A New Book About Writing Memoir

You don't have to be a professional writer to write memoir pieces. You don't have to write an entire memoir book either. Bits and pieces of your life can be written in a few hundred words. Looking at the past tense of our lives and our families has become a popular pastime. Check any bookstore for the myriad number of memoir books on their shelves. You've probably all read more than one. And, if you haven't, try one or two. They can be fascinating reading.

Anyone can write a memoir piece, but maybe you're not sure how to begin, how much to include, or where to end it. There have been a lot of How-To books published that will help the lay person in this endeavor. One of the very best has been published in 2010. The Power of Memoir with a subtitle of How To Write Your Healing Story was written by Linda Joy Myers, PHD. Dr Myers is a psychotherapist and also president of the National Association of Memoir Writers. So who better to bring us a very worthwhile How-To book like this?

Not all memoirs are written as a means to healing the hurts and puzzles we endured in our growing-up years, but some are. Dr. Myers book helps those looking for this healing but also those who only want to write a memoir of their 'never had a problem in my life' kind of story. I have a feeling there are fewer of those people than the ones who had some obstacles along that road to adulthood and beyond.

I had read a review of Dr. Myers book and it interested me enough to have my library find a copy for me. When only a third of the way through the book, I ordered a copy from Amazon as I knew this is a book I will read more than once and will use to refer to over and over again when I'm writing my family stories. I wanted it on my bookshelf.

The book gives an 8 step program. When I reached the third step, which is Planning Your Memoir, I found that the many sections listed acted as triggers that opened my memory bank to thngs that may have been buried for years. I became excited about the many stories that I might write based on those oft-forgotten memories.

You can write a memoir story now or wait until you have read this book. Or write it now and then write it again after you've read the book. Compare the two. Write the story for your family but more importantly, write it for yourself.