NOTES TO SUPPORT: Memoirs may or may not be completely factual, but they don't NEED to be, that is the difference between a memoir and an autobiography.(The purpose of a memoir is not to be completely factual.)
A memoir is a piece of autobiographical writing, usually shorter in nature than a comprehensive autobiography. The memoir, especially as it is being used in publishing today, often tries to capture certain highlights or meaningful moments in one's past, often including a contemplation of the meaning of that event at the time of the writing of the memoir. The memoir may be more emotional and concerned with capturing particular scenes, or a series of events, rather than documenting every fact of a person's life
Characteristics of the Memoir Form ... Focus on a brief period of time or series of related events ... Narrative structure, including many of the usual elements of storytelling such as setting, plot development, imagery, conflict, characterization, foreshadowing and flashback, and irony and symbolism ... The writer's contemplation of the meaning of these events in retrospect ... A fictional quality even though the story is true ... Higher emotional level ... More personal reconstruction of the events and their impact ... Therapeutic experience for the memoirist, especially when the memoir is of the crisis or survival type of memoir Characteristics of the memoir form: another perspective ... explores an event or series of related events that remain lodged in memory ... describes the events and then shows, either directly or indirectly, why they are significant -- or in short, why you continue to remember them ... is focused in time; doesn't cover a great span of years (that would be an autobiography) ... centers on a problem or focuses on a conflict and its resolution and on the understanding of why and how the resolution is significant in your life Do memoirs tell the truth? According to J. A. Cuddon, "An autobiography may be largely fictional. Few can recall clear details of their early life and are therefore dependent on other people's impressions, of necessity equally unreliable. Morever, everyone tends to remember what he wants to remember. Disagreeable facts are sometimes glossed over or repressed ...." Cuddon, J. A. The Penguin Dictionary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory, 1991. The English novelist Anthony Powell said, "Memoirs can never be wholly true, since they cannot include every conceivable circumstance of what happened. The novel can do that."
A memoir (from the French: mémoire from the Latinmemoria, meaning "memory", or a reminiscence), is a lieterary genre forming a subclass of autobiography – although the terms 'memoir' and 'autobiography' are almost interchangeable in modern parlance. Memoir is autobiographical writing, but not all autobiographical writing follows the criteria for memoir set out below. The author of a memoir may be referred to as a memoirist
Differences from autobiographies: Memoirs are structured differently from formal autobiographies which tend to encompass the writer's entire life span, focusing on the development of his or her personality. The chronological scope of a memoir is determined by the work's context and is therefore more focused and flexible than the traditional arc of birth to childhood to old age as found in an autobiography. Memoirs tended to be written by politicians or people in court society, later joined by military leaders and businessmen, and often dealt exclusively with the writer's careers rather than their private life. Historically, memoirs have dealt with public matters, rather than personal. Many older memoirs contain little or no information about the writer, and are almost entirely concerned with other people. Modern expectations have changed this, even for heads of government. Like most autobiographies, memoirs are generally written from the first person point of view. Gore Vidal, in his own memoir Palimpsest, gave a personal definition: "a memoir is how one remembers one's own life, while an autobiography is history, requiring research, dates, facts double-checked." It is more about what can be gleaned from a section of one's life than about the outcome of the life as a whole. Humorist Will Rogers put it a little more pithily: "Memoirs means when you put down the good things you ought to have done and leave out the bad ones you did do."
Memoir comes from the Latin word "memoria" meaning memory. A memoir is an evolution of the autobiography. An autobiography is a story written by yourself about your life. Your life story so far. A memoir, in the style which the publishing market are flooded with at the moment, tends to deal with a more specific period or theme in your life. Despite their seemingly new modern popularity the memoir has been around for as long as man has felt the need to write about himself.Although true memoirs will sometimes seem fictional due to their emotionally charged story like quality. Despite what common reading trends lead us to believe a memoir does not need to be a blockbuster written for the whole world to read. A memoir is written for your own reasons and for whatever result you want.
It is often said that along with the 15 minutes of fame we all have to look forward to we also all have a book in us. In essence that is true as every single one of us, no matter how boring we feel our life is, have an autobiography in us. The age of the autobiography has left us for the moment however to make room for a more aspirational book. The memoir.
What Sort of Events are in a Memoir?
Anything and everything can be in a memoir and they can be in any emotional range however the most saleable style in 2007 and 2008 so far has been the inspirational memoir and the Mis Lit (Misery Literature) memoir, with memoirs of war survivors and adults who were abused as a child flying off the shelves.
You feel you have an important story to tell. Maybe you are the sole survivor of a disaster or have been treated badly by a big company. Maybe you have been misrepresented in the press or worked for a famous recluse. Whatever the story if you feel that a particular part of your life is an interesting story then write it in a memoir.
For future generations. Maybe you are struggling through a divorce and want your children to understand in their adulthood what had happened. Maybe you want your grandchildren to know you better. Maybe you have emigrated and you want future generations to know what their heritage is. A memoir can be like a piece of you reaching out to your descendants long after you have gone.
To document your success. Your rags to riches struggle. Your journey from crackpot inventor to innovative millionaire. Your struggles as a freelance writer leading eventually to that one best seller. Both inspirational and interesting everyone likes to read how people triumph in the face of adversity.
To document how you handle an illness. Whether you have an illness which will reduce your mobility, sight or attention span or have been diagnosed with a degenerative disease a memoir can be a good way to document your illness and treatment for others in a similar situation to read or to help their relatives understand how they may be feeling.
As therapy. Writing or talking about your feelings and past events can be an excellent way to work through them in your head and find some peace or resolution.
To remember. Writing a memoir can help to unlock memories you had forgotten you had and as a result can help you to understand yourself better
CHILD ABUSE MEMOIRS AND AUTOBIOGRAPHIES
One might ask, "Why would anyone want to read about another person's horrible childhood?" Yet, these so-called "misery memoirs" are abundantly written and read.
