Kathleen Pooler's Blog, page 31
April 8, 2016
Wow Women on Writing Author Spotlight: Pamela Jane
Posted by Kathleen Pooler/@kathypooler with Pamela Jane/@austencats
Writing and publishing a memoir is a monumental milestone in a writer’s life. For many it represents a culmination of years of wrestling with emotions, writing through the painful memories until the story within reveals itself on the page and is ready to be shared with the world. One of my favorite things to do is to help authors celebrate this labor of love–this personal victory.
I am very pleased to participate in memoir author and editor Pamela Jane’s WOW Women on Writing Blog Tour and Book Giveaway for her recently released memoir, An Incredible Talent for Existing with this Author Spotlight. I am also pleased to support a fellow author of Open Books Press.
Pamela will return on 4/18/16 with a guest post, “An Incredible Talent for Storytelling”. I hope you’ll join us then too.
Meet Pamela Jane:
Memoir Author Pamela Jane
Pamela has published over twenty-five children’s books with Houghton Mifflin, Atheneum, Simon & Schuster, Penguin-Putnam, and Harper. Her books include Noelle of the Nutcracker illustrated by Jan Brett, Little Goblins Ten illustrated by NY Times best-selling illustrator, Jane Manning, and Little Elfie One (Harper 2015). Pride and Prejudice and Kitties: A Cat-Lover’s Romp Through Jane Austen’s Classic (Skyhorse) was featured in The Wall Street Journal, BBC America, The Huffington Post, The New York Times Sunday Book Review and The Daily Dot, and has just come out in paper. Pamela Jane has published short stories and essays with The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Antigonish Review, Literary Mama. Pamela Jane is a writer and editor for womensmemoirs.com
Pamela’s Memoir:
A Young woman longs for an idyllic past, despite her revolutionary
belief that everything that exists must be destroyed.
Paperback: 246 pages
Genre: Memoir
Publisher: Open Books Press (February 1, 2016)
ISBN-10: 1941799213
ISBN-13: 978-1941799215
Amazon Link: click here
Book Summary:
“An Incredible Talent For Existing: A Writer’s Story” summary: It is 1965, the era of love, light and revolution. While the romantic narrator imagines a bucolic future in an old country house with children running through the dappled sunlight, her husband plots to organize a revolution and fight a guerrilla war in the Catskills.
Their fantasies are on a collision course.
The clash of visions turns into an inner war of identities when the author embraces radical feminism; she and her husband are comrades in revolution but combatants in marriage; she is a woman warrior who spends her days sewing long silk dresses reminiscent of a Henry James novel. One half of her isn’t speaking to the other half.
And then, just when it seems that things cannot possibly get more explosive, her wilderness cabin burns down and Pamela finds herself left with only the clothes on her back.
From her vividly evoked existential childhood (“the only way I would know for sure that I existed was if others lots of others acknowledged it”) to writing her first children’s book on a sugar high during a glucose tolerance test, Pamela Jane takes the reader along on a highly entertaining personal, political, and psychological adventure.
Find Pamela Jane Online:
Website: http://www.memoircoaching.com
http://www.pamelajane.com (children’s books)
http://www.prideandprejudiceandkitties.com (humorous book)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pamela.jane1
Twitter: @memoircoaching, @austencats
Book Trailer for “An Incredible Talent for Existing”:
How about you? If you are a child of the 60s, how did you experience the turmoil of the times? What is the story you tell yourself about yourself?
A commenter will be selected in a random drawing of commenters to receive a copy of Pamela’s memoir.
We’d love to hear from you. Please leave your comments below~
Next Week:
Monday, 04/11/16:
“Seven Lessons I’ve Learned About Doing Book Readings: Plan B Version”
April 4, 2016
The Key to Heart-Centered Writing: An Interview with Author Robert Yehling
Posted by Kathleen Pooler/@kathypooler with Robert Yehling/@WordJourneys
“You have the potential to convey the essence of your life experience in every sentence you write.”~Robert Yehling, Author
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons
Getting to the heart of your story and writing from the heart sometimes requires a nudge. Writing prompts can help stimulate the process but often are met with mixed reviews; some writers rely on them while others find them distracting. Wherever you stand on this issue, I hope you will find some writing inspiration in what my guest has to say.
Robert Yehling is an award-winning author, journalist and book editor who has written 11 books and co- or ghostwritten eight others. He is celebrating his 40th anniversary as a professional writer this year, about which he jokes, “isn’t too much a reflection of my age”; he was 16 when a San Diego County newspaper hired him in 1976. We met through our mutual publisher, Paul Burt of Open Books Press. I had the privilege of reviewing his latest book and found it to be a valuable writing resource for generating ideas and stimulating creativity.
My reviews can be found on Amazon, Goodreads, LibraryThings and Riffle.
Welcome, Robert!
Robert Yehling, Author
The Key to Heart-Centered Writing
KP: You dedicated The Write Time to “two schoolteachers, your mother and grandmother, whose legacy of heart-centered teaching inspired your work.” How do you define heart-centered teaching? How do you carry out this legacy in your writing?
RY: What a great question to begin! When I read something, and it stirs my heart and makes my blood move, then I know the writer is operating from a heart-centered place, where all of our best stories gain sustenance. Writing from the heart is the act of putting our senses and feelings into words, conveying not only what we observe and perceive, but what makes us happy or sad, angry or ecstatic, or causes change or transformation. Isn’t this what memoir writing is about? Showing our inner selves as we experience this aspect of our life? When we write like this, the reader feels it and also feels part of the adventure or narrative on the page. That’s when the pages keep turning.
Our minds are the storehouses of our material, but our hearts are the engines. Click to Tweet
KP: You mentioned that The Write Time is a culmination of writing exercises you have used over the years in classes you have taught. What inspired you to write a book, then put out a second edition?
RY: Over the course of 10 years, I developed about 300 exercises for classes I taught at retreats, writer’s conferences, colleges and high schools. I also created specific exercises for individual authors and clients. As more people asked for these, it made sense to group them together. Since 300 is not that far from 366, and I’m a firm believer in writing daily, I created 66 more exercises, shuffled the deck — and out came The Write Time.
KP: As I mentioned above, not everyone is open to using writing prompts. What would you say to someone who resists the idea? How do you feel your prompts stimulate creativity?
RY: My answer might surprise you, but I’m not a big fan of traditional writing prompts, either! They tend to be vague, general, not attuned to specific creative or story development needs. (Julia Cameron is a noteworthy exception; her prompts are excellent.) I love hearing back stories at readings — what went on in the author’s mind when creating a scene, character, or piece of beautiful writing. I brought that spirit into The Write Time.
I want each page to feel like you’re in the center of the story. Click to Tweet
As with my fiction and non-fiction, I try to appeal to the inner writer, and try hard to turn each prompt into an experience inside and out.
KP: The feature that I enjoyed the most in your book was the multiple ways you framed the prompt with a specific topic, a photo, a relevant quote and a link to a featured blog post that explores the topic in more depth. It’s always nice to have choices. How did you come up with this idea?
