Write Your Story Series – Week 3

A new way to shape your memoir, find your message, and share your truth.

🎧 INTRO

Hey friends, welcome back to Your Voice Matters. I’m Jen Chambers, and I’m ridiculously excited about today’s episode.

We’re flipping the script this week—literally. We’re talking about writing your life story… as a TED Talk.

Now, I’m not just saying this as someone who binge-watches TED on YouTube in fuzzy socks with tea—although, yes, guilty. I’m saying it as someone who actually hosted a TEDx event—TEDxVenetaWomen. I dreamed it up, applied through TED, built it from the ground up with nothing but heart and hustle—and it changed me.

Today, I want to show you how writing your own TED Talk—even just for yourself—can be one of the most powerful memoir tools you ever use.

PART 1: TED Talks as Memoir

Let’s talk TED.

TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, and Design—but what it really represents is ideas worth spreading.

TED Talks are short. Usually under 18 minutes. But the best ones? They’re personal. They’re vulnerable. And they often revolve around a single transformative idea—just like a great memoir.

📌 Think about:

* Brené Brown’s “The Power of Vulnerability”

* How to Figure Out What You Really Want | Ashley Stahl

* Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s “The Danger of a Single Story”

* Amanda Palmer’s “The Art of Asking”

* Lydia Yuknovitch’s The Beauty of Being A misfit”

These aren’t tech demos. They’re memoir moments, distilled into a single truth.

When Amanda Palmer talks about asking—she’s really telling the story of rejection, connection, art, and self-worth. It's a memoir, hiding in plain sight.

PART 2: How TED Builds the Message

According to official TED guidelines:

* Every talk needs one clear idea

* It should include a personal story or anecdote

* It builds connection through vulnerability, clarity, and relevance

Sound familiar? That’s memoir with a mic.

🧠 Here’s what TED asks of its speakers:

* Share your idea in a new way

* Tell real stories, not hypothetical ones

* Be specific, not general

They even have a rule: “Don’t sell from the stage. Teach from the heart.”

Isn’t that the goal of every story we write?

PART 3: Why Write a TED Talk, Even If You Never Give One?

So maybe you’re thinking—“I don’t want to stand on stage in a red circle in front of 500 people!” Totally fair. But hear me out.

Writing your own TED-style talk can:

* Help you distill your life story into one powerful message

* Boost your confidence in your voice and story

* Become the foundation for your memoir, keynote, or brand

* Give you a tight, 10-minute story you can use in bios, speaking, or even family storytelling

🎯 TED asks: What’s the idea you can’t stop thinking about?

Now ask yourself: What experience in my life taught me that lesson?

That’s where your talk begins. That’s where your memoir grows.

PART 4: Writing Prompts to Craft Your TED-style Memoir

Let’s get writing. Below are three writing exercises to help you start shaping your TED Talk-style memoir story.

✏️ Exercise 1: “The Idea I Can’t Let Go Of”

Start with the idea that keeps returning to you. It might be a belief, a lesson, or even a question.

Prompt:

* What is one belief or truth you’ve come to through lived experience?

* How did life teach it to you?

* What memory does it always take you back to?

💬 Example: “I believe asking for help is the most generous thing we can do.” Now tell the story that proves it.

✏️ Exercise 2: “The Moment That Changed Everything”

TED Talks often hinge on a turning point. This is your “what happened” story.

Prompt:

* What’s a moment where everything shifted?

* What did you believe before? What do you believe now?

* Who were you before, a