Linda Joy Myers grew up as an unwanted child, but this did not stop her from dreaming of a different way to live and to be. When she was four years old, her mother left her with her maternal grandmother. Linda could feel at the time that she would never live with her again, which proved to be true. Her memoir Don’t Call Me Mother is the story of three generations of mothers who abandoned their daughters, and her passion to understand these wounded but beautiful women.
For the last 35 years, Linda has helped other people who have been abused and silenced to find their own inner spark. After Linda completed her MFA in creative writing, she finished her memoir and began to teach Writing as Healing courses privately. Her work in the field of writing and healing lead to her books Becoming Whole and The Power of Memoir, and Journey of Memoir
Linda founded the National Association of Memoir Writers. and has created a community and network of writers, editors, publishers, designers and authors who believe in the power of writing to make a difference, to whom creating a story is a sacred act that can help save someone’s life.
Weaving Craft and Truth in a Publishable Memoir
Memoirists know that writing the “truth” is a dicey business. They ask themselves, “Is my memory correct; what will the family say? Dare I expose what really happened?” A memoir writer also has to find a balance between the desire to tell their own story and understanding how the written story “works.” They need to draw upon the craft of story to weave from real life the elements of creative writing: theme, plot, characters, climax, and what the reader learns from the story. Finding the proper angle of vision about a life story allows a memoir writer to create an honest narrator that tells the truth. Weaving the strengths of craft with a compelling story invites the writer’s authentic voice come through and is at the heart of successful memoirs.
• Defining truth in memoir
• How to find your memories and get them on the page
• Managing the inner critics that get in the way
• Learning the elements of great story telling in memoir
• Finding out how to combine good craft with the deep truths that make a memoir great
Balancing Truth and Family in Memoir Writing
Writing a memoir returns you to the web of your family and community—what you experienced in the past and how you felt about your life. As you write your memoir, you become more aware of family dynamics—who had the power, the myths kept your family story going, and sometimes you can discover issues that are still unresolved. As a family therapist for 35 years, Linda Joy is in a good position to help writers learn how to translate their family stories and review the patterns that can get in the way of writing their truth. One of the benefits of writing a memoir is to re-examine the past and see it through a new lens.
The audience will learn about the kinds of family dynamics we encounter as we grow up, and learn how writing a memoir can lead to a new perspective.
• Learn about family roles, rules and myths—and how to find out more about your own family.
• Discover how to write about yourself and family members—characterization, scenes and reflection.
• Learn more about your role in the family and how to write about it.
• Find out how to protect your writing from curious family members
• How to write about “difficult” characters without lying.
Linda is available to speak about memoir writing, transformation, and the craft of writing. Contact memoirguru@namw.org or call 1-877-363-6647 to inquire about speaking topics for your group.
