Eighteen words to capture a life. Our new Minimoir™ Challenge proves small stories can reveal the biggest truths. As we age, and in this age of short attention spans, I wondered if I could write my memoir in 18 words. I called it a minimoir. Why 18? The number 18 is...
Melissa T. Shultz
Melissa T. Shultz is a writer and editor whose career spans video, TV, books, magazines, newspapers, and marketing. She’s worn many hats—director of marketing, acquisitions editor, director of creative services, video production manager, children’s book editor—each adding to her storytelling expertise. A published author, Melissa’s articles and essays have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Reader’s Digest, AARP’s The Ethel, and more. She’s editor-at-large for Jim Donovan Literary, where she's edited non-fiction manuscripts and book proposals for more than 40 Big-Five published books, some of them New York Times bestsellers. Her debut children’s book, What Will I Do if I Miss You? A Picture Book for Separation Anxiety, was published by Familius in August 2025. Melissa shares cookies and life’s adventures with her husband, Steve, and their very large puppy, Sophie. You can read more about her here. Follow Melissa on social media here: Instagram, Threads, and Facebook.