Why do people read, or write, unhappy autobiographies and memoirs? A simple answer to both questions is therapy, or more accurately, bibliotherapy. Bibliotherapy is a word that describes the act of reading selected works for the purpose of healing a personal issue, such as a history of child abuse.
Therapeutic Reading The sharing of stories has long served as a medium for transmitting hard-learned lessons and wisdom from one person to another. Recipients of such stories share the storyteller's experiences while at the same time benefiting from the teller's retrospect, something people cannot do in the midst of their own experiences. In the best of cases, recipients of good storytelling can put the author's lessons to use and spare themselves from repeating destructive coping strategies. In other cases, readers may recognize errors in the author's behaviors, which they had not previously been able to recognize in their own behaviors. HealingStory.org, a special interest group of The National Storytelling Network, promotes the use of storytelling as a tool for healing. The website includes stories for children in crisis, as well as book reviews and articles on a variety of relevant topics. Therapeutic Writing The writing and telling of an unhappy childhood story provides the author with a means to symbolically release the accumulated weight of painful past experiences. It can also serve as a way to reach out to others who have similar histories, giving the author a sense of purpose and the satisfaction of deriving something positive from something painful. SilenceSpeaks.org, an international digital storytelling initiative, offers a supportive space for telling stories which might otherwise remain unspoken. The website includes stories and case studies, as well as links to related resources. Memoirs and Autobiography Resources
Squidoo's Memoirs and Autobiography lens provides a variety of resources and links about memoir and autobiography writing and published works, including discussion groups, book clubs, related lenses, and writers' resources. Helium's Memoirs and Biographies Zone presents autobiographical works of all kinds, as well as a variety of links to resources for memoir and biography writers and readers, including book clubs, discussion groups, and articles. Featured autobiographical essays, short stories, and poetry topics include childbirth, pregnancy, and parenting, family history, death and grief, and child abuse. Both reading and writing personal histories involving child abuse can provide significant therapeutic benefits. Writers share stories, releasing emotional burdens, while readers share experiences, gaining life lessons and wisdom. In this way, writers and readers of memoirs and autobiographies both gain a healing sense of connection to others who have had similar experiences.
Dave Pelzer, author of one of the best-selling memoirs of all time, 'A Child Called "It"' Survived one of the worst cases of child abuse in CA history.
Dave Pelzer, today one of the bestselling nonfiction writers in America, is recognized and revered as much for his literary accomplishments as for surviving one of the worst cases of child abuse ever documented in California. He is, to date, the author of seven books; the first of which (also the first installment in a three-volume memoir called My Story), A Child Called “It”, has remained on the New York Times bestseller list for over five years. (also provides MONEY- a living) It is commonly taught in middle and high school English courses, sometimes accompanied by the second volume, The Lost Boy. In both books, though primarily the first, Pelzer describes in harrowing detail the abuse he suffered at the hands of his mother, who – like his father – was an alcoholic. Though the audience diminished for each successive installment in the series, both the third volume (A Man Named Dave) and the second have earned tremendous acclaim and inspired warm response from readers. Hundreds of customer reviews on Amazon.com award the latter two books in the series an average review of nearly five stars.
The first volume, however, remains the most popular by far. Amazon.com catalogues over two thousand customer reviews, all culminating – as with the rest of the trilogy – to nearly a five-star rating. The success of the first book may fairly be attributed to the fact that it focuses, more than its successors, on the dynamic between Dave and his mother, and graphically depicts the abuse she inflicted regularly. Although these depictions are expanded upon in the ensuing books, the most violent and torturous are documented here: how she forces him to eat feces from his little brother’s diaper, to ingest cleaning chemicals and soak in a freezing bathtub, even stabs him. "I know some folks want to hear all the gory details about what happened to me as a child. But I refer to specific childhood situations to qualify my message. I want them to realize the person standing in front of them is there because of persistence, personal responsibility, and by the grace of God," Pelzer said in a 2003 interview with BookBrowse.com. And while the drama of his conflicts with his mother may be one of the book’s most endearing aspects, and the violence is likely the primary incentive for having high school students read it (something visceral enough to hold the attention of even the most grudging reader, something sincere enough to move them), Pelzer’s intentions seem to have been realized. Most of the Amazon reviews speak not only to the book’s intrigue and readability, but to its inspirational qualities as well. It’s no surprise that, before he got into writing, Pelzer was an inspirational speaker. He was in the Air Force before that, serving during operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Dave Pelzer’s most recent books, Help Yourself for Teens, is a follow up 2001 self-help book Help Yourself. Introduction to Therapeutic Writing "Words are a very powerful tool! Since we were young we were taught that it is a vital form of communication. We use the written word to communicate our thoughts to others. However not many individuals realize that we can use this method for ourselves. We can use this same process for our own therapeutic value.
Through our own written word we communicate our deepest thoughts in order to help us heal. It is a therapeutic tool for self-healing while we deal with the myriad of situations in our lives. Therapeutic writing can be done in different forms:
Writing journals
Letter therapy
Poetry
Creative Writing
In an Assisted Living facility and nursing home environment the same techniques apply. Therapeutic writing is good for the heart and soul. In the group setting you can reminisce about the past by engaging in an enlightening conversation. In it you discover the healing power of words.
Benefits of Therapeutic Writing Writing is healthy for the heart and soul although it is a little known fact. It is a wonderful therapeutic tool to utilize for simple healing. It is so simple that it is easy. All that is needed is a pen and paper. On this paper you can formulate your thoughts. Once it is written down, your feelings become a concrete item. By writing the situation/feelings down you are able to release anxiety that fills your being. Once your stress levels have lowered then you are able to look at the situation with more clarity. Writing provides the following therapeutic value:
Emotionally beneficial
Aids in physical recovery
It is easy to do.
Writing not only reduces the emotional stress of the individual but science reveals the benefits to the physical body are profound.
