[2010 Winter workshops] Writing a Healing/Spiritual Memoir sessions with Linda Joy Myers

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Linda Joy Myers, Ph.D.

With Linda Joy Myers, Ph.D.
Period: Mondays, January 11 to March 15, 2010

In this class each student writes the vignettes that are important to the story that needs to be told. We begin with turning point stories, stories that are most significant on the timeline, and write those first. My suggestion is to go with the “fire in the belly” approach—what is there that is commanding your attention.

We frequently discuss and try to disable the power of the inner critic that blocks us from writing in the fullness of our feelings. Some writers in the class are beginning, others have written for a while, and each person is on a quest to find the meaningful stories that are part of their spiritual journey.

Advanced Sessions:

An advanced group for those who have taken this course from Linda Joy and have developed some vignettes for their memoir. The goal will be to deepen the progress of writing the memoir and to develop fictional techniques such as dialogue, scenes, point of view and story structure. Adding new skills helps you write an even more healing story.

Writing a healing memoir takes the writer into depths of soul, a journey into truth; the course becomes focused on support for that journey as much as techniques.

The following questions and ideas will be part of the advanced sessions:

• What is your favorite story that have you written during the first class? Why? Would you like to develop it further?
• What time frame have you covered in your early vignettes? Place them on the timeline to get a visual image of the quilt of your memoir.
• Character sketches: Choose some of the people you have sketched and create a more complete scene with them. We will discuss scenes again.
• Write about landscapes that are part of your soul.
• Editing: This time we will deal with light editing of pieces for grammar, spelling, and details that help you become your own editor.
• Revision—means “seeing again.” Writing means revision, so it is useful skill to have.
• Topics: We can explore further the topics you have already brought forward, and add new ones to the writing prompts.
• Organization: we will discuss how you are organizing and keeping track of your vignettes. This is an important part of ongoing writing.
• Conflict; showing vs. telling; plot.
• Inspiration; the heart of story.