If Lorne Michaels Could Decipher His Point, So Can You

If Lorne Michaels hadn't figured out his Blueprint Step 2, SNL might never have made it to the screen. Your memoir (or any book) needs the same thing.

If you haven’t seen the film Saturday Night, I highly recommend adding it to your watchlist, especially if you’re diving into the 2025 Winter Blueprint Challenge—and it’s not too late to join up. Anytime you’re asking yourself what am I doing here? or thinking through Blueprint Step 2: What’s Your Point?, you can reflect on the nail-biting energy captured in this movie about the 90 chaotic minutes before Saturday Night Live goes live. At the heart of the frenzy, Lorne Michaels, the show’s legendary creator, confronts the ultimate creative challenge: “What are we really trying to say here?” It’s a moment of clarity—or crisis—that every creator can relate to when shaping their own vision.

Set on October 11, 1975, the film (directed by Jason Reitman) depicts Lorne Michaels (portrayed by Gabriel LaBelle) grappling with the pressures of live television while striving to define the essence of what SNL is meant to be. Initially, his attempts to explain the concept—to network executives, cast members, and even himself—are met with skepticism and confusion. He throws out phrases like: “There’s never been a TV show made for or by the generation that grew up watching television,” or, “I see it as a collision that erupts from every screen in America, a prism that captures the light of an emerging generation.” These vague descriptions only sow doubt.

As the clock ticks down, Michaels finally crystallizes his vision: “It’s an all-nighter in New York City! It’s everything you think is going to happen when you move to the city.” SNL becomes a platform for a new generation of comedians and writers to express contemporary culture and societal issues through humor. This clarity not only unites his team but reassures a skeptical network that was ready to air Johnny Carson reruns instead. It’s a pivotal moment that sets the stage for SNL to become a cultural touchstone.

Watching the chaos unfold, I realized how close Michaels came to missing the mark—and how essential it is to define your “point” clearly. This is the essence of Blueprint Step 2: understanding and articulating what you’re trying to say. The movie itself didn’t garner critical acclaim, but I enjoyed seeing iconic figures like Belushi, Ackroyd, and especially Gilda Radner come to life.

The Importance of Knowing Your Point

For memoirists, understanding your point is critical. Writing a memoir isn’t just about recounting events—it’s about curating meaning. I often tell my clients to become “meaning-making machines,” distilling universal truths from their personal experiences.

Your point is the lens through which readers will experience your story. It’s what makes your memoir resonate. Without it, your writing risks feeling scattered or shallow. With it, every word, scene, and chapter aligns to tell a powerful, cohesive narrative.

How to Identify Your Point

The good news? You don’t have to make sense of your entire life—just one aspect, one “storyline” that stands out. Memoir is about focusing on a specific slice of your life and crafting a narrative that reveals its deeper meaning. You’re not explaining everything; you’re shedding light on something.

To identify your point, ask yourself:

• What’s the main takeaway I want readers to walk away with?

• What universal truth or theme does my story highlight?

Don’t worry if your idea feels too obvious or cliché at first. That’s a good sign—it means you’re homing in on something universal. You’ll make it unique through the specific details, voice, and perspective of your story.

For example, Michaels’ ultimate point—that SNL was a platform for cultural expression—might sound simple, but it was revolutionary in execution. Your memoir’s point might be equally straightforward: themes like resilience, forgiveness, or self-discovery. What makes it special is how you tell it.

Keeping Your Point Front and Center

Once you’ve identified your point, everything in your memoir should be filtered through it. Imagine putting on a pair of tinted glasses. When you wear peach-colored lenses, the entire world takes on a peachy hue. Similarly, your memoir’s point is the “tint” through which every element of your story must be viewed.

Keep your point visible—literally. Write it on a sticky note and place it near your computer. Use it as a rubric for every decision you make about your storyline. Does this scene reinforce my point? Does this character interaction deepen the theme? If not, it might not belong.

Staying On Point

Let’s say your memoir is about overcoming betrayal to find resilience. Every element of your story should tie back to this theme:

• The betrayals you experienced (personal, professional, or societal).

• The moments that tested your resilience.

• The ways you ultimately found strength and moved forward.

This doesn’t mean hammering readers over the head with your point. Instead, subtly weave it into your narrative. It becomes the invisible thread that ties everything together.

Why This Matters

Writing a memoir without a clear point is like launching SNL without a deeper understanding of what sets it apart. Readers will sense the lack of direction if your story meanders. Conversely, a memoir with a strong point has the power to connect deeply, inspire change, and leave a lasting impact.

Lorne Michaels’s epiphany and vision became the foundation for one of the most influential shows in television history. You can do the same for your memoir. With a clear understanding of your point, you’ll create a story that’s not just personal but powerful—one that resonates universally while staying authentically you.

So, take a cue from Lorne Michaels' playbook: define your point and let it be your compass. Whether it leads to a cultural phenomenon or simply a memoir that resonates deeply, finding your focus is the first step to creating something truly unforgettable.

P.S. Jon Batiste as Billy Preston is worth the watch.

It’s not too late to join the Winter Blueprint for a Book Challenge.

We started January 5, but you can still jump in. We’ll be walking you through the 14 steps of the Blueprint over 10 weeks. Some of the steps are very short and we combined them into one episode.

Every episode speaks to fiction writers, memoir writers, and nonfiction writers. There are workbooks, and you will get a link to the digital download of the Blueprint book of your choice.

We’ll also be hosting weekly AMAs (ask me anything), write-alongs, and Zoom meet-ups with coaches—and KJ will be writing her own Blueprint, and Jennie will be coaching her through it in weekly episodes.

If you finish your Blueprint during the Challenge, you will be eligible to win a review from either Jennie or KJ. (If you missed the #AmWriting Success Story about the writer who won the Blueprint Sprint grand prize in 2022, give it a listen. It’s very inspiring! It’s right HERE.)

If you still want to jump in, we have a last minute special for you—20% off an annual paid subscription. That’s $80 for a 10 week program that really will keep you from writing 250K words just trying to figure out what you want to say. Ask me how I know.