Writing Your Life
I love this. Abigail Thomas has a thoughtful piece in AARP The Magazine on writing a memoir, saying, "To write a memoir, cultivate the habit of listening to yourself." Not only does she talk about her own personal journey towards and through memoir-writing, but gives us inspirational advice on how to tune into our inner writer, step by step. One snippet I like:
Writing is the way I ground myself, what keeps me sane. Writing is the way I try to make sense of my life, try to find meaning in accident, reasons why what happens happens--even though I know that why is a distraction, and meaning you have to cobble together yourself.Sometimes just holding a pen in my hand and writing milk butter eggs sugar calms me. Truth is what I'm ultimately after--truth or clarity. I think truth's what we're all after, although I'd never have said such a thing when I was young. Writing memoir is a way to figure out who you used to be and how you got to be who you are.
She reminds us that a memoir isn't a journal of who you are, but how you got to where and who you are; in other words - the story behind it. After all, everyone has a story to tell.
Tags: AARP The Magazine, Abigail Thomas, journal, memoir, writing
Comments
John Belville says:
I've written all my life. I find it relaxing and sometimes grounding. I can't take myself too seriously when I write down some of the stupid things I've thought and done. But, to be honest, writing is a way to communicate with myself, to be in touch with myself and my feelings. Men have real problems sometimes with that...feelings, I mean. We have majored in stuffing them for centuries and that exercise has often left us sick and weary. Writing can help rid myself of myself.
02/26/09 10:52 AM
Earl Barrett 31292599 says:
I have to beleive that the health care and retirements provided for and by the politicians of these United States for themselves, should also be provided to every United States Veteran who served in any of the U.S. Military Services, especially those in a position of danger that no Politician ever faces, and usually in less time, and value.
02/26/09 10:30 PM