The story you will write, from the maze of your memories into memoir, will come from the truth as you see it. Time and memory transform what and how we remember. Time is a great leveler. Time levels because it allows us to gain control over our emotions and we mature. Our feelings simmer down after time dilutes the memory of an emotion laden incident. An event we once thought was earth-shattering won’t hold as much power the further we move away from it. Do you remember how horrified you were when your mother walked into your junior high classroom in “that outfit?” You were embarrassed down to your shiny little magenta toe nails. You wanted to disappear, crawl under your desk – definitely wanted to have nothing to do with that ridiculous looking woman who says she’s your mother. Now you’re older and wiser; you laugh as you remember that incident with fondness and a touch of lingering OMG. You realize she was only there to deliver your costume – the one she’d stayed up
Memoir Labyrinth, Write Through It – No. 1
Writing a memoir is like making one's way through a maze. First of all, it’s hard to back away from life’s events and experiences to see them clearly. The honest attempt to put our ego and emotions aside is something we, TellTale Souls, constantly work on when writing our bio-vignettes that capture the character and spirit of our mothers or other significant people in our lives. This is today's reminder for all of us who write memoir - or don’t write, for that matter. To take this one step further, even after we've back away to get a better view of the events or experiences we're writing about, the way in which we remember them will also differ greatly from the way someone else “clearly” remembers these same incidents. Listen to what others say, if it’s important to you to do so. Their reflections could nudge additional memories out into your consciousness. But realize that what you see clearly is your truth, at least for today, and rely on that without second
Memoir Writers’ Labyrinth
Well, I’m still coming up for air after the wild weekend at the San Francisco Writers’ Conference. I spent a great deal of time “manning” the Women’s National Book Association’s table, where I made connections with many, many interesting literary types from all over the country. The conference was atop Nob Hill at the historic Mark Hopkins Hotel. Just a block away, draped in morning fog and by afternoon crowned by the brilliance of azure skies, stood magnificent Grace Cathedral, where I walked the famous labyrinth each day to get some air and quiet time for thoughtful reflection. The conference menu boasted several memoir sessions. I was lucky enough to attend two of them: “Capturing your Life on the Page – Writing Memoirs that Sell” with Adair Lara, author of Naked, Drunk, and Writing; and “Doing an Anthology” with Victoria Zackheim, author of The Face in the Mirror. Both sessions were outstanding – full of tips and ideas from both bestselling
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