Prompts on the Brain

By Jill Earl

Here’s are a selection of prompts to try, courtesy of A Working Writer’s Daily Planner 2010.

For this first one, ‘Travel’, you begin by cutting out pictures from the travel section of a newspaper such as the New York Times. Lay them out and imagine a trip for your character. Write about what they did and saw, anything that comes to mind---and if the character has left anything behind at home. Perhaps having your character get away from it all can help you get away from that writer’s block.

Next up, ‘Mirror Image’. Think about the kind of life you’d have if you had a double, not a biological twin. What would they be like? What kind of life would they lead? Write a scene where you meet them. What if you had a third self, one you wouldn’t want? Last thing---how about all three of you going out for lunch?

Here’s the last one. Find a story that intrigues or fascinates you. Try writing yourself into it as a character. Oh, the places you could go with this one! (Thanks, Dr. Seuss!)

So if you find yourself hitting a wall in your writing, think about using prompts. Perhaps having ‘prompts on the brain’ can help keep your writing fresh.

And keep those submissions going!

Friday Speak Out!: "From Almost Famous . . . To the Cutting-room Floor," Guest Post by Dallas Nicole Woodburn

FROM ALMOST FAMOUS . . . TO THE CUTTING-ROOM FLOOR

by Dallas Nicole Woodburn

Soon, my face will be on that big screen, I thought, as the plush theater seats steadily filled around me for the red-carpet premiere. I’ll be famous!

Okay, almost famous. Or, maybe, recognizable. Possibly. Around campus.

“Why are you here, dear?” asked the Versace-dressed woman beside me in the center-aisle VIP second-row seats.

I tried, but failed, to hide my smile. “I’m in The Movie,” I said, excitement overwhelming any small dose of humility I possessed.

Okay, so maybe movie isn’t the right word. It was more of a short film; a documentary to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the University of Southern California, where I was a freshman majoring in Creative Writing. As a student with two published books to my name (first editions still available!) they interviewed me twice, for more than an hour each time, asking all sorts of questions: Why did you choose USC? Do you like the writing program? If you see Pete Carroll, will you get his autograph for me?

I spoke about the energy and school spirit on campus, how President Sample (who had come across my second book) wrote me a personal letter welcoming me to the university, and I mentioned I was looking forward to having T.C. Boyle, one of my favorite authors, as a professor in upcoming years. I was thoughtful, I was eloquent, I was charming. “You’re a natural,” the cameraman told me.

Now. The lights went down. I patiently fidgeted through each big-screen interview, until suddenly my face appeared, as huge as Dan Brown’s advance check.

“I’m sooooo excited about having T.C. Boyle as a professor!” On-Screen Me gushed.

The camera cut to Professor Boyle, looking as Hollywood as ever in his trademark red Converse high-tops, a suit-jacket over a black T-shirt, and sunglasses hanging from a bead Zen-like necklace. “I think I provide an inspiration for them,” he said. He paused, then added the punchline – and punch to my stomach: “Because they think, if he can do it, anybody can!”

He laughed.

I cringed.

I waited for the film to return to me – this time Calm Me, regaining face with a more poised comment – but soon the closing music swelled, the credits rolled, the lights came up, and it was Over. Finished. My starring role was reduced to a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it line that made me seem like a teeny-bopper with a crush. Meanwhile, my two hours – minus eight seconds – of brilliant interview lay on the digital-age equivalent of the cutting room floor. I might be “a natural,” but I decided, then and there, to stick with screenwriting.

* * *

“If you're writing screenplays, STOP IT!” Ray Bradbury exclaimed, his voice filling the packed auditorium. “Hollywood’s full of $#*&!”

The audience roared, but his words made me shrink. If the great Ray Bradbury has trouble selling scripts, surely I’m full of $#*& for thinking I can.

And yet, here I was nine months later at the Santa Barbara Writers Conference, teaching a workshop for young writers – and also slipping into the highly acclaimed Walter Dallenbach’s screenwriting workshop whenever I got a chance. Here, I joined a group of two-dozen other Hollywood hopefuls to read our screenplays aloud for “flow,” all of us dreaming that our script will become the next Sundance surprise.

“I was walking in downtown L.A. last week,” Walter told us, “and I randomly asked ten people what problem they were having with their screenplay. Of those ten people, only two gave me strange looks and said they weren’t working on a screenplay – the remaining eight of them launched into detailed descriptions of their plot holes and character troubles.” A few people laughed. “I’m not joking,” Walter insisted. “Hollywood’s full of $#*&&% screenwriters!”