According to the 1999 Journal of Medicine Association, “Asthma patients who wrote about difficult situations improved their lung function by an average of 19%.
Rheumatoid arthritis patients who wrote about these topics improved by an average of 28%.
For those individuals who suffer from epilepsy, journaling is useful for mental stimulation. It will aid in keeping the mind active. This is a wonderful tool for independent as well as small activities.
In a hard scientific study conducted by Dr. Jeffrey Pennibaker of the Southern Baptist Church, recorded that if an individual writes for 15-20 minutes per day on an especially difficult matter these individuals' immune system will increase. It remains elevated for six weeks after the journaling episode.
Cancer patients who journal benefit because they can enjoy a high quality of life. Their quality of life which includes, acceptance of the illness, enjoyment of life and relationships, and relationships with family and friends increase as a result of journal work.
There is not a lot of scientific research to support the therapeutic value but there has been a tremendous amount of phenomenal research done to support the benefits of writing."
Denise Lima-Laskiewicz, AAC, CRmT 1 is the owner of Heal Through Words, a NJ-based Therapeutic Writing program for Nursing Home and Assisted Living residents. http://www.recreativeresources.com/programming-therapeutic-writing.htm "Writing is therapeutic! In fact, James Pennebaker, PhD., a psychologist and researcher, has conducted studies that show enhancement in immune system functioning and emotional well being when research participants write about difficult or traumatic events in their lives.
You may have questions about what type of writing would be most helpful for you and how to get started. Would it be journaling, writing poetry, free-writing, meditation and writing, morning pages (see The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron), etc. Then there is the question of what to do with your writing-keep it to yourself, start a blog, try to get it published, show it to friends, put it in a drawer, rip it up when you are frustrated, or join a group?
Your needs, interests, inclinations, and tastes are pivotal. For instance, you notice one day, that you have been writing poetry on the margins of scrap paper that you find in your pockets when doing the laundry, or someone gives you a classy blank journal book for your birthday. Then there could be alchemy and synchronicity-you see an event or group that "speaks" to you and is even happening on an evening or day you can make it. You venture into the visual attic, basement, or garage of your present or past and discover there is a pen and paper waiting for you there inviting you to write.
My own experience helping people use writing for healing tells me that it works best when there is no initial concern about editing or showing your creation to the world in print. In fact, the first step is to free up the censors, critics, and mind chatter so that the words you need to speak onto the page can get there. I think of therapeutic writing as raw and fresh. Crafting and editing can be an important, but different part of the process. Sometimes creation bubbles up in a perfectly formed finished product, but if not, what is initially created is the mortar and bricks of healing because it is your authentic and freed-up voice, which sometimes delivers a gift, a surprise, a glimpse of something important.
Turning to poetry, poetry gives rhythm to silence, light to darkness. In poetry we find the magic of metaphor, compactness of expression, use of the five senses, and simplicity or complexity of meaning in a few lines. For example, here's a poetic description of day breaking: As the sun begins with a bowing/ down and a floating up,/ light, a ballerina, pliés and jetés/ with sky in a pas de deux...
Poetry is also healing when read aloud, because of the rhythms, beauty, and connection that can be made with the person who wrote the poem. This connection, the "aha" of meaning, can start a physical and emotional change in the listener. And if you believe that everyone is connected, then someone writing a poem or reading a poem aloud about the recent earthquake in China, hurricanes or cyclones, the war in Iraq, or childhood traumas, can connect us within the human condition, ease our human suffering, give us a concrete way to respond to tragedy.
One way to think about using poetry for healing is to write a response to a poem that moves you, or to write a poem for or about someone you care about. Then, if you feel comfortable, you could share this poem with others or with its inspiration. Any of these steps involve healing: reading another's poem, letting it move you, writing a poem in response, and sharing it with another. And every time you write even just a few words down on a page, you are engaging in a process that can move you forward in ways both known and unknown."
I think I've always written as a way to move through the hardships of my life -- to reckon with change, loss, depression, and trauma. DeSalvo's book, though, illuminates the specific psychological implications of writing in the healing process. The key, DeSalvo writes, is to "link feelings to events" in the healing narrative. When writing about our pain, it is important to be specific. She adds, "many researchers have observed that the inability to render pain and traumaexplicitly, describing it instead in vague and general terms, signifies that the person has not yet entered the process of healing."
There are times when I am not ready to be specific, when the grief is so big or dense that I can't even see what's in front of me. But, when I am ready to face my pain, I have found specificity is the key. I write every little detail. It is exhausting, but afterwards, I feel an emotional "lift" -- a similar feeling I experience after receiving a Reiki treatment."
If you're at all interested in learning more about the power of writing as a healing modality, I highly recommend DeSalvo's book. For more information, visitAmazon.
Jerry: How much did you journal during your illness, and how would you describe the emotional effect that resulted from your journal writing sessions? Diana:While still in the hospital I journaled twice a day.Once home I journaled once a day and/or whenever I had the need. The mere act of journaling was very cathartic for me. I was home recovering from surgery on September 11th, 2001. It was a very difficult time for me. My emotions were bubbling over as I was dealing with my own personal loss and the loss to my country and the city of my youth. I speak a lot about this in my book. I always feel better after expressing myself on the page, during both good and bad times. My times with my journal are precious. It is one way I take care of myself, in the same way I go to the gym or for a beach walk. If you journal on a regular basis, not only do you document the events you are going through, but you also document the feelings, sensations, sights and sounds that you might not recall at a later date and this in and of itself is very healing.
Mah, Adeline Yen. Chinese Cinderella: the true story of an unwanted daughter. New York: Delacorte Press, 1999. Print.
-This book has a follow up of Adeline Yen Mah's views.
-At the end of her memoir she talks a little about how her life has changed after writing the book.
-She talks about what happened when her father and step-mother died and how Niang (her step-mother) tried to ide her father's real will so that she would not inherit anything.
