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 Introduction 03:15 Writing tip: It’s never too late to start 06:53 WIN!: Best, First and Last by Amy T. Matthews 09:07 Word of the week: ‘Grok’ 11:18 Writer in residence: Sonia Orchard 15:33 Deciding whether to tell such a vulnerable story 17:00 Writing it vs not writing it 19:25 How Sonia compiled the memoir 23:12 “Write for yourself and edit for others” 24:20 Choosing what details to remove in the story 26:55 Navigating the justice system 28:08 The therapeutic power of writing 33:55 Memoir vs fiction: Similarities and differences 44:31 What Sonia hopes people take away from this book 46:30 Top tips for writing your own memoir 48:41 Final thoughts
Sonia Orchard is the author of four books, including the memoir Something More Wonderful, the award-winning debut novel The Virtuoso (Indie Award for Best Debut Fiction, 2009), the adult novel Into the Fire, and her latest memoir Groomed.
Beyond books, Sonia writes short non-fiction and opinion pieces on a range of topics, from environmental issues to social justice. In 2019, she founded and served as the festival director of the Mountain Writers Festival, Australia's first literary festival dedicated solely to environmental themes. The festival debuted in 2022, returned in 2024, and is set to run again in 2026.
With academic credentials spanning music, literature, environmental science/marine biology, and a PhD in creative writing, Sonia brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her work. She writes from a home office with pets curled at her feet, a cup of cold Earl Grey tea on the desk, and a view of Geboor/Mt Macedon beyond the window. While she acknowledges the value of maintaining an author website, she’d much rather be reading, writing, or spending time with family and friends—preferably near the beach, enjoying good food by an open fire.