* * *

The final night of the Santa Barbara conference, T.C. Boyle – wearing his trademark ensemble of red high-top Converse sneakers and T-shirt/suit jacket – read a sneak snippet from his latest book. Incredibly, the guy still doesn’t know who I am, even aft er I sent him a copy of my book, introduced myself at the L.A. Times Festival of Books, and cornered him in the English department elevator, where I lamely stammered “Y-y-yes” when he asked what floor I wanted.

Even though a number of his novels have been made into feature films, Boyle echoed Bradbury’s comments, saying: “I don’t fool around with screenplays. I sell the rights and let Hollywood deal with it.”

Later, T.C. – who had been introduced by his full name, Thomas Coraghessan Boyle – signed books. I joined the long line of eager fans, hoping he hadn’t yet gotten a restraining order against me for stalking. Fifteen minutes later, I was staring at my nervous reflection in Boyle’s mirrored sunglasses, while he read my name from the sticky-note placed on the book’s title page to speed up the process. “Dallas . . .” he said, the syllables rolling slowly off his tongue, as if perhaps I was indeed vaguely familiar, then noticed my “Young Writers Program Faculty” name-tag. “How were the kids?” he asked, gesturing to it with his pen.

“I had a lit agent talk to them yesterday,” I said, trying to coolly, and finally, make a memorable impression. “He told the class he’s interested in anything – fiction, nonfiction, thrillers, romance. Anything except science fiction or fantasy. Then, he went around the room and asked each kid, one by one, what kind of book they’re working on, and, one by one, they told him, ‘Fantasy. Science fiction. Fantasy. . .’ Nothing but science fiction and fantasy, all twenty-four of them!”

The moment stretched seemingly as long as a Peter Jackson movie, and then . . . he laughed. Thomas Coraghessan Boyle laughed.

“You’re a natural,” T.C. said. I beamed, even though I knew the compliment was pure Hollywood: full of $#*&.

* * *

Dallas Woodburn, 22, is the author of two collections of short stories and a forthcoming novel. Her short fiction has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and has appeared in the literary magazines Monkeybicycle, Arcadia Journal, Cicada, The Newport Review, and flashquake, among others. She has also written articles for Family Circle, Writer's Digest, Motherwords, and The Los Angeles Times. Find out more about her nonprofit literacy foundation and youth publishing company at www.writeonbooks.org and http://dallaswoodburn.blogspot.com/

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Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!

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Young Adult Power Surge

Young adult literature is taking the world by storm right now, and I'm so excited that I get to be a part of providing information to readers about what I like to call the "young adult power surge." I was lucky enough to guest edit the current March/April issue of WOW!, which went live TODAY. And it's all about YA! This issue is full of awesome articles about censorship issues, voice, writing nonfiction for teens, using technology to reach readers, finding inspiration for this age group, and more. You don't want to miss any of the articles if you are a YA writer, a wanna-be YA writer, or a YA reader. Just click on the link to the WOW! e-zine over to the left of this post, and you'll be taken to the issue.

Some of my friends, who are over the age of 30, love YA books and are always recommending them to me. They actually read more YA books than adult books; and when you pick up books like Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, Crank by Ellen Hopkins, or City of Bones by Cassandra Clare, it's not hard to see why. Not to mention the Twilight and Harry Potter crazes--teens aren't the only ones responsible for shooting Stephenie Meyer and J. K. Rowling to stardom--adults love them, too.

What is it about this genre? Why is it so popular? Why are adults, like me, marking down the date on their calendars for the release of the last book in the Hunger Games trilogy this summer? I wish I had the magic answer, but I don't. Sometimes, I think it's because we all wish we were teenagers again, but with the knowledge we currently have. So, when we're reading these books, we picture ourselves in this turmoil and how we would get out of it with all our new-found knowledge. Other times, I think we love YA because the writers work so hard to present honest characters in unique situations, and we just fall in love with them. Could it be because these books are just plain good?

What about you? Do you love YA literature even though you're an adult? What are some of your favorites? And by all means, if you have the magic answer of why YA is so hot right now and/or why we love it so much no matter what our age, please share with us!

Happy reading and writing!
Margo L. Dill
http://margodill.com/blog/
http://www.twitter.com/Margo_L_Dill

Straight Talk About Self Publishing: An Interview with Miles Nelson of Dog Ear Publishing

With traditional publishers publishing fewer titles per year because of dwindling profits and the growth of digital media, many authors are considering their publishing options.