Moving Forward: Taking the Lead in Your Life by Dave Pelzer
and http://www.amazon.com/Moving-Forward-Taking-Lead-Your/dp/1599950650
"Self-help expert Dave Pelzer teaches readers how to let go of the past and use negative experiences to make them stronger when tackling the future. "
"Learning from our prior experiences, we can, and should, aspire to fulfill our dreams, making life better not only for ourselves but for others around us," Dave writes in the introduction. "I am of the belief that you do not have to be a mayor of a major metropolis or CEO of a Fortune 500 company in order to take a stand for your convictions; to lead, rally, or educate others for your cause; or to maintain a vision that will pave the way for other generations to come. The everyday, hardworking folks, God bless 'em, have and always will continue to, day in and day out, truly make an impact on their families, communities, jobs, America, and the world as a whole."
-to motivate his readers by the way he was driven to overcome his obstacles and challenges
"Dave Pelzer walks readers through the process of learning how to turn the experience gained from past hurts into the power to live a better life and help others do the same with his trademark wisdom, support, and tough love."
----he wrote the book purposely to help others (not only himself) www.healingstory.org
-a website created for the sole purpose of giving people the benefits of writing
Everyone has Sunshine and Moonlight in their lives. It's just that my Sunshine and Moonlight has come in the form of Multiple Sclerosis. So, why the name "Sunshine and Moonlight"? When I was diagnosed, I was amazed by the negative terms that were tossed around –bad days, MS days, remission, relapses, episodes, disease progression. All scary. All negative. I've chosen to focus on the positive instead, as I search to find the "new normal" in my life. "Sunshine" — represents my post MS-diagnosis day-to-day life. And, "Moonlight" — represents everything else. As a cancer survivor since 1997 and a Person with M.S. since 2007, I consider myself to be a Patient-Educator, here to help others newly diagnosed and those continuing their battles with M.S. And, this, my friends, brings us to "Sunshine and Moonlight — A Journey with Multiple Sclerosis." Welcome!
Therapeutic Benefits of Writing
January 2, 2008 byKimberly During a recent interview with Erie Times-News reporter, David Bruce, who was writing a piece on my M.S. diagnosis and this blog, Dave asked me: “So, Kim, what do you get out of this [writing the blog]?”One of my answers to him was that I find writing to be very therapeutic. Many people journal the stories of their lives. Blogs (short for “Web-logs”) are no different really than journals, albeit electronic, and sometimes public ones. Since I was a child, I would start journal after journal. I’ve shopped at book stores and writing centers to pick out artfully covered and bound diaries. I usually would buy a new pen or two to help solidify the commitment. I would make written promises between the book and myself that I would write every, single day. If I made it past two, solid weeks of writing each time, I was lucky. As a kid, I worried someone would find my journal and all my secrets would be exposed. Ooh, some of the stories that were held within those sacred pages! As an adult, I just didn’t make the time to write. I write for my doctoral Program, I write for work, I write for my T.V. segments, and I write when necessary. But, I never really made the time to write for me – despite the fact that I truly enjoy the art of writing. I find it ironic that despite my previously commitment-phobe attitude towards writing, and my earlier fears about secrecy, that now I blog daily and I use a forum accessible to the entire world. There isn’t a way to put one of those cute, little locks, able to be opened with only that tiny, metal key onto my web site. Sure, I can make everyone have to pre-register and be pre-approved to view and comment on my work, but that sorta defeats the whole purpose of blogging, doesn’t it? It now seems natural and easy for me to write each and every day and it doesn’t matter anymore who knows my most personal thoughts and stories. How odd.
“Researchers once believed that the main benefits of writing were purely psychological. But there is new evidence of the health value of forming coherent stories out of the chaotic elements of your personal history” (Perry, 2001). Well, that’s good news, isn’t it? If writing will help both my mental and physical health, I doubt I will face commitment issues any longer. For me, writing helps me to understand my own feelings, attitudes, and innermost thoughts. People used to call it “the power of the pen”, but now it’s often the “power of the keyboard.” I believe anyone can be or become a writer, regardless of skill, experience, or education level. You really do just have to write about something with which you are familiar, and something that is of personal interest or intrigue. So, if you are seeking a deeper level of peace; a way to reconnect with yourself or to touch others; or just an outlet for your emotions, consider picking up that pen, or turning on that computer. And, for those of you who have read this blog to date, thank you for contributing to my own personal therapy and to my own personal experience. I’ve posted a number of book recommendations for my readers here. Hopefully, one of these might inspire you to become a writer yourself. Perry, S. (December/January, 2001). Right here, right now. //Psychology Today.// --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Benefits of Therapeutic Writing
By using 'free-flow' techniques, The Writing Journey helps you to break through barriers, inhibitions and internal censors. This allows you to discover previously hidden emotions, lost memories and trapped voices. Through the guided writing exercises, you have the chance to go deep within and to look out with fresh vision.
The Writing Journey enhances personal development, and can lead to positive transformation. We guarantee that you will discover something new on this course. Self-Discovery: Meet Your Real Self
Get in touch with lost feelings and hidden memories
Access and reassess memories
Explore habitual patterns and assumptions
Deepen self-knowledge
Self-Growth: Improve Yourself
Clarify and develop thoughts
Develop new perspectives
Gain insight into the viewpoints of others
Acquire a wider range and better developed personal voice
Self-Empowerment: Strengthen Yourself
Extend self-awareness
Deepen and expand the understanding of your individuality
Enhance self-esteem
Writing as a Healing Art
Writing about traumatic events is not only beneficial to emotional healing. Professor James W. Pennebaker's research shows that it lowers heart rates, increases the body's resistance to infection, and enhances the sense of overall well-being. It has also been reported to help with asthma, rheumatoid arthritis and post-operative wounds. Emotional Healing
Release trapped feelings and blocked emotions
Overcome emotional and creative blocks
Develop new interpretations of your personal history
Enhance emotional balance
Physical Healing
Reduce stress levels
Decrease blood pressure
Boost the immune system and resilience
Improve overall physical and health
Other long term health benefits
Left and right brain balance
Protection against damaging internal stress
A record of changes in moods and reactions
Writing to unblock creativity
It sounds like a strange concept - especially if you are a blocked writer - that writing can help you break through barriers to creativity. But it can and does. The spontaneous discovery writing techniques will help in all areas of creativity. You may find that you:
NOTES TO SUPPORT: Memoirs may or may not be completely factual, but they don't NEED to be, that is the difference between a memoir and an autobiography.(The purpose of a memoir is not to be completely factual.)