RY: I did this for three reasons. First, to clearly distinguish The Write Time from a typical writing prompts book. Second, to insert inspirational quotes from favorite authors, “pick me ups” — verbal cups of coffee. And third, to inject some fun and variety, keeping it playful and pliable, both huge bonuses when writing. As for the blog and website links, it’s presumptuous for any writer to think they hold all the tricks, secrets and solutions — so I always advocate turning to multiple sources. I included 125 top writing websites and blogs.
KP: How have you used your own prompts in your writing? Have your prompts inspired your books. If so, can you give an example?
RY: Whenever I’m feeling uncreative, or having trouble with a passage, I’ll whistle through The Write Time, and either do the exercise for that date, or one more apropos to my struggle. When I return to the page, I find what I’m looking for; I designed these exercises to apply immediately.
The prologue of my novel, Voices, started as a past-tense rehash of a rock concert. However, after doing the series of exercises on presence — ‘write here, write now’ — I changed it up to present tense so we could feel Tom Timoreaux in his last moments as a rock and roll star (sort of — you have to read the novel to see what happens next!). Made all the difference in the world:
Excerpt, Voices:
Cheers, smoke and electricity engulf twenty thousand delirious fans revering the rock god about to exit into mere mortality. Hoisted matches and lit cigarette lighters burn through sweat, herb and pyrotechnic exhaust. The singer slumps against his microphone stand; blue and yellow floodlights sweep across a stage of disheveled band mates.
Tom beams at the ecstatic fans. Those he can see, anyway: only the first fifteen rows are visible from center stage. Three Super Troupers, those magnificent light machines conceived with the sperm and ova of rock concerts themselves, course through the arena like comets, allowing him glimpses of the back rows and upper tiers. Packed. Swaying. Arms and screams flying. Exhaustion drips from his face, borne by another three-hour, non-stop, lights-out.
Sadness grapples with joy in a heart that spilled a quarter-century of rockers, ballads, paeans and dreams, many still spinning on DJ’s turntables, many embedded in the souls of two generations. This, my friends, is really it.
“One more show! One more show!” The thunderous chant may as well be the merger of all voices and hearts and dreams and wishes of Fever and rock fans globally.
In the front row, a heavy-set woman’s eyes swell to lunar size. “Tommy T! Come home with me!” Her screams disconnect her from the reason she’s here; to review for the paper she serves as editor. Next to her, a man and woman hoist a placard: “My Fever Burns Forever.” Fat, multicolored letters rollercoaster across the sign like a mash of Peter Max and a Winterland poster, circa 1968. Their daughter, maybe eight, throws her fists in the air, seized by the scene.
“I’m yours—RIGHT NOW!”
The shouter is a striking blonde, her legs clamped onto her boyfriend’s shoulders.
KP: Do you have any other writing tips to share?
Trust. Dedicate. Experiment. Experience. Finish. Trust what flows through your pen or keyboard, no matter your initial intent. Dedicate by writing something every day; that creates consistency and fluid, cohesive work. Experiment with different subjects, styles, genres; if The Write Time has a sub-theme, this is it. Experience as much of what you write as possible. Take adventures. Travel. Journey. Try new things. Do something fun, outrageous, deeply meaningful. Broaden your horizons. And Finish. You may be the best writer in the world, but if you don’t finish and circulate your work, how will we ever know?
***
Thank you Robert for sharing your wealth of experience with us and for showing us how you put your writing prompts into action. I appreciate your focus on “heart-centered writing”. You are keeping your mother’s and grandmother’s spirits alive through your work.
***
Author Bio:
ROBERT YEHLING began writing stories at age 7, and hasn’t come in from the playground since. After 25 years as a newspaper and magazine writer and editor, and sports and music event promoter, he fulfilled his boyhood dream — writing and editing books. He is the author of The Write Time and its companion, the IPPY Award-Winning Writes of Life: Using Personal Experiences in Everything You Write. He’s also the author of Just Add Water, the biography of autistic surf star Clay Marzo; Voices, a novel set against the backdrop of rock and roll; and Rooting, a memoir, due out in 2017. A former college writing professor, Yehling teaches at workshops, conferences and retreats nationally, and works with editing and co-writing clients of all genres worldwide. After following his career around the world, he has returned home to roost in North San Diego County.
Contact Information :
Twitter: @WordJourneys
Facebook: Robert Yehling — Author
Blog: http://bobyehling.wordpress.com
Website: www.wordjourneys.com
Amazon Author Page: Robert Yehling
Goodreads: Robert Yehling
Instagram: @WriterBob1959
Brief Synopsis of The Write Time:
The Write Time is a writing prompts and exercise collection — on rocket fuel. It combines stories, examples, motivational quotes, writing websites, and other triggers to present each of the 366 daily exercises for writers to experience, as well as write. The exercises cover all genres, styles, and techniques for fiction and non-fiction writers, memoirists and essayists, poets and lyricists, scriptwriters and journalists. Said the Midwest Book Review; “it’s the most comprehensive writing prompts collection on the market.”
Ordering link,
http://www.openbookspress.com/books/the-write-time.php
http://www.amazon.com/Write-Time-Exercises-Fulfill-Writing/dp/1941799205/
***
How about you? What helps you stimulate your creativity? Do you use prompts? Do you feel your writing is heart-centered? If not, has Robert enticed you to try?
Robert has graciously offered to give away two of his books, The Write Time and Just Add Water: A Surfing Savant’s Journey with Asperger’s to two commenters whose names will be selected in a random drawing.
We’d love to hear from you. Please leave your comments below~
This Week:
Thursday, 04/08/16:
“Women on Writing Author Spotlight: Memoir Author Pamela Jane”
Pamela is the author of An Incredible Talent for Existing: A Writer’s Story. She has graciously offered to give away a copy of her memoir to a commenter whose name will be selected in a random drawing.
Next Week:
Monday, 04/11/16:
“Seven Lessons I’ve Learned About Doing Book Readings: Plan B Version”
March 31, 2016
Seven Things Writers Need to Do When Self-Publishing by Stephanie Norman
Posted by Kathleen Pooler /@kathypooler with Stephanie Norman
“Starting your book is only the first five miles of a twenty-six-mile marathon that’s one-third of a triathlon (authoring, publishing, and entrepreneuring).”
― Guy Kawasaki, APE: Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur. How to Publish a Book
Self-publishing once carried a stigma which branded authors as amateurs. With the rapid changes in the publishing industry, it is now a popular and viable option for getting our work out into the world. For those who choose to self-publish, my guest today, freelance writer and blogger Stephanie Norman offers a review of the essential steps to take to ensure your books success. No matter which route to publication a writer chooses, commitment to excellence in every step will increase the potential for success.
Welcome, Stephanie!
Stephanie Norman, Writer and Professional Blogger
Seven Things Writers Need To Do When Self-Publishing
Guy Kawasaki nailed the essence of self-publishing with his statement: “Go APE: Author a great book, Publish it quickly, and Entrepreneur your way to success. Self-publishing isn’t easy, but it’s fun and sometimes even lucrative. Plus, your book could change the world.”
There is a certain aspect from this quote we need to pay attention to: “self-publishing isn’t easy.” It’s strange how writers do their best to write an impressive book, but forget to control the entire process when they publish it without intermediaries.
Are you interested in publishing your own books? Check out this list of important things that writers usually forget to do when self-publishing.