Some writers are frustrated with the difficulty of acquiring representation by an agent, and others are unhappy with the advance, royalties, or contract terms from a traditional publishing house, and then there are others who want more control and a larger percentage of their book sales. Those writers are the ones looking into self-publishing options with one primary goal in mind: to get their books into the hands of readers.

But how do you go about self publishing your book? What do self publishers do for you?

To help you navigate these tough choices and to give you a better understanding of your options, we've invited Miles Nelson of Dog Ear Publishing to answer some of our questions on the subject. Out of all the self-publishing companies, Dog Ear Publishing is the least expensive and the most upfront with their costs and process. Their site offers excellent information to help you compare various services. Writer's Digest featured Dog Ear Publishing as a "Get Smart Self-Publishing Resource" in their March/April '09 issue.

Interview by Jodi Webb

WOW: Welcome, Miles. Thank you for taking the time to chat with us today about self publishing! First, take us back to the unlikely start of your business. How do a geologist, astronomer, and graphic designer come together to create a self-publishing company?

Miles: Our bios make it sound like we came from completely different places in order to start Dog Ear Publishing. Actually, the three of us spent years in the traditional publishing and graphic arts industry. Our experiences include marketing of books for publishing companies, purchasing books for a bookstore chain, and producing books for some of the largest publishers in the country. However, in 2004 my partners and I decided to strike out on our own in the self publishing industry that, at the time, felt like the Wild West. And we've enjoyed every minute of it.

WOW: Well, if it isn't the Wild West anymore, do you think self publishing is the future of the industry?

Miles: It's difficult to predict what will happen to traditional publishing as their profits decrease and new technologies challenge their models. However, I remain comfortable in saying that the future includes both traditional and self-publishing industries. Traditional publishers, because of shrinking profits, technological advancements and amazing industry twists, will face a much more challenging future. I am confident that self publishing, including Dog Ear Publishing, will continue to grow as more authors become familiar with self publishing's strengths such as ownership of work, speed of production, and profit potential. At Dog Ear Publishing, for example, we take advantage of cutting edge technologies and industry trends. We embrace trends like e-books, and already produce e-books with four major readers--Kindle, Sony, Apple, and Barnes and Noble's Nook.

WOW: Tell us about your typical client...are certain books, topics or authors more natural for self publishing?

Miles: A typical self published author falls into one of the following general categories:

1. The author that remains hopeful that they'll eventually be traditionally published but doesn't want to wait any longer in getting published.
2. The author wants to maintain ownership and control over their material.
3. The author that wants to profit from their work and isn't satisfied with the traditional publishing payment model.

I feel that any author is a good fit for Dog Ear Publishing. Our services are flexible to meet the needs of all authors.

WOW: What are the advantages of self publishing?

Miles: Advantages to self publishing include the author's maintaining control and ownership of their work. I'm always impressed with the passion an author has for their work. I'm often told that their book is their baby. An author wants the finished book to be perfect and they want it to be their own.

Another big advantage is time. Self publishing enables the author to be proactive. They decide when to publish as opposed to waiting for a traditional publisher to "accept" their manuscript. This can be very empowering to an author. By the way, self publishing doesn't shut the door on whether an author can traditionally publish. In fact, self publishing their book may even accelerate the process or even open doors that, for the most part, are completely closed to first time or unknown authors.

Self publishing is a perfect option for books with extremely limited market potential. We've done a number of books that have regional or even smaller market appeal. A traditional publisher would find this sort of book unappealing if the potential for sales is too small.

Lastly, a big advantage to self publishing is profit potential. An author choosing to self publish is like a small business owner. Many authors to a lot of work in marketing their books. As a result, many of them profit from their efforts.

WOW: Do you have a vetting process or do you accept all clients?

Miles: Generally, we accept all works from authors with a few minor exceptions. Remember, this is self publishing, the author owns the rights to their work. It isn't our place to judge whether an author should be published. We leave that to traditional publishers. By the way, it is interesting to see more and more traditional publishers getting into the self publishing market either by partnering with a self publisher or by purchasing their way into the market.

WOW: The industry is definitely reimagining itself. How much say does a Dog Ear author have about when a book is released, title and cover design, size of book, size of the run, etc.?

Miles: The author has complete control over the look of their book and the timing of their publishing date. Remember, the author owns the book. They get to decide how the book's interior and cover will look. Additionally, the author decides on the retail price. Author control and author ownership are the names of the game with Dog Ear Publishing.

WOW: Do you provide any marketing or promotion for your authors?

