March 19, 2024

MAGIC OF MEMOIR

 

Memoirists, join Linda Joy Myers and Brooke Warner for their first-ever in-person event—MAGIC OF MEMOIR 2015—this October 17 & 18 in Berkeley, California.

We are jazzed about this 2-day event in celebration of memoir, in which we’ll be covering craft, process, and publishing. In addition to diving deep into craft points every memoirist must master, we will also be doing guided writing exercises and be hosting two panels, with some exciting guest participants. Check out the details and we’ll see you in Berkeley in October!


 

Why do you think that memoir is the fastest-growing genre in the publishing industry? Why do you think so many people want to write their story?

We are two memoir advocates and passionate believers in the magic of memoir. It truly is magical to tell your story—to watch it unfold on the page, to bring to life something that’s lived inside of you—and to allow other people to witness your story and benefit from having read it. There aren’t many things that are more gratifying than offering our personal truth to others.

 

 

Here are a few reasons why we believe that writing your memoir is magical:


Writing your memoir can change your life.

You have a passion project you’ve been working on for years. You know you want to finish it someday; you must finish it before you die. It’s a story that has its claws in you. Sometimes you think about it every day, sometimes once a month. A book project like this is a little like a lost lover. It wants you to return to it, and you long to return to it, too.

Maybe you just don’t know where to start or how to stay loyal to your commitment to finish it. If this is you, you know that not writing this book feels like a regret. Writing it and completing it has the potential to change your life.

 

Writing your memoir can set you free.

You have a story from your past to tell. May you come from a messed-up family. Maybe you have had life experiences unlike anyone you know. Your friends are always saying, “Wow, you need to put that into a book.” You know your life story is unique.

You think it has potential to sell big, too. Depending on the intimacy of your story, it’s probable that your saboteurs are stalking you, telling you all the reasons it’s a horrible idea to share your story with the world. Even if you’re considering an adventure story of all the wild times you had, you might still be plagued by voices that tell you, “Why bother with that? You have better things to do.”

If this is you, beating that inner critic back and writing your book is your ticket to freedom.

 

Writing your memoir can help you heal.

You can’t keep your story inside any longer. It’s time for it to be out in the open, but you wrestle with all the reasons why you shouldn’t, why you should wait, who will be hurt if you tell, whether you can do the story justice. Maybe you’re even wondering who cares—the worst and most debilitating message of our inner critic. We’ll tell you what—we care. We want to hear your story, and we can guarantee that you’ll come out the other side feeling more empowered, more energetic, and more alive than you have in years. That is the power of self-healing through speaking—and writing—your truth.

 

Do you believe?

If you believe that memoir is as powerful and magical as we believe it to be, then we are the mentors for you. Each of us has guided hundreds of memoirists through the completion of their manuscripts, and shepherded many more through to publication of their books. We know what it takes to complete a memoir, and we understand that it’s often painful and challenging. No one is going to beat you up more in this process than you are! We want to make sure that you’re gentle with yourself and understand that it’s tough on everyone, but it’s also one of the most rewarding things you’ll ever do. The truism that nothing worth doing is easy applies here. But it can be fun. If you’ve been desiring, longing, or wish you could or just would write your memoir, look no further. We want to be your partners, mentors, and co-travelers in your journey through memoirland.

—Linda Joy and Brooke