Thinking of the perfect title
It’s amazing to see how some authors can write impressive books, but they publish them under working titles. Did you know that Fitzgerald had several ideas for the title of his most famous book? Some of them were Under the Red, White, and Blue; On the Road to West Egg; and Trimalchio in West Egg. Thank God for his editor and his wife for persuading him to think of something simpler.
What if the working title for your book already exists? There are millions of published books, so you should certainly check if someone had the same inspiration before you. Then, you should make sure to think of a captivating, not too descriptive title that grasps the essence of your piece.
Maintaining a blog
When you’re publishing and promoting your own literature, you have to give your readers a chance to get in touch with you. Blogging is a successful way to introduce your editions, express your opinions on any topic, and connect with your audience on a deeper level. If they like you as a blogger, they will certainly want to buy your books.
Email marketing
Self-promotion is tough. If you’re an introvert, like most writers are, then you probably have a problem with aggressive marketing. It doesn’t matter; you have to do it if you want to sell your books. Tools like MailChimp and Mailigen enable you to create beautiful emails, send them to your target audience, and measure the results.
Persistency
When you decide to self-publish your books, you’re not getting any critiques by editors and publishers before they reach the audience. In other words, the books might not be perfect. That’s why many authors have given up after the first book they’ve published. Don’t be a quitter! Even if your first book doesn’t achieve the effect you hope for, you should stay committed to the goal of becoming a successful writer.
Go to conferences, read eBooks and online guides that teach you how to publish books, and join Writer’s Digest forum – a place where you can connect with fellow writers, share your struggles, and learn from their experience.
Creating an Amazon Author Central page
Amazon is clearly the best place where you can start selling your books. That’s why you want to create your own Amazon Author Page, which will enable you to reach more readers, track your sales, and get help from the author-trained staff at Amazon. This is a crucial element of self-publishing, so don’t ignore it.
Being active on Goodreads
Goodreads is the greatest online community of readers and authors. You need to create your own profile and promote the book you published. Goodreads users will start marking your book as “wants to read” and you’ll soon start getting reviews.
Hiring an editor
When you’re self-publishing your book, you don’t have an official publisher. Does that mean you should be your own editor, too? No! Even the greatest authors need professional editors, who understand the reading audience. You need an editor, who will observe your work from an unbiased point of view. He will make suggestions for improvements that can really change the quality and appeal of your manuscript.
Don’t forget: you have to make a contract with your editor. You need to define the deadline, price, and all other aspects of the collaboration.
Self-Publishing May Be Scary, But It’s Fun!
Publishing a book is a lot of work. When you’re the writer, publisher, and marketer of your own book, the description of your job goes far beyond the limits of writing. However, the contemporary community of readers accepts all types of literature, and you have plenty of opportunities to publish and sell the book via online resources.
Are you ready to take the risk? Don’t keep your manuscripts in the drawer; it’s time to share them with the world
***
Thank you, Stephanie for sharing these practical tips for writers who want to self-publish. When we chose to be author, publisher and entrepreneurs, we carry a responsibility to our readers to offer them a quality product.
***
Author Bio:
Stephanie Norman from Sydney has been a contributing blogger and professional writer for 4 years already. She writes creative and business content covering writing, publishing, and inspirational issues as a freelancer. Also, sometimes she provides editing service at Australian Writings, a company that offers assignment help and assistance for students. You can follow her at Facebook and Google+.
***
How about you? If you have self-published, do you have anything to add? If you are considering self-publishing, do you have any questions?
We’d love to hear from you. Please leave your comments below~
Next Week
Monday, 04/04/16:
“The Key to Heart-Centered Writing: An Interview with Author Robert Yehling”.
Robert is the author of several books and has offered to give away a copy of two of his books, The Write Time: 366 Exercises to Fulfill Your Daily Writing Life and Just Add Water: A Surfing Savant’s Journey with Asperger’s to commenters whose names will be selected in a random drawing
Thursday, 04/08/16:
“Woman on Writing Author Spotlight: Memoir Author Pamela Jane”
Pamela is the author of a memoir, An Incredible Talent for Existing. She has offered to give away a copy of her memoir to a commenter whose name will be selected in a random drawing.
March 28, 2016
Embracing the Elephant in the Room: A Memoir Moment
Posted by Kathleen Pooler/@kathypooler
Photocredit: rejectlost.org
Embracing the Elephant in the Room
Photo Credit: buddhadoodles.com
A few weeks ago , my good friend and writing colleague Joan Rough posted this image on my Facebook timeline in a gesture of friendship and caring for a rough spot in my life. For those who are following my blog, you already know that I am undergoing a major life change. I recently completed training for home peritoneal dialysis. I’ve known about the possibility for the past few years but relegated it to an elephant -in the -room status–“an English metaphorical saying for an obvious truth that is going unaddressed.” (Wikipedia) :
Photo Credit: Free Google Images
When I finally did acknowledge the fear and sense of loss that had been weighing me down, it seemed to diminish slowly. I began realizing that the elephant could be my key to a healthier, more active life. Besides, neither one of us was going to leave the room.
One Step at a Time: They tell me that in time I will hardly notice that I have to do it. For now, it is overwhelming to deal with all the major changes in my day-to-day life that require me to do the work of my kidneys…the piles of supplies cluttering my closet and hallway, the multiple trips to the kidney center for follow-up, the endless phone calls to clarify insurance, medications, supplies, the constant juggling of time between exchanges to fit in activities.
Dialysis solution stuffed in a closet
I am giving myself four treatments or exchanges a day at home but I can go out for short times in between. Soon I will transition to a bedside “cycler” which will automatically infuse the fluids into my abdomen then drain while I sleep (supposedly). I’ll be free to go about my business during the day, even travel.
And, as in every major upheaval, there usually is a hidden blessing.
As the dialysis fluid filters the toxins and flushes them out of my system, so are my spirit and soul being cleansed.
Photo credit: dreamstimefree
Although I am going through an adjustment period I am hopeful that in time I will begin to feel better physically. Sometimes you don’t even realize how poorly you felt until you start feeling better. The steady outpouring of prayers and positive messages from family and friends has lifted my spirits and motivated me to focus on all my many blessings.
I am very grateful for this. And I can still write. In fact, I have even more to write about and more down-time to do the writing. The story continues. Writing about this major upheaval in my life has lessened the burden and helped me move forward in the journey.
I have embraced the “elephant in the room”. We are living in peaceful coexistence and it feels so much better. He didn’t really want to fight anyway. He just wanted to be acknowledged.
Photo credit: buddhadoodles.com
We all face changes and life-altering events that make us evaluate our lives and our roles in it. Thanks to all of you who have sent me so many heartwarming prayers and blessings. You have truly made a difference.
How about you? How do you handle the “elephant in the room”?
I’d love to hear from you. Please leave your comments below~
ANNOUNCEMENT: Congratulations, Mary Wuerdeman! Your name was selected in a random drawing of commenters to receive Sandy Swenson’s memoir, The Jody Song: A Mother’s Story of Her Son’s Addiction.
This Week:
Monday, 03/28/16:
March 2016 Newsletter: “Hope and Redemption in the Season of Change.”