A memoir is a piece of autobiographical writing, usually shorter in nature than a comprehensive autobiography. The memoir, especially as it is being used in publishing today, often tries to capture certain highlights or meaningful moments in one's past, often including a contemplation of the meaning of that event at the time of the writing of the memoir. The memoir may be more emotional and concerned with capturing particular scenes, or a series of events, rather than documenting every fact of a person's life
Characteristics of the Memoir Form
... Focus on a brief period of time or series of related events
... Narrative structure, including many of the usual elements of storytelling such as setting, plot development, imagery, conflict, characterization, foreshadowing and flashback, and irony and symbolism
... The writer's contemplation of the meaning of these events in retrospect
... A fictional quality even though the story is true
... Higher emotional level
... More personal reconstruction of the events and their impact
... Therapeutic experience for the memoirist, especially when the memoir is of the crisis or survival type of memoir
Characteristics of the memoir form: another perspective
... explores an event or series of related events that remain lodged in memory
... describes the events and then shows, either directly or indirectly, why they are significant
-- or in short, why you continue to remember them
... is focused in time; doesn't cover a great span of years (that would be an autobiography)
... centers on a problem or focuses on a conflict and its resolution and on the understanding
of why and how the resolution is significant in your life
Do memoirs tell the truth?
According to J. A. Cuddon, "An autobiography may be largely fictional. Few can recall clear details of their early life and are therefore dependent on other people's impressions, of necessity equally unreliable. Morever, everyone tends to remember what he wants to remember. Disagreeable facts are sometimes glossed over or repressed ...." Cuddon, J. A. The Penguin Dictionary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory, 1991. The English novelist Anthony Powell said, "Memoirs can never be wholly true, since they cannot include every conceivable circumstance of what happened. The novel can do that."
http://inkspell.homestead.com/memoir.html
A memoir (from the French: mémoire from the Latin memoria, meaning "memory", or a reminiscence), is a lieterary genre forming a subclass of autobiography – although the terms 'memoir' and 'autobiography' are almost interchangeable in modern parlance. Memoir is autobiographical writing, but not all autobiographical writing follows the criteria for memoir set out below. The author of a memoir may be referred to as a memoirist
Differences from autobiographies: Memoirs are structured differently from formal autobiographies which tend to encompass the writer's entire life span, focusing on the development of his or her personality. The chronological scope of a memoir is determined by the work's context and is therefore more focused and flexible than the traditional arc of birth to childhood to old age as found in an autobiography.
Memoirs tended to be written by politicians or people in court society, later joined by military leaders and businessmen, and often dealt exclusively with the writer's careers rather than their private life. Historically, memoirs have dealt with public matters, rather than personal. Many older memoirs contain little or no information about the writer, and are almost entirely concerned with other people. Modern expectations have changed this, even for heads of government. Like most autobiographies, memoirs are generally written from the first person point of view.
Gore Vidal, in his own memoir Palimpsest, gave a personal definition: "a memoir is how one remembers one's own life, while an autobiography is history, requiring research, dates, facts double-checked." It is more about what can be gleaned from a section of one's life than about the outcome of the life as a whole.
Humorist Will Rogers put it a little more pithily: "Memoirs means when you put down the good things you ought to have done and leave out the bad ones you did do."
www.wikipedia.com
What is a Memoir?
Memoir comes from the Latin word "memoria" meaning memory. A memoir is an evolution of the autobiography. An autobiography is a story written by yourself about your life. Your life story so far. A memoir, in the style which the publishing market are flooded with at the moment, tends to deal with a more specific period or theme in your life.Despite their seemingly new modern popularity the memoir has been around for as long as man has felt the need to write about himself.Although true memoirs will sometimes seem fictional due to their emotionally charged story like quality. Despite what common reading trends lead us to believe a memoir does not need to be a blockbuster written for the whole world to read. A memoir is written for your own reasons and for whatever result you want.
http://www.suite101.com/content/what-is-a-memoir-a50315
NOTES TO SUPPORT: writing a memoir is therapeutic to the author and that there are many benefits to writing a memoir.
http://www.suite101.com/content/what-is-a-memoir-a50315
The word memoir conjures up ideas of tales about exotic travel and overcoming personal tragedy but what is a memoir and does it really have to be exciting?
It is often said that along with the 15 minutes of fame we all have to look forward to we also all have a book in us. In essence that is true as every single one of us, no matter how boring we feel our life is, have an autobiography in us. The age of the autobiography has left us for the moment however to make room for a more aspirational book. The memoir.
What Sort of Events are in a Memoir?
Anything and everything can be in a memoir and they can be in any emotional range however the most saleable style in 2007 and 2008 so far has been the inspirational memoir and the Mis Lit (Misery Literature) memoir, with memoirs of war survivors and adults who were abused as a child flying off the shelves.Read on
Why Write a Memoir?
Some reasons to write a memoir are:CHILD ABUSE MEMOIRS AND AUTOBIOGRAPHIES
One might ask, "Why would anyone want to read about another person's horrible childhood?" Yet, these so-called "misery memoirs" are abundantly written and read.
Why do people read, or write, unhappy autobiographies and memoirs? A simple answer to both questions is therapy, or more accurately, bibliotherapy. Bibliotherapy is a word that describes the act of reading selected works for the purpose of healing a personal issue, such as a history of child abuse.
