WRITER 654: Sonia Orchard shares her impactful memoir, 'Groomed'
So You Want to be a Writer - A podcast by Australian Writers' Centre - Mondays

How do you go about writing a deeply personal story? In this episode, Sonia Orchard discusses her memoir, Groomed, and the process of writing about a traumatic childhood experience. She also shares tips for others looking to write their own memoir. 00:00 Introduction03:15 Writing tip: It’s never too late to start06:53 WIN!: Best, First and Last by Amy T. Matthews09:07 Word of the week: ‘Grok’11:18 Writer in residence: Sonia Orchard15:33 Deciding whether to tell such a vulnerable story17:00 Writing it vs not writing it19:25 How Sonia compiled the memoir23:12 “Write for yourself and edit for others”24:20 Choosing what details to remove in the story26:55 Navigating the justice system28:08 The therapeutic power of writing33:55 Memoir vs fiction: Similarities and differences44:31 What Sonia hopes people take away from this book46:30 Top tips for writing your own memoir48:41 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.