Thursday, 03/31/16:
“Seven Things Writers Have to Do When They Self-Publish” by Stephanie Norman
Next Week:
Monday, 04/04/16:
“The Key to Heart-Centered Writing: An Interview with Author Robert Yehling”
Thursday, 04/08/16: “Women on Writing Author Spotlight: Memoir Author Pamela Jane”
March 21, 2016
Where Love Meets Addiction: Being the Mom of an Addict by Memoir Author Sandy Swenson
Posted by Kathleen Pooler/@kathypooler with Sandy Swenson/@SandySwenson1
” I will do nothing, ever again, to help The Addict because, if I do, I have no hope of ever seeing my son. I LOVE YOU, Joey. And it is because I love you that I am done.”~Sandy Swenson
red heart and barbed wire. Love
When I read The Joey Song: A Mother’s Story of Her Son’s Addiction by Sandy Swenson, I felt like I had met another mom who truly understood my story. I did not fully comprehend at the time I was bringing up my own son that addiction was a disease and that as much as I loved him, I could not parent him as I did my daughter. Sandy helps me and many others understand that we are standing at a place where love meets addiction and that a natural tendency to want to help can often be the very thing that feeds the addiction and makes things worse. Her story is heart wrenching and her message is lifesaving.
My reviews of her memoir The Joey Song can be found on Amazon, Goodreads, LibraryThings and Riffle.
Please join me in welcoming Sandy.
Memoir Author and Speaker Sandy Swenson
Where Love Meets Addiction, Being the Mom of an Addict
Once upon a time I was just a mom.
A regular mom.
When I held my little miracle in my arms for the very first time, I rubbed my cheek on his fuzzy head and whispered, “Joey, my beautiful son, I will love and protect you for as long as I live.” I didn’t know then that my baby would become an addict before becoming an adult, or that the addict taking his place would shred the meaning of those words to smithereens.
When Joey tumbled into my world, he arrived without an instruction manual, but I was the best mom I could be as someone with good intentions and no experience. I stumbled through parenthood like everyone else — rocking my baby to sleep, kissing the scraped knees of my little boy, setting unwelcome limits for my sometimes testy teen, and hoping I was doing things kind of right.
Then, slowly at first, came the arrests and the overdoses, the needle marks and the dealers, interspersed with big fat lies. My loving child was turning into a monster, manipulating me and using me and twisting my love for him into knots, but I was befuddled by this scary new world I didn’t even know I was in and that I knew nothing about. You see, I thought I was still just a regular mom stumbling through regular parenthood like everyone else… a mother’s trust and belief in her child’s inner goodness aren’t easily cast aside.
Addiction is a disease, but not even the professionals have it all figured out yet — and they aren’t trying to figure it out while in a blind panic, running through the fires of hell with fears and dreams and maternal instincts tripping them up. So, I shouldn’t feel like a total failure for having missed so many clues and for not being able to love and protect my child as I promised… but still, sometimes I do.
Joey became an addict in his teens, lured to drugs and alcohol by a culture that glorifies substance abuse — the same culture that later, so ignorantly and harshly, passes judgement. I am judged for helping or fixing or pushing (or not helping or fixing or pushing enough) the sick child of mine who won’t be helped or fixed or pushed. I am judged for over-reacting and under-reacting, enabling and letting go, and, most hurtful of all, as a mother whose love must be somehow flawed.
Once upon a time I was just a regular mom, stumbling through parenthood like everyone else — and then I had to figure out how to be the mom of an addict. I had to figure out how to love my child without helping to hurt him, how to grieve the loss of my child who’s still alive without dying, and how to trade shame and blame for strength.
To be the mom of an addict is to be an ambassador of truth and understanding.
No more shame. No more silence.
***
Sandy , I am deeply touched by your unsparing prose and enduring message–” to be the mom of an addict is to be a ambassador of truth and understanding.” Thank you for breaking your silence and sharing your story. Many parents, including myself, are and will continue to be enriched and inspired by you and your message.
***
Sandy Swenson is the author of The Joey Song: A Mother’s Story of Her Son’s Addiction
Bio: Sandy Swenson is the mother of two sons—one of whom is an alcoholic and drug addict. The Joey Song chronicles her journey through the place where love and addiction meet.
Twitter @SandySwenson1
Website: http://www.sandyswenson.com/
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/sandyannswenson
The Joey Song Synopsis: Before my son was an addict, I used to judge the dusty addict on the corner very harshly. But now I know that being an addict isn’t something anyone would choose. Now I know that the addict on the corner has been my sweet child (and could someday be yours). I wish I hadn’t waited for the worst to happen before I opened my eyes and heart. Before I looked beneath the addict’s dust to the person he was meant to be. To the person my child could just as easily have become — and did. My story, like so many others, is a story without closure. So, I wrote The Joey Song for parents like me, parents living in the place where love and addiction meet—a place where help enables and hope hurts. For parents trying to figure out the difference between helping their child to live and helping him to die. For parents grieving the loss of a child who is still alive. One mother’s story of love and loss and learning. And surviving my son’s addictions while coming to terms with the fact that he may not. Written from the place where I live. The place where love and addiction meet.
Amazon buy link:http://www.amazon.com/The-Joey-Song-Mothers-Addiction/dp/1937612716
How about you? If your child is an addict, how have you coped?
Sandy has graciously offered to give away a copy of her memoir to a commenter whose name will be selected in a random drawing.
We’d love to hear from you. Please leave your comments below~
Next Week:
Monday, 03/28/16:
“Embracing the Elephant in the Room: A Memoir Moment”
March 2016 Newsletter: “Hope and Redemption in the Season of Change”.
If you are interested in having this newsletter of updates, memoir musings and Max Moments delivered to your inbox monthly, please sign up on the right sidebar. I’d love to have you along!
Thursday, 03/31/16:
“Seven Things Writers Need to Do When Self-Publishing by Stephanie Norman.”
March 14, 2016
Oh ,The Places You’ll Go: Memoir Marketing
Posted by Kathleen Pooler/@kathypooler
Dr Seuss had a way of delivering an important message with his own unique twist. He reminds us that we need to believe in ourselves and our potential.
Marketing my book felt like a mountain too steep to climb. When I started writing my memoir, the thought of marketing it sent shivers up my spine. Wasn’t it enough that I wrote the book? I’m not a marketer. I don’t feel comfortable self-promoting. I had every excuse in the book.
But then, a few good things came my way after publication–requests to speak, book events, radio interviews–and with each one I began feeling more comfortable in my marketing role.
Connecting with readers in-person has become the single most gratifying experience in my neophyte publishing career. Bar none.
So when an opportunity comes my way, I am excited to share my story and spread a message of hope about freedom from abuse and domestic abuse awareness.
Last week, I was the speaker for the monthly meeting of the Charlton Seniors.
Most book events I’ve attended included a handful of people but this room was packed with twenty-five vibrant and engaged people.
I hadn’t considered Senior Centers in my marketing plan and yet this opportunity opened my eyes to a greater appreciation for the wisdom and wealth of life experiences in the elderly. They asked me many questions and shared their own stories. And it makes sense because abuse is an equal opportunity affliction. If one has lived long enough, one has probably at least witnessed abuse in a friend or family member if not experienced it in some form themselves.
When I posed the question about the age group at highest risk of abuse, one lady in the back row, raised her hand and said.” Over 70″. The answer was ages 16-24 but her answer signaled that she had a story which she shared with me after the talk. It’s such an honor when people feel comfortable enough to share their stories with me.
