Lily Dunn’s “Into Being”

I’ve read many titles on the craft of memoir, but Into Being is about so much more than the craft. I couldn’t recommend it more strongly. Lily Dunn’s focus on the transformative power of the process, her handling of philosophical questions, the generosity with which she shares her experience, the inclusion of other writers’ insights, and the voice – which blends authority and wisdom with modesty and empathy – make for a powerful mixture that I’m sure will be invaluable to memoirists for a long time to come.

I love how Lily conveys ‘the dance between writing and gaining in self-understanding in life, and how intimately connected they are.’ Her view of memoir-writing has a remarkable life-enhancing quality. ‘We are touching on questions not only of how to write better, but also how to live better, to be more self-aware and honest as we move through the world. The best memoirs, I believe, evolve alongside their authors who gain in understanding and wisdom […].’

In January, I had the privilege of interviewing Lily on behalf of the Women Writers’ Network. We discussed how she balances her work as a memoirist, teacher, and mentor; her aims for the book; how to nurture the ‘gift of noticing’; approaches to concerns over protecting oneself and others; degrees of emotional distance; finding clarity of both vision and voice; unearthing the best shape for one’s memoir.

You can read the interview of 22.1.2026 by clicking on the six questions below. Happy reading!