Therapeutic Reading
The sharing of stories has long served as a medium for transmitting hard-learned lessons and wisdom from one person to another. Recipients of such stories share the storyteller's experiences while at the same time benefiting from the teller's retrospect, something people cannot do in the midst of their own experiences. In the best of cases, recipients of good storytelling can put the author's lessons to use and spare themselves from repeating destructive coping strategies. In other cases, readers may recognize errors in the author's behaviors, which they had not previously been able to recognize in their own behaviors.
HealingStory.org, a special interest group of The National Storytelling Network, promotes the use of storytelling as a tool for healing. The website includes stories for children in crisis, as well as book reviews and articles on a variety of relevant topics.
Therapeutic Writing
The writing and telling of an unhappy childhood story provides the author with a means to symbolically release the accumulated weight of painful past experiences. It can also serve as a way to reach out to others who have similar histories, giving the author a sense of purpose and the satisfaction of deriving something positive from something painful.
SilenceSpeaks.org, an international digital storytelling initiative, offers a supportive space for telling stories which might otherwise remain unspoken. The website includes stories and case studies, as well as links to related resources.
Memoirs and Autobiography Resources
Squidoo's Memoirs and Autobiography lens provides a variety of resources and links about memoir and autobiography writing and published works, including discussion groups, book clubs, related lenses, and writers' resources.
Helium's Memoirs and Biographies Zone presents autobiographical works of all kinds, as well as a variety of links to resources for memoir and biography writers and readers, including book clubs, discussion groups, and articles. Featured autobiographical essays, short stories, and poetry topics include childbirth, pregnancy, and parenting, family history, death and grief, and child abuse.
Both reading and writing personal histories involving child abuse can provide significant therapeutic benefits. Writers share stories, releasing emotional burdens, while readers share experiences, gaining life lessons and wisdom. In this way, writers and readers of memoirs and autobiographies both gain a healing sense of connection to others who have had similar experiences.
Read more at Suite101: Child Abuse Memoirs and Autobiographies: Why People Read and Write About Childhood Abuse http://www.suite101.com/content/child-abuse-memoirs-and-autobiographies-a106927#ixzz1Cu7O3zuS
Dave Pelzer, author of one of the best-selling memoirs of all time, 'A Child Called "It"' Survived one of the worst cases of child abuse in CA history.
Dave Pelzer, today one of the bestselling nonfiction writers in America, is recognized and revered as much for his literary accomplishments as for surviving one of the worst cases of child abuse ever documented in California. He is, to date, the author of seven books; the first of which (also the first installment in a three-volume memoir called My Story), A Child Called “It”, has remained on the New York Times bestseller list for over five years. (also provides MONEY- a living)
It is commonly taught in middle and high school English courses, sometimes accompanied by the second volume, The Lost Boy. In both books, though primarily the first, Pelzer describes in harrowing detail the abuse he suffered at the hands of his mother, who – like his father – was an alcoholic.
Though the audience diminished for each successive installment in the series, both the third volume (A Man Named Dave) and the second have earned tremendous acclaim and inspired warm response from readers. Hundreds of customer reviews on Amazon.com award the latter two books in the series an average review of nearly five stars.
The first volume, however, remains the most popular by far. Amazon.com catalogues over two thousand customer reviews, all culminating – as with the rest of the trilogy – to nearly a five-star rating. The success of the first book may fairly be attributed to the fact that it focuses, more than its successors, on the dynamic between Dave and his mother, and graphically depicts the abuse she inflicted regularly.
Although these depictions are expanded upon in the ensuing books, the most violent and torturous are documented here: how she forces him to eat feces from his little brother’s diaper, to ingest cleaning chemicals and soak in a freezing bathtub, even stabs him.
"I know some folks want to hear all the gory details about what happened to me as a child. But I refer to specific childhood situations to qualify my message. I want them to realize the person standing in front of them is there because of persistence, personal responsibility, and by the grace of God," Pelzer said in a 2003 interview with BookBrowse.com.
And while the drama of his conflicts with his mother may be one of the book’s most endearing aspects, and the violence is likely the primary incentive for having high school students read it (something visceral enough to hold the attention of even the most grudging reader, something sincere enough to move them), Pelzer’s intentions seem to have been realized. Most of the Amazon reviews speak not only to the book’s intrigue and readability, but to its inspirational qualities as well.
It’s no surprise that, before he got into writing, Pelzer was an inspirational speaker. He was in the Air Force before that, serving during operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
Dave Pelzer’s most recent books, Help Yourself for Teens, is a follow up 2001 self-help book Help Yourself.
Introduction to Therapeutic Writing
"Words are a very powerful tool! Since we were young we were taught that it is a vital form of communication. We use the written word to communicate our thoughts to others. However not many individuals realize that we can use this method for ourselves. We can use this same process for our own therapeutic value.
Through our own written word we communicate our deepest thoughts in order to help us heal. It is a therapeutic tool for self-healing while we deal with the myriad of situations in our lives. Therapeutic writing can be done in different forms:
- Writing journals
- Letter therapy
- Poetry
- Creative Writing
In an Assisted Living facility and nursing home environment the same techniques apply. Therapeutic writing is good for the heart and soul. In the group setting you can reminisce about the past by engaging in an enlightening conversation. In it you discover the healing power of words.Benefits of Therapeutic Writing
Writing is healthy for the heart and soul although it is a little known fact. It is a wonderful therapeutic tool to utilize for simple healing. It is so simple that it is easy. All that is needed is a pen and paper. On this paper you can formulate your thoughts. Once it is written down, your feelings become a concrete item. By writing the situation/feelings down you are able to release anxiety that fills your being. Once your stress levels have lowered then you are able to look at the situation with more clarity. Writing provides the following therapeutic value:
Writing not only reduces the emotional stress of the individual but science reveals the benefits to the physical body are profound.
There is not a lot of scientific research to support the therapeutic value but there has been a tremendous amount of phenomenal research done to support the benefits of writing."