It makes me realize that the reason I chose to write my memoir is resonating with what people need to hear.
The energy in the room was contagious. People milled around, coffee cups in hand and chatted among themselves, clearly happy to be seeing each other. Before I spoke, they conducted a general meeting where a list of upcoming activities was shared–trips to museums, movies, book clubs. One lady announced the winner of a Hall of Fame recipient for community activities. The recipient graciously thanked her then noted that the lady giving out the award was also a recipient of this same award. Though I’m sure each one had faced their own personal challenges, these veterans of life mirrored compassion and fun. They were in their “Golden Years”, enjoying the moments, an inspiration to me.
After my talk, the lady who gave out the award, approached me, pen and pad in hand. “I want to give your name to our community education director at the Independent Living facility where I live. I’d love to have you come and speak.”
It is this human connection that feeds my soul and spirit and keeps me motivated to keep writing and sharing.
As usual, I learned a few lessons:
Marketing a book is more about spreading a message that resonates than selling a book.
Stay open to new opportunities to spread your message.
Listen and be open to what your audience can teach you.
Remember, you are the expert of your own story and message. Claim it!
A mantra I used in my teaching days “Fill your head and be yourself.”
Enjoy the ride!
Dr Seuss says it best:
Photo credit: www.mamiverse.com
How about you? What are your thoughts about marketing your book? Do you have any tips to add?
I’d love to hear from you. Please leave your comments below~
Next Week:
Monday, 3/21/16:
“Where Love Meets Addiction:Being the Mom of an Addict by Memoir Author Sandy Swenson. Sandy is the author of The Joey Song: A Mothers’ Story of Her Son’s Addiction. Sandy has graciously offered to give away a copy of her memoir to a commenter whose name will be selected in a random drawing.
Tuesday, 3/22/16:
I will be interviewed by Pamela Jane on Kendra Bonnet’s and Matilda Butler’s blog, Women’s Memoirs
March 7, 2016
Finding Words For a Miracle: A Discussion with Memoir Author Lene Fogelberg
Posted by Kathleen Pooler /@kathypooler with Lene Fogelberg/@lenefogelberg
I am thrilled to feature Memoir Author Lene Fogelberg in this discussion about her bestselling memoir, Beautiful Affliction. Lene and I met through the National Association of Memoir Writers Facebook group. When I read her memoir, I was swept into her story; captivated by the story itself as well as by her eloquent writing. It reaffirmed my belief in miracles.
My reviews of Beautiful Affliction can be found on Amazon, Goodreads, LibraryThing and Riffle.
Welcome, Lene!
Memoir Author and Poet Lene Fogelberg
Finding Words For a Miracle: A Discussion with Lene Fogelberg
KP: The allure of memoir is that one can be transported into another person’s world, and in doing so connect their own story to your story. I certainly felt transported when I read your stunning debut memoir, Beautiful Affliction. Tell us what motivated you to write your memoir and what you most wanted to convey.
LF: I remember feeling incredible lonely during the years when I most needed support from someone who understood what I was going through, and I believe I wrote Beautiful Affliction for my younger self; it is what I would have liked to read when I struggled the most
KP: The fact that you are a poet was evident in your lyrical prose. Your details are vivid and pulled me into your story. Did poetry help you in the writing process and, if so, how?
LF: I think poetry has helped me in my writing, but also in life in general. I think poetry has taught me to look for beauty, even in the most terrifying situations. Sometimes the only place to look for it is in the smallest details, but the details usually mirror something bigger, is my belief.
KP: Memoirist have the distinct challenge of selecting life events and shaping them into a story with a beginning, middle and end. I was intrigued by the structure of your memoir where you alternated between the past and present until you lead up to the heart surgery that saved your life. You also used flashbacks very effectively. How did you decide upon this structure? Did you start out knowing the structure or did the structure reveal itself through the writing?
LF: When I started writing my story I had no idea how to structure it. I didn’t know if I would ever finish it, I just knew that I had to write it. As the text accumulated I realized I needed to find a structure, and I drew inspiration from two books that had left a powerful impression on me: Sarah’s key by Tatiana de Rosnay, and The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery. These beautiful books use the method of alternating chapters, though in a different way to how I use it.
KP: Without giving away too much of the plot, it seems to me that you experienced a miracle. What was it like for you writing about this profound event in your life?
LF: I use to say that I live on miracle-time, because that is how I feel. When writing about it, I felt I needed to tread carefully though. I wanted the reader to experience it for herself, not have it pointed out, in her face. It is very individual, how we perceive our place in the universe, and this perception also shifts during our lives, based on our experiences. I felt I wanted to give every reader a chance to live through my story without pointers from me how to interpret it. It was not until after the events in the book, that I could look back on my affliction and see the miracle that made it a Beautiful Affliction. When I was in the middle of it, I had many fights with God, I yelled and prayed and often felt very lonely. I wanted the reader on that journey with me, because I know I am not the only one who has felt this way, and I felt it might be comforting for someone to find a friend in me. However, when I looked back at the years of struggle, I realized they all took part in the beautiful pattern that became my miracle and it would not have been possible without the struggle.
KP: Your story includes exposing flaws in Sweden’s medical system. As a health care provider, I was deeply touched by the lack of follow through and care. Did you ever fear repercussions by writing this truth from your point of view? Do you feel writing your story has had an impact on the state of the medical system?
LF: Well, it was very difficult for me to write about this, since I love my home country and I would like to present it in the best way possible. But I also felt that I needed to be true to the story of what happened to me, especially if it would in any way help make things better in the Swedish medical system. I know many professionals in the medical field in Sweden are reading my story with great interest and the reader response from Swedes has been overwhelmingly positive. They say they can really connect with how Sweden is portrayed and have also expressed hope for a change.
KP: What has life after publication been like for you?
LF: I would never have guessed so many people would want to read my story! It came as a total shock when ten weeks after publication, Beautiful Affliction went up as #3 on The Wall Street Journal Bestseller list for non-fiction e-books. I have received so many messages from readers that have touched me deeply, telling me their stories and how they experienced my book and how it helped them. After Beautiful Affliction made the WSJ bestseller list, a number of literary agents contacted me, but I had actually already been contacted by an agent who found my book on Amazon and read it, saying he wanted to represent me. I signed with that first agent and now I am represented by Abrams Artists Agency in New York.
KP: Do you have any memoir writing tips you’d like to share?
LF: I think it is important to dare to be vulnerable, to be authentic. It is tempting to try to cover up and present yourself as perfect as possible, but I think it is more rewarding as a reader to connect with someone who dare to show their flaws and struggles. I was worried before publication that I would expose myself, but many readers have told me they really appreciated to read about my relationship with my mother for example, and with my husband: our struggles and our beautiful moments too. So that is perhaps the best tip I can give, to dare to be you, both in life and on the pages of your book.
***
Thank you for sharing your powerful story and your writing process with us, Lene. Your story will touch many who are experiencing life-threatening health issues, giving them encouragement and hope. Congratulations on the widespread success of your memoir and on landing an agent!
***
Author Bio:
Lene Fogelberg is a Wall Street Journal bestselling author, an award-winning poet and double open-heart surgery survivor. Born in Sweden, she currently lives with her family in Malaysia, where she is working on a novel that takes place in Asia.