Miles: Dog Ear Publishing provides marketing assistance. For example, we can develop online marketing campaigns to drive traffic to an author's website. We build these websites and equip them to sell and fulfill orders. In addition to marketing, we also provide tools to assist authors profit more on each sale.

WOW: Can you tell us about some of your best-selling books or authors?

Miles: Success is all in the eye of the author. Each author has a different measure for success. In terms of sales success, I have a feeling this is what you are interested in; we published a book by Jim Johnson on treating your own rotator cuff injury. He sells thousands of books a quarter.

[Editor's note: you can see a list of their published titles here. Including a book from one of WOW's friends--Moira Allen of Writing-World.Com!]

WOW: That's impressive! I wouldn't mind selling thousands of books a quarter and keeping the majority of the profits, no less. And one final just-because-I'm-nosy question: how did you come up with the name of your company?

Miles: Our name gets a lot of attention. You "dog ear" a page of a book that you want to remember. Thankfully, we were feeling very creative the day we came up with our name. The dog on our website is named Chooch and is owned by one of my partners.

WOW: I have a feeling a lot of readers will be "dog earing" your company. And say hello to Chooch for us!

To learn more about self publishing, read these helpful articles on the Dog Ear site:
Choosing a Path: Traditional Publishing or Self-Publishing
Self-Publishing Explained
Compare Self-Publishing Companies
The Publishing Process
How to Write a Book Marketing Plan
Amazon Sales Rank Explained (Great explanation, finally!, of what those Amazon numbers mean.)

The site also has so many useful resources and sections including: "Author Kit," which contains information on pricing your book, parts of a book, and manuscript format; "Publishing Basics," which contains information on how to publish a book, how much it costs, ISBNs and barcodes, On-Demand publishing, and copyrights and permissions; and even a section for writing resources and a recommended reading list of books about self-publishing.

You can also sign up to receive a free report: The Five Things You Must Do Before Publishing.

Arlene L. Walker, 2nd Place Winner - Fall 2009 Flash Fiction Contest

Arlene’s Bio:

Arlene L. Walker is passionate about the written word. Her friends tell her even her Emails are writ full of drama. For years, she worked as a stenographer writing other people's words until one day she was forced from the workplace. She decided to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a writer. She enrolled in the UCLA Writers Program to pursue a Certificate in Fiction. She began to enter first one short story contest, then another, and another. She was thrilled to finally garner an Honorable Mention in a publication last year, but being in the top ten of the WOW! Women On Writing Fall 2009 Flash Fiction Contest is her highest achievement to date. When she's not spending time with her family, Arlene is either reading, writing, or working on her blog about her Bucket List escapades, Adventuresalon.blogspot.com. Her favorite quote is by Ayn Rand who said, "It isn't who is going to let me; it's who is going to stop me." Next stop for Arlene is penning the Great American Novel.

If you haven’t read her winning entry, you can do so here, and then c’mon back for our interview with Arlene.

Interview by Jill Earl

WOW: So glad you could join us today, Arlene, and congratulations! How does it feel to be one of the top finishers in WOW! Flash Fiction Contest?

Arlene: It feels like I'm eating a bucket of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, and not getting fat. It's a dream come true.

WOW: (laughs) Fabulous, that has to be one of the best responses yet! We’re glad you feel that way! If you would, can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Arlene: I was born and raised in the housing projects of Los Angeles, though I now live in the suburbs. I'm married with children -- actually, they're adults now and living on their own. I am happy to say not once did I ever experience empty nest syndrome. I presently attend the UCLA Writers Program, and I'm just thrilled to be there. It's where my imagination soars.

WOW: Isn’t it great how writing does that? Let’s talk about your entry. In your story, you took a unique approach regarding your character’s experience with abortion, not a topic that’s easily approachable. Can you share how you decided to take this direction in creating your story?

Arlene: I wanted to expose the brutality of illegal abortions, and how a 15-year old pregnant virgin might deal with it. During a procedure in which she is almost fully awake, her only avenue of escape is via the movie reel of her life she plays in her head.

WOW: As I read, I could easily see your story being turned into a short film. Your story packed a heck of a wallop, elliciting a range of emotions from me. Not an easy read, but worth the effort to do so. Good work!

Arlene, your bio mentions that you went from being a stenographer to actively pursuing your writing dream, including enrolling in the UCLA Writers Program to pursue a Certificate in Fiction. Quite a switch in gears! Can you share that experience with us?

