Comments on: Why memoirs are becoming so popular

By: Fran

Fran — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 01:12:35 +0000

Wow, I’m writing a paper about memory and memoir in preparation for my thesis which will be a creative piece, namely, my memoir and the accompanying exegesis. I’m so surprised to find this site and have some of my questions about the value of and fascination with memoir. Good luck all.

By: Beatriz

Beatriz — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 23:17:31 +0000

Thank you so much for your thoughts on memoirs. I have one in my trunks that’ it’s almost finished but the self doubt was killing me in the sense that I felt people wouldn’t be interested in an average person although I consider I had an extraordinary life but I’m not a celebrity, I’m not famous, and you have given me confidence to continue. You have reinforced my belief that every life is worthwhile and every life is an important journey, and I will fight very hard to get mine published.

By: Franco Antonetti

Franco Antonetti — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:00:24 +0000

I actually had no intentions of writing my memoir,but a great friend who is a successful writer,nearly forced me to do it.His reasoning was that he knew me pretty well,and knew what the average reader would be interested in, and my story was exactly that.
I rationalized in my mind, that even if he was wrong,writing my life story would be a wonderful diary for my kids and their kids, receiving accurate information of their grand pop.
I had no idea that it would be picked up by LA Times,The Italian American Press and many other reviewes.
It has given me joy to be invited to speak at a number of Universities,Public Libraries and a number of groups.
I was even the key speaker at The Italian Cultural Society of Washington,DC. and also spoke at Fort Belvoir.
There is nothing better than to personalize a copy of your book and sending it to a stranger that all of a sudden is interested in your life experiences.
I truly enjoy it.

By: jerrywaxler

jerrywaxler — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 12:42:19 +0000

Hi Julie,

Thanks so much for your praise. I’m glad you are finding value here. And thanks for sharing your passion. While you find the blog inspiring, I find your comment inspiring. That’s the key point of the blog. The internet has opened the most remarkable doors – it’s magic when you really think about it – we’ve created a micro-community in the “ether.” Best wishes with your publishing goals.

Jerry

By: Julie Atwood

Julie Atwood — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 09:11:47 +0000

I am glad I came across your website. After years of writing and researching, I was beginning to lose hope of ever getting my memoir published. But your site has renewed my determination to continue with what I started. Writing comes natural for me and I have an endless supply of words and ideas for stories. I have been a cartoonist and writer with a newspaper for over 20 years, publishing a variety of stories during that time. But I wanted to broaden my horizons and try my hand at getting some of my books published. While writing is easy for me, I find the publishing industry overwhelming. I have many abilities, but my disabilities tend to get in the way of my understanding the world of publishing. After straining my brain for years to comprehend this complex field, I was afraid I would develop another disorder. I’m sure the great writers of the past would find this new literary technology maddening. Benjamin Franklin would probably be insulted if he had to learn how to turn his memoir into an electronic document. Present day publishing is enough to intimidate a writer into retiring their pen, or packing away the keyboard. The publishing competition is overwhelming and when one is not a high profile person, has no connections, or financial resources, getting published becomes a challenge that can be exhausting. The healing properties of writing a personal memoir can be rewarding, but getting it published so one can share an important story is difficult. Writing my memoir was very therapeutic, but it may not have the same effect for someone else who reads it. Still, it’s an important story worth sharing and I’m determined to get it published. I’m sure researching your site will help. Sincerely, Julie

By: Steven

Steven — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 22:23:04 +0000

I am happy others appreciate the memoirs of so called ordinary people.
For the more of these I read the more I know we so called ordinary people have extraordinary things to tell that are perhaps unique to us,our time,our location and when we include our ancestry it becomes even more interesting,and worth knowing by others.
I hope I with my limited experience in writing can take/hire your information/service as well as others and help my Father create a story structure around his finished memoir “give me them ol’ time memories”

All the best with your blog

By: jerrywaxler

jerrywaxler — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 13:35:14 +0000

Hi Dee Dee,

Thanks so much for your comment about your book. Your story is one of the reasons I started the blog, to give memory writers a place to share their experience. I’d love to hear more about your memoir, either in comments or in an interview. Stop back next week to see the interviews I’ll be publishing with memoir writer Carol O’Dell, author of Mothering Mother.

Jerry

By: Dee Dee Phelps

Dee Dee Phelps — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 22:11:22 +0000

I love your blog site. After four and a half years of hard work, my memoir, Vinyl Highway, Singing as Dick and Dee Dee was released. It was picked up by a national distributor in Spring, 2007 and is available in bookstores, Amazon.com, Barnes&Nobel.com, Googlebooks and on my website: http://www.dickanddeedee.com. Since the singing career covered the Sixties music scene, it brings back many fond memoires for people.
Also on the site are some fun vintage videos of the act. Especially popular is the Scopitone video and Lightening Strikes (Batman and Robin), which was part of the last Shindig show ever taped.
I’d like to go into greater detail about what it took to write and complete Vinyl Highway. What I thought would be a straight ahead process (beginning to middle to end) turned into a collage. I added things in the middle of the book after it was written, etc. I miss being in the creative process and want to start another memoir about the Seventies. I just heard today that a writer who wrote a biography on Abraham Lincoln worked on it for five years. When it was published, she said she mourned the loss of her buddy, Abraham. How personal a memoir (or biography in this case) is.
Again, you have a great site.
Dee Dee Phelps

By: Anti-Wife

Anti-Wife — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 20:02:26 +0000

I wrote my memoir but discovered it was too much as written and it dragged. I’ve been reading and studying on the genre and now have a much better feel for what needs to be changed, so I’m going to start again. I really appreciate all your comments and advice.

By: jerrywaxler

jerrywaxler — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 11:09:59 +0000

Hi Rhonda,

The appreciation is mutual. I’m delighted you are working on your memoir, and love that you are getting value from the blog. Writing a memoir is a long journey, and it’s easier to do with it company.

Jerry