Author contact information
https://www.amazon.com/author/lenefogelberg
https://www.facebook.com/LeneFogelbergAuthor
https://twitter.com/LeneFogelberg
Book Synopsis:
Lene Fogelberg is dying—she is sure of it—but no doctor in Sweden, her home country, believes her. Love stories enfold her, with her husband, her two precious daughters, her enchanting surroundings, but the question she has carried in her heart since childhood—Will I die young?—is threatening all she holds dear, even her sanity. When her young family moves to the US, an answer, a diagnosis, is finally found: she is in the last stages of a fatal congenital heart disease. But is it too late?
Unflinchingly honest and often harrowing, Beautiful Affliction is an inspiring account of growing up and living on the verge of death―and of the beauty, harshness, loneliness, and, ultimately, unbending love that can be found there.
Book order link
http://www.amazon.com/Beautiful-Affliction-Memoir-Surviving-Disease/dp/1631529854
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/beautiful-affliction-lene-fogelberg/1121250621
How about you? Have you ever experienced a miracle in your life?
We’d love to hear from you. Please leave your comments below~
ANNOUNCEMENT: Congratulations, Charlene Jones ! Your name was selected in a random drawing of commenters to receive Melissa Burch’s memoir, My Journey Through War and Peace: Explorations of a Young Filmmaker, Feminist and Spiritual Seeker.
Next Week:
Monday, 03/14/16: “Oh the Places You’ll Go: Memoir Marketing”
March 3, 2016
Encountering the Sacred in Memoir: An Interview with Author Melissa Burch
Posted by Kathleen Pooler/@kathypooler with Melissa Burch/@MelissaBurch
“My wish is that my writings will inspire you to seek new vistas, live beyond the obvious, and encounter the sacred.”~ Melissa Burch
Sunrise on Oyster Bay
We are all on a spiritual journey called “life”. Whether and how we seek to know more about our journey to find a deeper meaning in our lives is an individual choice.
I’m thrilled to feature Memoir Author, Filmmaker, Feminist and Spiritual Seeker Melissa Burch in this guest post interview about her newly released memoir, My Journey Through War and Peace: Explorations of a Young Filmmaker, Feminist and Spiritual Seeker and the subsequent spiritual growth she experienced.
My reviews of her memoir can be found on Amazon, Goodreads, LibraryThings and Riffle.
Welcome, Melissa!
Melissa Burch, Memoir Author, Filmmaker, Feminist and Spiritual Seeker.
Encountering the Sacred in Memoir
KP: Your memoir, My Journey Through War and Peace, takes us on your external and internal journey through war-torn Afghanistan and into the heart of a young woman struggling to find her way in the world. How and when did you decide to write your story as a memoir?
MB: I never thought I would write a memoir. I began simply by writing down memories in my journal… I was turning 50 and examining my past. It soon became clear to me that I needed to write all of my stories from my time in Afghanistan, and the idea for a memoir was born. My friend was also going through a similar exercise, so we agreed to wake each other up at 6:00 AM every morning to write. With each other’s support, we completed our first memoirs in six months.
Melissa in Afghanistan as a twenty-something reporter
KP: Your characters were well-developed and believable. How were you able to capture the details from your past so vividly? Did you journal along the way? Did being a filmmaker help you?
MB: I did journal while I was aboard, but my entries were much more about the facts and names then the actual emotional experience. I discovered that, as I started to remember (30 years later), I found myself inhabiting the memories via my remembered sensations of the time. It was like one memory led to another, then another. I am a visual person and could see the past stretching out before me. Sometimes my recollections didn’t seem to make sense–like I could see roses in Peshawar yet I also remembered how dry the climate was there. Only when I googled roses plus Peshawar did I understand how accurate my memory had been. The British had planted many rose bushes in Pakistan–and there are many poems and songs about the roses of Peshawar.
KP: Most memoir writers find self-discovery and surprises in writing their stories. How did writing your memoir help you “encounter the sacred”?
MB: I became more aware of the overarching connections between my experiences, milestones and lessons learned. Before writing the memoir, I had seen them as separate and distinct from each other… not as the evolving, inner transformation and wisdom that led me to the next stage in my life. I saw the theme of that time in my life emerge —adventure, courage, anxiety, discovery, intuition, sexuality, relationships, etc.
KP: Anyone writing a memoir knows that writing our truths can be risky. Did you fear any repercussions from the intimate details you revealed about the Afghan culture, the people and your mother? If so, how did you handle this?
MB: So far, I’ve received a lot of support and also heard some concerns over the telling my story. My sister confirmed a lot of the family memories I had of when we were little, which was very helpful. I had some pushback from one of the main characters and we agreed I would change her name. I had expected more support from some, but I understand not everyone wants to be in a memoir.
KP: What is the main takeaway you want to convey through your story?
MB: I want people to go beyond their comfort zone, to discover the courage to go on an adventure, to challenge themselves... Their journey can be as simple as taking a new route home from work. It’s more about paying attention, following their intuition, and discovering what matters to them. I did an interview with author , educator, psychotherapist Maureen Murdock who wrote “The Heroine’s Journey: Woman’s Quest for Wholeness,” and she shared her belief that women need to be okay with disappointing others. To me, that means that others may not be supportive as we take off on new adventures but we have to do it anyway.
KP: Do you have any memoir writing tips to share?
MB: I’m a big fan of journal writing as a starting place. Write in your journal until you feel called to fill in more of the details. Turn your memories into stepping stones for a bigger message. Where are these stories leading you? Keep writing!
***
Thank you, Melissa for sharing your adventures and your journey to memoir with us. I am intrigued that you worked with a partner in completing your memoirs in six months. It sounds like you had a lot of the ground work already done through your journals. Your story clearly shows what stepping out of your comfort zone looks and feels like–an adventure that led to your spiritual growth. Best wishes on your book tour!
***
About Journey Through War and Peace:
My Journey Through War and Peace: Explorations of a Young Filmmaker, Feminist and Spiritual Seeker is an adventurous spiritual memoir about a woman in her twenties who seeks self-discovery and connection to something greater in the midst of danger in Afghanistan during the Soviet invasion and in the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
My Journey Through War and Peace, the first memoir of Melissa Burch’s Pathfinder Trilogy, will be published by Mosaic Press on March 1st, 2016.
Links to ordering: http://www.amazon.com/Journey-Through-War-Peace-Explorations/dp/1771611774/
About the Author:
Melissa Burch has worked as a writer, filmmaker, producer and former war journalist for the BBC, CBS, and other networks. Her team was one of the first documentary crews in the Soviet Union at the height of the Cold War, and a story about her in Afghanistan was featured in The New York Times. She was just in her twenties when she traveled with the mujahedeen, filmed an attack on a Soviet convoy, slept with an Afghan commander, and climbed 14,000 foot mountains in the Hindu Kush. These experiences and many more are featured in her forthcoming adventurous spiritual memoir, My Journey Through War and Peace.