Arlene: I worked for many years in a high-volume criminal court where day in and day out, I wrote down verbatim everything that was said during the trial. As such, you're not an active participant, but a silent observer. Well, that left my mind to wander, and I'd make up backstories in my head about the various witnesses, attorneys, and the criminals they defend. That spawned a desire to use my creative side. When I was diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome a few years ago, I was no longer able to perform my duties, and was forced by my employer into an early retirement. I took those lemons and made lemonade, where I serve it up by the pitcher full at the UCLA Writers Program.

WOW: Seeing an opportunity to pursue your dreams and going for it. What a great example of the perseverance we writers need to develop.

Let’s talk about your writing habits. Do you have a specific routine that you follow?

Arlene: Having Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, I am limited in the time spent on the computer, so -- again -- I do most of the formulation of a story in my head. Then I write it down little by little. Flash Fiction seems to work best for me.

WOW: I’d have to agree on that. It does take practice to write short and tight for flash fiction, and your story was very successful in achieving that. Now, in addition to writing fiction, you’re also a blogger. I have to say that Adventure Salon, your blog of ‘bucket list’ activities, was a delight to read. What made you decide to blog about your adventures in travel?

Arlene: I'm delighted that you were delighted by my blog! I think everyone has a list of things they'd like to do in their wildest dreams. I'd always had a list; I just didn't know it was called a Bucket List until the movie was made. So when the writer within was fighting to get out, that was the only way I knew to channel it. Blogs are a good place to practice your writing, and the blog site is free. And if it's free. . . it's me.

WOW: With the availability of free blog sites, it's easy to get started. And I agree that blogging's a great way to expand writing skills.

Let's talk about down time. When it comes to winding down, what types of books do you turn to? Do you prefer fiction or nonfiction in either your reading or writing?

Arlene: The only nonfiction I read may be a biography here and there, or books about writing. I'd already read Noah Lukeman's First Five Pages, so I was honored that he was the judge who selected my story for 2nd place. I guess my genre of choice to read is literary fiction. Though I love me some John Grisham, too. Of course, I want to be a literary writer, and I hope I am considered that.

WOW: I think you’re off to a pretty good start with that. How about current writing projects? What are you working on?

Arlene: I'm currently working on a post-Civil War saga about a former slave of the Cherokee Tribe who is caught in the middle of a tug-of-war between the Indians and a land-hungry United States. The heroine is called Sput Louie, and she hungers for her own piece of The American Dream. There's a lot of research to it, but research is one of my favorite parts of writing. That and revision. I know; I'm officially weird.

WOW: That sounds fascinating! I’m with you on researching, I enjoy it too. Have to pass on the revision aspect of writing, though. But, it’s all good that it jazzes you!

Wrapping up, what kind of advice would you like to leave for our readers?

Arlene: My father always said to me, "Know thyself first." In other words, I think he meant pay attention to you, which I didn't for a long time. One day, while cleaning out my bookcases, I discovered a gazillion how-to-write books that I'd purchased throughout the decades. Had I been paying more attention to me, I would have realized how badly I wanted this writing life, and would have embarked on this journey much sooner. As it is, I'm in Act III of my life, but I plan on having many, many encores.

WOW: Your father sounds like a wise man. Good thing for us that you paid attention! Arlene, thanks so much for sharing a bit of yourself with us today. All the best in your writing, and we’ll be looking forward to those encores!

Linda Joy Myers, Ph.D., author of The Power of Memoir, launches her blog tour!

& Book Giveaway Comments Contest!

Linda Joy Myers, Ph.D. is the president of the National Association of Memoir Writers and the author of the prize-winning memoir Don't Call Me Mother: Breaking the Chain of Mother Daughter Abandonment. Her new book The Power of Memoir: How to Write Your Healing Story was released in January 2010 through Jossey Bass publishers.

Linda has been a therapist in Berkeley for the last thirty years, and received her MFA at Mills College.

Through her workshops, online coaching, and speaking engagements, Linda integrates the principles of healing and creativity in presenting the powerful healing process of writing true stories. Her first book, Becoming Whole: Writing Your Healing Story, was used as a text by therapists, ministers, and writing coaches, and was a finalist in ForeWord magazine's 2008 Book of the Year Award. Linda's prize-winning nonfiction and poetry has been published in various literary journals. Her novel excerpt, Secret Music, a novel about the Kindertransport, music, and redemption was a finalist in the San Francisco Writing Conference contest.

Linda is past-president of The California Writers Club, Marin branch, and former vice-president of the Women's National Book Association, and has served on the board of Story Circle Network.

Find out more about Linda by visiting her websites:
Website: www.thepowerofmemoir.com
Blog: www.lindajoymyersphd.com

The Power of Memoir: Writing Your Healing Story
By Linda Joy Myers, Ph.D.