Denise Lima-Laskiewicz, AAC, CRmT 1 is the owner of Heal Through Words, a NJ-based Therapeutic Writing program for Nursing Home and Assisted Living residents.
http://www.recreativeresources.com/programming-therapeutic-writing.htm
"Writing is therapeutic! In fact, James Pennebaker, PhD., a psychologist and researcher, has conducted studies that show enhancement in immune system functioning and emotional well being when research participants write about difficult or traumatic events in their lives.
You may have questions about what type of writing would be most helpful for you and how to get started. Would it be journaling, writing poetry, free-writing, meditation and writing, morning pages (see The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron), etc. Then there is the question of what to do with your writing-keep it to yourself, start a blog, try to get it published, show it to friends, put it in a drawer, rip it up when you are frustrated, or join a group?
Your needs, interests, inclinations, and tastes are pivotal. For instance, you notice one day, that you have been writing poetry on the margins of scrap paper that you find in your pockets when doing the laundry, or someone gives you a classy blank journal book for your birthday. Then there could be alchemy and synchronicity-you see an event or group that "speaks" to you and is even happening on an evening or day you can make it. You venture into the visual attic, basement, or garage of your present or past and discover there is a pen and paper waiting for you there inviting you to write.
My own experience helping people use writing for healing tells me that it works best when there is no initial concern about editing or showing your creation to the world in print. In fact, the first step is to free up the censors, critics, and mind chatter so that the words you need to speak onto the page can get there. I think of therapeutic writing as raw and fresh. Crafting and editing can be an important, but different part of the process. Sometimes creation bubbles up in a perfectly formed finished product, but if not, what is initially created is the mortar and bricks of healing because it is your authentic and freed-up voice, which sometimes delivers a gift, a surprise, a glimpse of something important.
Turning to poetry, poetry gives rhythm to silence, light to darkness. In poetry we find the magic of metaphor, compactness of expression, use of the five senses, and simplicity or complexity of meaning in a few lines. For example, here's a poetic description of day breaking: As the sun begins with a bowing/ down and a floating up,/ light, a ballerina, pliés and jetés/ with sky in a pas de deux...
Poetry is also healing when read aloud, because of the rhythms, beauty, and connection that can be made with the person who wrote the poem. This connection, the "aha" of meaning, can start a physical and emotional change in the listener. And if you believe that everyone is connected, then someone writing a poem or reading a poem aloud about the recent earthquake in China, hurricanes or cyclones, the war in Iraq, or childhood traumas, can connect us within the human condition, ease our human suffering, give us a concrete way to respond to tragedy.
One way to think about using poetry for healing is to write a response to a poem that moves you, or to write a poem for or about someone you care about. Then, if you feel comfortable, you could share this poem with others or with its inspiration. Any of these steps involve healing: reading another's poem, letting it move you, writing a poem in response, and sharing it with another. And every time you write even just a few words down on a page, you are engaging in a process that can move you forward in ways both known and unknown."
This article was originally published in Open Exchange Magazine, Summer Issue 2008
Read more: http://www.articlesbase.com/psychology-articles/the-healing-power-of-therapeutic-writing-and-poetry-904091.html#ixzz1EJpAh400
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution
http://www.articlesbase.com/psychology-articles/the-healing-power-of-therapeutic-writing-and-poetry-904091.html
"While in my creative writing program in grad school, I picked up a copy of Louise DeSalvo'sWriting as a Way of Healing. It's been on my bookshelf as a loyal companion ever since.
I think I've always written as a way to move through the hardships of my life -- to reckon with change, loss, depression, and trauma. DeSalvo's book, though, illuminates the specific psychological implications of writing in the healing process. The key, DeSalvo writes, is to "link feelings to events" in the healing narrative. When writing about our pain, it is important to be specific. She adds, "many researchers have observed that the inability to render pain and traumaexplicitly, describing it instead in vague and general terms, signifies that the person has not yet entered the process of healing."
There are times when I am not ready to be specific, when the grief is so big or dense that I can't even see what's in front of me. But, when I am ready to face my pain, I have found specificity is the key. I write every little detail. It is exhausting, but afterwards, I feel an emotional "lift" -- a similar feeling I experience after receiving a Reiki treatment."
If you're at all interested in learning more about the power of writing as a healing modality, I highly recommend DeSalvo's book. For more information, visitAmazon.
http://www.wellsphere.com/complementary-alternative-medicine-article/healing-through-writing/325893
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://memorywritersnetwork.com/blog/interview-diana-raab/
Jerry: How much did you journal during your illness, and how would you describe the emotional effect that resulted from your journal writing sessions?
Diana: While still in the hospital I journaled twice a day. Once home I journaled once a day and/or whenever I had the need. The mere act of journaling was very cathartic for me. I was home recovering from surgery on September 11th, 2001. It was a very difficult time for me. My emotions were bubbling over as I was dealing with my own personal loss and the loss to my country and the city of my youth. I speak a lot about this in my book.
I always feel better after expressing myself on the page, during both good and bad times. My times with my journal are precious. It is one way I take care of myself, in the same way I go to the gym or for a beach walk. If you journal on a regular basis, not only do you document the events you are going through, but you also document the feelings, sensations, sights and sounds that you might not recall at a later date and this in and of itself is very healing.
Mah, Adeline Yen. Chinese Cinderella: the true story of an unwanted daughter. New York: Delacorte Press, 1999. Print.
-This book has a follow up of Adeline Yen Mah's views.
-At the end of her memoir she talks a little about how her life has changed after writing the book.
-She talks about what happened when her father and step-mother died and how Niang (her step-mother) tried to ide her father's real will so that she would not inherit anything.