Burch was the executive producer of “Women in Limbo Presents,” a national public television series about women’s lives, and she served as president of the New York Film/Video Council. Her book, The Four Methods of Journal Writing: Finding Yourself Through Memoir, was a #1 Amazon bestseller and is still in the top 10 in its category. She is also a homeopath. She co-founded the Catalyst School of Homeopathy, and produced and hosted one of the first successful radio shows on Voice America on homeopathy. When she’s not cooking dinner for friends and family, she enjoys writing and speaking about her books, travels and spiritual practice.
Adventurous Spiritual Memoir Book Trailer: My Journey Through War and Peace:
Author’s Contact Information:
Website:www.melissa-burch.com
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/melissacaitlinburch
Twitter: @melissaburch
Instagram:https://instagram.com/melissacburch/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissaburch
***
How about you? Have you experienced a spiritual transformation in writing or reading memoir?
Melissa has graciously offered to give away a copy of her memoir to a commenter whose name will be selected in a random drawing.
We’d love to hear from you. Please leave your comments below~
***
Next Week:
Monday, 03/07/16:
“Finding Words For a Miracle: A Discussion with Memoir Author Lene Fogelberg”
Lene is the author of the award-winning memoir, Beautiful Affliction.
February 29, 2016
Detours and Diversions: A Memoir Moment
Posted by Kathleen Pooler/@kathypooler
“In the moment, you most likely won’t know how valuable such detours will prove to be, but life has a way of revealing the hidden magic in these moments down the road at the appropriate time.”
― Shannon Ables
Photo Credit: Google Images
Detours and Diversions
We’ve all been there–moving along in our daily lives with a long list of to-dos on our way to who-knows-where, when it happens. An event, person, moment occurs when we realize that life as we know it has changed forever. It stops us in our tracks and keeps us frozen in time. A detour on our road sends us hurling with uncertainty down another path. The unfamiliarity is unsettling and scary.
Several weeks ago, this moment happened to me when the nephrologist I have been seeing for the past three years for chronic kidney disease secondary to cancer chemotherapy, and I came to an agreement that it was time to move forward with the next treatment option—home peritoneal dialysis-where a tube will be implanted in my abdomen and I will hook myself up to a bedside machine every night. A solution will be infused in, sit for a few hours to filter the circulating toxins and then drain out. The membranes and blood vessels in my abdomen will serve as a filter to replace my kidneys. It will take about two weeks of training at the Home Dialysis Center forty miles away to get fully oriented to doing this myself. This is different—less invasive– than hemodialysis which requires inpatient treatment three times per week.
Photo Credit: www.kidneysupport.org
Prior to this moment, the concept had been the elephant in the room. The mere thought of it sent me into waves of tears and anticipatory grief for what I would be losing—mostly my freedom to come and go as I pleased.
With Dr. H’s encouragement, my husband Wayne and I visited the nurse at the Home Dialysis Center last July. This turned out to be a pivotal point in my acceptance process as I began to understand the specifics of the procedure. Most important though was the shift in my perception from home peritoneal dialysis being a life-limiting procedure to it being a viable option that will extend my life and improve its quality.
With that in mind, I continued to skate through my days, planning trips and doing the activities I most loved to do—visiting friends, attending writing conferences, going to exercise classes–intent on living my life to the fullest. But my body signaled its distress and I have to honor its messages, to listen and make the necessary changes; in a phrase, slow down.
So when I entered the exam room on that day, I was fully aware that this option was getting very close to happening.
Detours and Diversions: A Memoir Moment
Wayne and I sat quietly side by side in the plastic chairs that lined the wall of the exam room.
“That’s what my kidneys are supposed to look like”, I said, pointing to the poster on the wall of functioning kidneys. “I can imagine what my poor kidneys look like now, all shriveled up after futile attempts to do their job in my body.”
Wayne remained silent, as he often does, listening while I unleashed my feelings.
Soon, Dr. H. entered the room with his medical student in tow, extending his hand in greeting,” Hello, Mrs. Pooler ” His wide smile was contagious and his hand grip solid and welcoming.
I have grown to admire this tall, handsome forty-something man with the warm, dark eyes and gentle demeanor.
“I have many patients who have been on home dialysis for twenty years, and are living full lives,” he said, adding, “they would be dead if they didn’t have this option.”
” In my home country of India, people can’ t afford to do dialysis and they die.” He said.
I nodded in response and felt my gratitude growing for the insurance I had that covered the treatment and for Wayne’s loving presence in my life.
“Let me show you your lab work.”
He swung his swivel chair around to his computer and motioned me to look at the labs. With that, I saw the reality in black and white and instantly understood why I had been feeling so crumby.
It was decision time and Dr. H made it clear that I had the option of postponing it a little longer. It was my decision how and when we would proceed.
I looked over at Wayne who said, “It’s up to you.”
After a few moments of silence, with multiple scenarios rushing through my mind about how my life and schedule would be disrupted, I took a deep breath and said, the tears now forming,
“ I just want to feel better. Let’s do it.”
Dr. H. handed me a box of tissues and listened to my ramblings, then held out his hand to me,
“I’m with you all the way.”
***
The next step was to see the surgeon who evaluated me for an abdominal catheter placement which was done on Friday, 2/26/16. I’m ready to move forward, the proud owner of a permanently placed abdominal catheter. The plan is to participate in the dialysis training on 3/14 through 3/23 then start home dialysis.
No doubt, it will get worse before it gets better but the elephant has morphed into a mouse, an annoying distraction that I will learn to live with.
I’ve been here before, nineteen years ago when I was diagnosed with Stage Four Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in 1996. After two years of treatment, I went back to work as a nurse practitioner and after one of my first days back, came home to Wayne, complaining about some minor irritation. His response stopped me cold in my tracks,
“You can’t let the tadpoles and termites get you down when you just finished killing a grizzly bear.”
My response was to write it down and tape it to my refrigerator door as a daily reminder to keep it all in perspective. I still have that note.
As we walked out of Dr. H.’s office, Wayne said,
“It’s time to kill another grizzly bear.”
Life happens and hope matters. And lucky for me, I am a writer and can easily be diverted…
***
How about you? Can you recall any moments that stopped you in your tracks and made you realize that life as you knew it changed forever?
I’d love to hear from you. Please leave your comments below~
ANNOUNCEMENT: Congratulations, Marian Beaman! Your name was selected in a random drawing of commenters to receive Alyssa Archer’s and Leslie Watt’s book, 101 Creative Writing Prompts for Memoir Writers.
This Week:
Monday, 02/29/16:
February 2016 Newsletter: “Lent and Spiritual Awakenings”
If you are interested in receiving the monthly newsletter with memoir musings, updates and Max Moments, please sign up on the right side bar. I’d love to have you along!
Thursday, 03/03/16″
“Encountering the Sacred in Memoir: An Interview with Memoir Author Melissa Burch.”
Melissa is the author of My Journey of War and Peace:Explorations of a Young Filmmaker, Feminist and Spiritual Seeker. Melissa has offered to give away a copy of her memoir to a commenter whose name will be selected in a random drawing
Monday, 03/07/16:
“Finding Words For a Miracle: A Discussion with Memoir Author Lene Fogelberg.”
Lene is the author of the award-winning memoir, Beautiful Affliction
February 22, 2016
The Power of Writing Prompts for Memoir by Author Leslie Watts
Posted by Kathleen Pooler/@kathypooler with Leslie Watts/@TheWritership
“Memoir is not a declaration of the American success story, one undeviating road, the conquering of one mountaintop after another. The puddle began in downfall. The milk didn’t get to the mouth. Whatever your life, it is urging you to record it—to embrace the crumbs with the cake. It’s why so many of us want to write memoir. We know the particulars, but what really went on? We want the emotional truths under the surface that drove our life.”