The Power of Memoir is a groundbreaking book that presents an innovative step-by-step program using memoir writing on the journey of emotional and physical healing. By drawing on the eight steps outlined in The Power of Memoir, you'll learn how to choose the significant milestones in your life and weave together your personal story. You'll discover how writing your truths and shaping your narrative propel you toward a life-changing transformation. The Power of Memoir offers the tools you need to heal the pain of the past and create a better present and a brighter future.

Writing Reference
Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: Jossey-Bass (January 2010)
ISBN: 0470508361

Book Giveaway Comments Contest!
If you received our Events Newsletter, remember, we are holding a contest to win a copy of Linda Joy Myers's book The Power of Memoir to those that comment. So, grab a cup of coffee, pull up a chair, and enjoy the chat, and share your thoughts, and comments, at the end. We will randomly choose a winner from those who comment.

Interview by Jodi Webb

WOW: What led to your work doing memoir writing workshops and eventually The Power of Memoir?

LINDA: I came upon memoir writing from the desperate urge over many years to write about my childhood, to try to express the confusion that was going on inside me. I also wanted to write about those I loved and those who saved me, so it was a way to honor and thank them and to appreciate them. So yes, my work to teach about memoir writing came first through writing to heal—though that was not the phrase used at the time, nor had any research yet been done on that subject.

The impetus to write my first book on healing, and then ultimately The Power of Memoir came from the amazing research first published in 1999 in the Journal of the American Medical Association by Dr. James Pennebaker and others that writing helped to heal physical ailments such as arthritis and asthma. Though I sensed that writing was helpful, and I and many of my friends had been journaling for years, to discover that in fact writing was healing was very exciting. I’d always wanted to find a way to integrate therapy with writing. I read all of Dr. Pennebaker’s articles and talked to him in person as I was working on my first book.

For a few years, I trained therapists in using writing to work with clients, and in those workshops, I discovered how quickly “non-writers” produced interesting and meaningful stories. It became clear that anyone could find the stories within if they were given the time and encouragement. I became quite passionate about spreading the word about writing. I saw that anyone could learn to do it if they wished, and that it was a powerful tool for change and transformation.

WOW: How did you come to write your own memoir Don't Call Me Mother?

LINDA: I completely backed into writing a memoir. The thought of writing a book was so terrifying, I’d stop writing when I thought of it! For so long I struggled with the form all the stories I had might take. I had stories from the 19th century from my great-grandmother, I knew my grandmother’s stories and some of my mother’s story. I was interested in telling their stories, until one day a teacher told me that I should be writing my story. I nearly fainted. What—expose myself like that? I’d been taught that children should be seen and not heard, and not to air the family laundry—or else!

So it was a long struggle to find myself and give myself permission to write my own story. Also I didn't really know how to write! I began with painting my story, then moved into poetry, then into prose. I realized that the deeper story was falling through the cracks of the other art forms, and that prose would tighten the weave. Writing leads to more writing, and the more we write, the more we learn. Luckily I have always been an avid reader, with stacks of books all around me and reading more than one at a time, so I knew what good writing was like. But each of us has our own voice, and we need to find that.

The way I finally wrote my book was to write each individual vignette and not worry about a book or any order, and after a while I realized I might be writing a book, but still it took a long time for me to own that desire. My inner critic, remember? But when I turned my back on the project, I discovered that it chased me, wouldn’t leave me alone, haunted me. Finally I faced the demands the book was making on me, and got brave enough to finish it.

WOW: I've written many personal essays, snapshots of my life, but never really considered a memoir simply because my life feels...well, boring and predictable. Is every life memoir worthy?

LINDA: A lot of people ask that question, but often it’s in the form of: “Gee, I don’t really have a story worth telling.” Then they launch into the adventures they’ve had, the life challenges they’ve overcome—births, deaths, natural disasters. Spiritual learning, love, the joy of children, pets, and gardens. The thing is—everyone’s life is interesting if we look through the lens of the turning point moments, the moments of transition and transformation. People read memoirs to find out about how other people lived; we are all looking for guidance from others on life’s journey–how did they solve life’s problems, and how are they doing now? Can we overcome some of the challenges we face, and how? A memoir is a grass-roots sharing of life as we have lived it.

WOW: How do we decide what facet of our life experience to focus on in a memoir?

LINDA: Start with listing the 5-10 significant turning points in your life, and write about them. See where that takes you. Most of us will learn something from doing that exercise, getting more insights about our lives, and surprising us perhaps about how interesting our lives have been after all.

