it might lead you – to find a structure, a tone, or a theme.

If you’re curious about something:

• Capture it: Write down the detail that’s drawing you in, whether it’s a smell, a phrase, or a fleeting image.

• Free write on it: Set a timer for five minutes and write what comes to mind.

• Step away: Distance gives clarity; come back to it and see what stands out.

• Note your observations: Look for recurring ideas, patterns, or emotions—these may be clues to a deeper story.

This practice will help you access deeper layers of your story and reveal truths you may not have consciously realized before. The best writing often emerges not from rigid planning but from a willingness to follow the unexpected turns.

Embrace the learning mindset, and your writing will open up in new ways.

How do you use curiosity in your work?

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