—Natalie Goldberg, Old Friend from Far Away: The Practice of Writing Memoir
How often have you sat down to write with one intention in mind and have something–a memory, a person, an event –show up on the page in the process of writing? The creative process seems to lead the way and the best we can do is to be open to it. Writing prompts can get those creative juices flowing and kickstart your book.
I am pleased to feature Leslie Watt of Writership Publications in this guest post about the benefits of using writing prompts in the creative process. Leslie and I met online and I reviewed her new writing book, 101 Creative Writing Prompts for Memoir Writers, which she co-authored with Alyssa Archer. I know from personal experience that a writing prompt can open up ideas, feelings and lead to new discoveries. Even if you tend not to use writing prompts , I hope you’ll enjoy reading what Leslie has to say.
My reviews can be found on: Amazon, Goodreads,LibraryThings and Riffle.
Welcome, Leslie!
Leslie Watts (R) with co-author Alyssa Archer (L)
The Power of Writing Prompts in Memoir
Writing Prompts are deeply supportive of the writing process generally and particularly for memoir, whether you want to publish a book, record memories for your family, or simply make sense of your life. Starting with a word, topic, or picture is one way to enter and make contact with the raw materials of our memoir: memories. Once you get the memories down, you can discern or create a structure and step back to figure out what you want to say about a particular time or place.
Writing prompts get short shrift. Critics say we need a kick in the pants. “Sit down and write the story.” But not everyone can dive in that way. Unseen forces of resistance get in the way. Maybe we were told never to share family business outside of the family. Without knowing it, those limiting messages stop us from charging headlong into our memoir. Sometimes we need to take a more gentle and indirect route.
Writing prompts have a way of helping us focus on and uncover things we wouldn’t otherwise find. We’ve all had that experience of trying to think of that thing on the tip of our tongue in the moment. It simply won’t come until we’re washing the dishes or taking a shower. A good prompt will lead you where you need to go and tease around the edges so that you can open and find the deep center. We know we have something to say, but we don’t know what it is yet or how to say it. Writing prompts along with free writing (keep your hand going, no editing or censoring) help us access what we are hiding from ourselves.
And writing prompts can help with writer’s block. If you keep a list of potential prompts handy, you’ll never be staring at a blank page or screen wondering what to write. Copy the prompt and write for fifteen or twenty or thirty minutes without stopping. What did you find? Maybe nothing this time, but often you will find the Truth.
What prompts should you use? You’ll want to find what works best for you and your project by experimenting. Sometimes I use a more focused prompt: Everything I know about the house on Patricia Street. Sometimes I go fishing for what my mind wants to reveal: I remember, what I really mean to say is, I’m looking at. When you’ve written on one prompt for a while, you might try its opposite as well. I don’t remember, what I don’t mean to say is, I’m not looking at. This practice allows you to get at what Natalie Goldberg calls the underbelly, what we wouldn’t write normally tells us more about ourselves and our lives than what we’re willing to reveal.
Most often, I use words and phrases or pictures as prompts. I have a list of prompts that I come back to regularly. My writing partner and I read books and pull phrases from them for inspiration. Here is a collection from our last writing session: still struggling; see the world differently; leap into the lake of writing; know the author better; hints, stories, examples. You can take the first line of a favorite story or choose the last line and write up to it. You are limited only by your imagination and your willingness to explore.
Beyond word-based prompts, it’s good to involve your senses as well. I get concrete results when I write about meals I’ve eaten. There is something about food that allows me to dig into the memories. If you listen to music from a particular time in your life (I recommend using Pandora, Songza, or YouTube to find songs), you can contact a different level of memory.
My Writership co-captain, Alyssa Archer, and I have led a workshop called Scentsational Writing. Alyssa prepared several small jars with strong scents, some pleasant and some not so pleasant. All were stimulating, not just to our noses, but to our minds and memories. We smelled the jars, picked one scent to focus on, and then wrote for fifteen minutes. Many of us who explored these scents went immediately to old memories, things we hadn’t thought of in years. The smell of rubbing alcohol transports me back to a doctor’s office where I received a shot of penicillin. The smell of almond extract took another writer to her grandmother’s kitchen. These memories were rich with details: visual, auditory, and olfactory.
Keep a list of these topics in a document, a note-taking app, or on the last page of your notebook. Sometimes, let your writing practice be to collect lists: places I have lived, cars I have ridden, vacations I have taken, people who have broken my heart. The results will provide more fodder for your explorations.
Alyssa and I believe in the power of writing prompts so much that we’ve written five writing prompt books and include at least one writing prompt every day in our year-long program to help people write a novel. We post Pictures & Prompts on our website each weekend because we feel that not knowing what to write should never be a reason not to.
I hope you’ll give writing prompts a try to see what they bring to your memoir.
***
Thank you Leslie for offering these practical writing tips specific to memoir writers. My favorite line is “writing prompts have a way of helping us focus on and uncover things we wouldn’t otherwise find.” It reminds me that memoir writing is an excavation process and can benefit from a few tools to guide the way.
***
Author Bio:
Leslie Watts is an author, blogger, podcaster, editor, and co-captain of Writership. She co-authored 101 Creative Writing Prompts for Memoir Writers with Alyssa Archer. Leslie has authored and co-authored a total of twenty-six books, including writing books and children’s books. She lives in Austin, Texas where she’s been writing and using prompts for more than fifteen years.
Contact Information:
You can find her online at www.Writership.org. https://www.facebook.com/Writership/
https://plus.google.com/b/112296100323269575251/112296100323269575251/posts
https://twitter.com/TheWritership
https://www.pinterest.com/writership/
https://www.instagram.com/writership/
http://thewritership.tumblr.com
Book Synopsis:
Writership is pleased to present the first in our series of creative writing prompt books. 101 Creative Writing Prompts for Memoir Writers is chock full of gorgeous pictures and written prompts for you to jump start that memoir you’ve been wanting to write. Complete with an introduction to free-writing, this book provides lots of fodder for your creative explorations. Approach the prompts in order or flip to a random page for new inspiration. Revisit the prompts for a deeper dive into the topic at hand. When combined with a daily practice, these prompts will help illuminate the themes and messages you want to write about in your memoir. Explore your life’s defining experiences, adventure, adversity, and accomplishments through these writing exercises.
Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Creative-Writing-Prompts-Writership-Publications-ebook/dp/B00NKRYNZ8/.
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How about you? Do writing prompts help stimulate your writing process? Do you have anything else to add to Leslie’s suggestions from your own experiences?
Writership Publications has graciously agreed to give away a copy of 101 Creative Writing Prompts for Memoir Writers to a commenter whose name will be selected in a random drawing.
We’d love to hear from you. Please leave your comments below~
Next Week:
Monday, 02/29/16:
“Detours and Diversions: A Memoir Moment”
February 2016 Newsletter: “Lent and Spiritual Awakenings”.
If you’d like to receive the monthly newsletter via email, please sign up on the right side bar. I’d love to have you along!