WOW: Although we think of memoir as being our life stories, the fact is other people get dragged in to the tale. How do we balance the need to tell our story with the needs of our memoir's co-stars to NOT tell their story?

LINDA: Most memoirists struggle with the issue of revealing secrets when they are searching how to tell their own powerful, and often shameful, truths. Secrets maintain a great power over us, and we are diminished by them. We become co-conspirators in a way to the family dynamics that we actually don’t agree with and want to break away from. So we get caught in a conflict—to speak or not to speak. To remain closed and complicit, or open up and take the risk of losing friends and family, of being ousted from the family, or shamed once again into submission.

I tell all my students to be open to writing two versions of the story: first, write for yourself, to clear out your emotional closet, to sort the events that are jumbled up in your mind. Research has shown that this kind of writing is powerful and creates changes in the brain. In other words: it’s healing.

Write your whole first draft in silence, in secret, so that you can finally hear your own voice. Don’t tell anyone you are writing it, and only share it with your supportive writing group or your therapist. Watch out even for friends, because sometimes they can misunderstand what you are doing. Do not think about publication, as it is way too soon for that.

When you have finished, and know what your unvarnished and unedited story is, then you can decide what you want to do with it. You might not want to share it with anyone. Or you might decide to rewrite it so that it can face the world, and so can you.

If you want to publish it, you do have to consider the rights and feelings of others—though this is an ethical decision that everyone has to make on the basis of their own integrity. Most authors “vet” the book with those who appear in it, and nearly everyone changes the names of the guilty or innocent.

Liable and slander are legal issues that I can’t address here, but a literary attorney can answer questions like that if you feel that someone will get litigious with you. After all, anyone who knows you will know who the people are that you’re writing about. If you really want to write about things that are controversial, disguise everything about the situation, and proceed carefully into fiction. I understand that even though Saul Bellow changed names in his fiction, he was writing, and getting even with, people that everyone knew. He wanted revenge and got it. I don’t know the cost to him or the degree of satisfaction he got from that.

You have to decide the reasons for what you include in the book, and ask: is this necessary to my story? How can I write it so it’s true and not cruel or demeaning? And by the time it’s ready to be published, have you worked out the anger and other negative feelings? If not, write another draft. Be patient. Writing a memoir is a long process of writing through layers. The story will tell you when it’s done.

WOW: Great advice! So, what are you working on now?

LINDA: My next project is to write a book to help young adults write their stories. People do not need to be “older” in order to write and share their stories. Young people are writing and expressing themselves in amazing and refreshing ways these days. But still they have to deal with the same family issues of guilt, shame, and silence that adults struggle with. So I hope that my book can help free them from fear and silence and help to offer a way to heal and help them move forward in their lives in a powerful way.

WOW: Thank you so much, Linda, for taking the time to chat with us today about memoir writing. You shared some wonderful tips with our readers!


Want to join Linda on her blog tour? Check out these dates and mark your calendar! You can also snag a copy of WOW's Events Calendar HERE.

Blog Tour Dates: Come and join the fun!

March 8, 2010 Monday
Linda will be chatting with WOW! Women On Writing at The Muffin. Stop by and share your comments! One lucky commenter will win copy of Linda's book!
http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/blog.html

March 9, 2010 Tuesday
In today's interview, Mary Jo Campbell is asking Linda Joy Myers everything we've been wondering about memoir writing. You can also enter to win a copy of The Power of Memoir, Linda's inspirational guide to memoir writing.
http://writerinspired.wordpress.com/

March 10, 2010 Wednesday
Linda stops by Meryl's Notes today to share some more tips on memoir writing. If you want to pen your own history, stop by and get some pointers from a pro!
http://www.meryl.net/section/blog/

March 12, 2010 Friday
There is no happiness without some sadness. No sadness without some happiness. And when you're writing for the YA market you often have both emotions in the same scene! Linda Joy Myers, author of The Power of Memoir, discusses the importance of balancing dark and light stories and emotions.
http://daybydaywriter.wordpress.com/ 

March 15, 2010 Monday
Linda Joy Myers visits Pick the Brain, a wonderful site dedicated to self improvement with a focus on personal productivity, motivation, and self education.
http://www.pickthebrain.com/

March 16, 2010 Tuesday
Linda stops by Cathy C.'s Hall of Fame to share her thoughts on accidental enlightenment. You'll also have the opportunity to win a copy of her book The Power of Memoir!
http://www.cathychall.blogspot.com/

