Are Our Memoirs the New Mythologies for Our Times?

[Melissa]

After a conversation with an agent interested in my book, "My Journey Through War and Peace: Explorations of a Young Filmmaker, Feminist and Spiritual Seeker," I became interested in this question about memoir as myth-making.

We are rewriting our histories, reframing our stories, becoming aware of our personal and collective origins, when we write our memoirs.

Do we change and inspire ourselves and our readers when we recognize the themes and myths of our lives?

I would love to hear your thoughts!

[Russ]

Melissa
Great question.
Yeah, history (for us writers certainly) is a blob of clay with only a clock to shape it. When I was writing HEROIC HEART about my dad and my sons... I became hyper aware of perspective, of how history writers must make shapes out of raw clay. The story is about my father's last year and a half, after finding out he had ALS. Not an inherently funny story, but I write comedy. And there were some brilliantly funny moments. Which, to me, only augment the sweet moments. Makes them more endearing. To me, all of writing (fiction/non-fiction) is the task of carefully, gently sometimes, taking the reader on an emotional journey. An emotionally satisfying journey. And that is what the clay most be shaped into.
Russ WoodyHeroic Heart -- A Story about Fathers and Sons

[Melissa]

Thanks for Russ--so if you don't mind me getting personal:) It's funny for us memoirists to think how personal we are with the reader:) So what would you say was the guiding theme with your being with your father's ALS? Has this theme changed since writing your memoir?

[Jeffrey]

Melissa, Seems to me a memoir must have a theme or purpose beyond simply relating facts. Otherwise, a memoir is no different than a series of news stories or a personal journal. And a theme might express the deep truth of a myth. I've been teaching class on memoir writing 2X/year through the Indiana Writers Center, and have make this point in the class. So, I particularly appreciate that you've brought it to the group.

[Russ]

Melissa
You're great with the questions. What so profoundly struck me was the very un-profound realization that -- You gotta make use of your time now. Take in those moments. Absorb them, or rather learn how to absorb them. It' so funny, my dad was a WWII Marine, a Republican (I'm not), not a wimp. But during that time we had together, we'd be watching TV and he'd reach over and hold my hand. THAT'S a moment to take in, to hold dear to the heart and to call up when you need to.

[Melissa]

Russ, Your answer brought tears... During the holidays when we get together with loved ones this message is so profound. Thank you for sharing:)

[Melissa]

Jeffrey,
The theme and purpose is what matters in the memoir!

I'm wondering about the micro-connecting we do on social media and how that can weave into a theme and purpose.

In my memoir I go to Afghanistan and the former Soviet Union (the war and peace theme broadened into male/female energies and how to weave/synthesize them into telling the story as personal expression/identity.

So how do we take conflict and resolutions in daily life (that we share on Twitter/blogs/Facebook/etc.)? Do we find a method to live by by sharing publicly?

Are we guiding ourselves and others with these posts?

Just wondering...:)

[Martin]

I find a similar question presents itself when writing resumes or obits. I feel everyone is entitled to write their "best" version of themselves...we are the authors of our daze