Moving Forward: Taking the Lead in Your Life by Dave Pelzer
and http://www.amazon.com/Moving-Forward-Taking-Lead-Your/dp/1599950650
"Self-help expert Dave Pelzer teaches readers how to let go of the past and use negative experiences to make them stronger when tackling the future. "
"Learning from our prior experiences, we can, and should, aspire to fulfill our dreams, making life better not only for ourselves but for others around us," Dave writes in the introduction. "I am of the belief that you do not have to be a mayor of a major metropolis or CEO of a Fortune 500 company in order to take a stand for your convictions; to lead, rally, or educate others for your cause; or to maintain a vision that will pave the way for other generations to come. The everyday, hardworking folks, God bless 'em, have and always will continue to, day in and day out, truly make an impact on their families, communities, jobs, America, and the world as a whole."
-to motivate his readers by the way he was driven to overcome his obstacles and challenges
"Dave Pelzer walks readers through the process of learning how to turn the experience gained from past hurts into the power to live a better life and help others do the same with his trademark wisdom, support, and tough love."
----he wrote the book purposely to help others (not only himself)
www.healingstory.org
-a website created for the sole purpose of giving people the benefits of writing
http://sunshineandmoonlight.wordpress.com/2008/01/02/therapeutic-benefits-of-writing/
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Everyone has Sunshine and Moonlight in their lives. It's just that my Sunshine and Moonlight has come in the form of Multiple Sclerosis. So, why the name "Sunshine and Moonlight"? When I was diagnosed, I was amazed by the negative terms that were tossed around –bad days, MS days, remission, relapses, episodes, disease progression. All scary. All negative. I've chosen to focus on the positive instead, as I search to find the "new normal" in my life. "Sunshine" — represents my post MS-diagnosis day-to-day life. And, "Moonlight" — represents everything else. As a cancer survivor since 1997 and a Person with M.S. since 2007, I consider myself to be a Patient-Educator, here to help others newly diagnosed and those continuing their battles with M.S. And, this, my friends, brings us to "Sunshine and Moonlight — A Journey with Multiple Sclerosis." Welcome!
Therapeutic Benefits of Writing
January 2, 2008 by KimberlyDuring a recent interview with Erie Times-News reporter, David Bruce, who was writing a piece on my M.S. diagnosis and this blog, Dave asked me: “So, Kim, what do you get out of this [writing the blog]?” One of my answers to him was that I find writing to be very therapeutic. Many people journal the stories of their lives. Blogs (short for “Web-logs”) are no different really than journals, albeit electronic, and sometimes public ones.
Since I was a child, I would start journal after journal. I’ve shopped at book stores and writing centers to pick out artfully covered and bound diaries. I usually would buy a new pen or two to help solidify the commitment. I would make written promises between the book and myself that I would write every, single day. If I made it past two, solid weeks of writing each time, I was lucky. As a kid, I worried someone would find my journal and all my secrets would be exposed. Ooh, some of the stories that were held within those sacred pages! As an adult, I just didn’t make the time to write. I write for my doctoral Program, I write for work, I write for my T.V. segments, and I write when necessary. But, I never really made the time to write for me – despite the fact that I truly enjoy the art of writing.
I find it ironic that despite my previously commitment-phobe attitude towards writing, and my earlier fears about secrecy, that now I blog daily and I use a forum accessible to the entire world. There isn’t a way to put one of those cute, little locks, able to be opened with only that tiny, metal key onto my web site. Sure, I can make everyone have to pre-register and be pre-approved to view and comment on my work, but that sorta defeats the whole purpose of blogging, doesn’t it? It now seems natural and easy for me to write each and every day and it doesn’t matter anymore who knows my most personal thoughts and stories. How odd.
“Researchers once believed that the main benefits of writing were purely psychological. But there is new evidence of the health value of forming coherent stories out of the chaotic elements of your personal history” (Perry, 2001). Well, that’s good news, isn’t it? If writing will help both my mental and physical health, I doubt I will face commitment issues any longer. For me, writing helps me to understand my own feelings, attitudes, and innermost thoughts. People used to call it “the power of the pen”, but now it’s often the “power of the keyboard.”
I believe anyone can be or become a writer, regardless of skill, experience, or education level. You really do just have to write about something with which you are familiar, and something that is of personal interest or intrigue. So, if you are seeking a deeper level of peace; a way to reconnect with yourself or to touch others; or just an outlet for your emotions, consider picking up that pen, or turning on that computer. And, for those of you who have read this blog to date, thank you for contributing to my own personal therapy and to my own personal experience.
I’ve posted a number of book recommendations for my readers here. Hopefully, one of these might inspire you to become a writer yourself.
Perry, S. (December/January, 2001). Right here, right now. //Psychology Today.//
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Benefits of Therapeutic Writing
The Writing Journey enhances personal development, and can lead to positive transformation. We guarantee that you will discover something new on this course.
Self-Discovery: Meet Your Real Self
- Get in touch with lost feelings and hidden memories
- Access and reassess memories
- Explore habitual patterns and assumptions
- Deepen self-knowledge
Self-Growth: Improve Yourself- Clarify and develop thoughts
- Develop new perspectives
- Gain insight into the viewpoints of others
- Acquire a wider range and better developed personal voice
Self-Empowerment: Strengthen YourselfWriting as a Healing Art
Writing about traumatic events is not only beneficial to emotional healing. Professor James W. Pennebaker's research shows that it lowers heart rates, increases the body's resistance to infection, and enhances the sense of overall well-being. It has also been reported to help with asthma, rheumatoid arthritis and post-operative wounds.Emotional Healing
- Release trapped feelings and blocked emotions
- Overcome emotional and creative blocks
- Develop new interpretations of your personal history
- Enhance emotional balance
Physical Healing- Reduce stress levels
- Decrease blood pressure
- Boost the immune system and resilience
- Improve overall physical and health
Other long term health benefitsWriting to unblock creativity
It sounds like a strange concept - especially if you are a blocked writer - that writing can help you break through barriers to creativity. But it can and does. The spontaneous discovery writing techniques will help in all areas of creativity. You may find that you:
http://www.thewritingjourney.co.uk/benefits.htm