March 16, 2010 Tuesday
Stop by today for C. Hope Clark's review of The Power of Memoir and come back tomorrow for a guest post from author Linda Joy Myers.
http://www.hopeclark.blogspot.com/

March 17, 2010 Wednesday
Are you dreading the annual 4th of July picnic already? And not because you hate aunt Mary's potato salad? Don't miss Linda Joy Myers' post "How to Write a Memoir and Still Go Home for the Holidays" at C. Hope Clark's blog today!
http://www.hopeclark.blogspot.com/

March 19, 2010 Friday
Stop by Words By Webb for a review of Linda Joy Myers' The Power of Memoir and a chance to ask her a few questions about memoir writing.
http://jodiwebb.com/

March 23, 2010 Tuesday
Stop by Shai Coggins' blog for a review of The Power of Memoir and an interview with the author Linda Joy Myers!
http://www.shaicoggins.com/

March 24, 2010 Wednesday
Linda Joy Myers stops by 100 Memoirs to tell writers how to write your memoir and still go home for the holidays.
http://www.100memoirs.com/

March 25, 2010 Thursday
Linda Joy Myers is back at 100 Memoirs, but this time Shirley Showalter interviews Linda about the role of friends and family members in a writer's memoir. You can also enter to win a copy of Linda's book The Power of Memoir!
http://www.100memoirs.com/

March 29, 2010 Monday
Linda Joy Myers will be visiting Jerry Waxler at the Memory Writers Network today. I can't wait to see what these two memoirists come up with!
http://memorywritersnetwork.com/blog/

April 1, 2010 Monday
Laura Cross is putting memoir writer Linda Joy Myers in the hot seat with her weekly feature, "Five Questions with..." You can also enter to win a copy of The Power of Memoir!
http://www.nonfictionink.com/

April 2, 2010 Tuesday
Today Jerry Waxler will be reviewing The Power of Memoir by Linda Joy Myers, Ph.D. at the Memory Writers Network. His reviews are great, so be sure to stop by.
http://memorywritersnetwork.com/blog/

We have more dates to come! To view all of our touring authors, check out our Events Calendar HERE.


Get involved!

If you have a blog or website and would like to host Linda Joy Myers or schedule a tour of your own, please email Angela and Jodi at: blogtour@wow-womenonwriting.com

And be sure to comment on this post to enter in a drawing for a copy of Linda Joy Myers's book The Power of Memoir! And check back in a couple of days in the comments section to see if you won!

JUST WRITE!

Easier said than done at times. But it can be accomplished.

Many of us find it quite difficult to sit down with paper and pen or a blank computer screen and try to come up with something to write. This, of course, can lead to frustration and cause you to feel as if you've wasted your entire day doing absolutely nothing with your writing.

STOP! If this happens, there is a solution. Pull out a spiral notebook and just write. It doesn't have to make sense, it doesn't have to be about anything in particular.

Tip: Start off by picking a word or a phrase, then come up with a sentence using that word. Build from there. The object is to simply write. It doesn't matter if the sentences even make sense to you. The point is you are taking time to write.

If you feel you don't like this exercise that much, that's okay. The point is to get your writer's mind working and let your brain relax to get the ideas circulating again. Often there are times when I'm given an assignment on a subject that I know nothing about. I get a little frustrated with the subject and decide to try, but then walk away. But then I realize that I'm going to hurt my writing time if I don't utilize it. So, I reach for a spiral notebook and JUST WRITE.

Sometimes, I will even write silly poems in my spiral and include a few doodles. Anything to help keep me in the writing mode and using that time to write. Oh sure, there are a lot of other things I could be doing that would count as part of my writing time--researching a project, creating characters, etc. But, for me, I just don't feel accomplished when I work on those parts of writing. Being able to actually put something on paper or in the computer gives me that bit of satisfaction.

Tip: I actually set up writing time as an appointment on my calendar. That way, I keep it important not only for myself, but for my family as well. When they see the scheduled time, they know that it is time to let mom write and not to bother her unless it is super important or an emergency.

It's important when you have a family to make sure you schedule critical time for yourself. If you have little ones at home, like me, I choose to work on my writing when they go to bed. This, of course, can make for a rough following morning if I get into a serious writing drive.

The point is: just write. Find a way that helps you to just sit and do so. It doesn't matter if it makes sense, it doesn't matter if you have proper sentence structure, the point is to help stop the block and keep you from being frustrated with the task at hand.

Happy Writing!

For more tips on how to find time to write, check out Time to Write: An Interview with Kelly L. Stone.