How To Be A Better Memoir Writer? See a Therapist (In Class)
IT WAS A DREAM COME TRUE: Me and a room full of psychoanalysts, more than one hundred of them, in fact, and I was telling them about my writing life, illustrating for them my belief in the power of telling one’s tale. My goal was to teach each of them how to be a better memoir writer. If only I could have been doing it prone, stretched out on a couch covered in a remarkable Persian carpet, with two velvet pillows behind my thrumming head, the sounds of Old Vienna pulsing through the window, sometime after tea during…Whoa. Hold on. Wait one single second. Where was I?
Months ago, when the invite came in, I actually had to put the phone on mute so gleefully happy was I, giggling, in fact (a response rarely heard) at the very sound of the event. Psychoanalysts? A room full of them? And me speaking to them about the power of telling one’s tale, specifically teaching them each of them how to be a better memoir writer? Oh yes. Yes, yes. Yes, please. Is this every writer’s dream or just mine?
Who better could there possibly be on earth with whom to have a discussion about writing what we know? No one comes to mind. And, to make the invitation sweeter still, I would lead three writing workshops, as well.
I knew of the New Directions program through a client. It is a three-year continuing education program on writing, open to writers, clinicians, and academics. The program includes weekend conferences as well as summer and winter retreats during which a robust writing faculty talks and listens, instructs and spends time with writers, getting them where they want to go, and while the predominant number of students were psychotherapists, the program is open to all.
I’ve done countless writing workshops, spoken at innumerable literary festivals, and taught hundreds of classes and never had such fun. That’s right: Fun. Looking for a new adventure as a writer? This is it. Get in touch with the New Directions Program, sign up, attend and spend some quality time with some remarkable, smart, interesting writers and therapists who are invested in your writing success.
Coming home, I had a renewed sense of the power of story, and immediately immersed myself in researching podcasts for you to listen to. My thinking is if I can help you by making memoir portable you’ll learn on the go, learn more, write more, and write better. Hope I’m right. So, with that in mind, here is what I have been listening to this week.
Marion’s Occasional List of the Best Podcasts for Writers
1. Aerogramme Writer’s Studio 10 Great Podcasts for Writers
2. Magic Lessons Podcast with Elizabeth Gilbert
3. Stylecaster’s 9 Women-Run Podcasts You Should be Listening To
4. How to be A Girl Podcast by GenderMom
And guess what? I just got a new microphone. Yup. I’m on it. Soon, folks, soon. For now, though, if you want to listen to me on how to write memoir, you have many choices, all available on my resources page. Check it out.
And I was one of those psychoanalysts sitting in the audience. What a treat! Now I am reading The Memoir Project and really enjoying it, learning from it. Thank you so much for being with us! You gave so much!
Marion, two of my friends/colleagues graduated from this program and found it invaluable. You would be the perfect addition! And after all, it’s in Georgetown.
Well what a joy to read that you enjoyed coming to New Directions! I think it was one of the best weekends I’ve had in the program, in no small part due to your conviction that life, in large and in small, is worth writing about if you give it a chance. I’ll second the notion that we analysts are adept at listening and in making the most of what we receive, but having wonderful people like you bring not only inspirational but practical wisdom is what it’s all about. (Btw I’m the “Lucy’s Work” poet)
Marion, it is wonderful to hear that you had such a good experience at New Directions. I’ll soon be writing my own blog for New Directions describing your wonderful talk to us. Meanwhile, if your readers are interested in reading the New Directions blog about previous weekends, here is the link: https://sites.psu.edu/newdirections/
How lovely to hear your enthusiasm for New Directions. You have been touched with the magic sprinkled about like fairy dust in this Writing Neverland. I have been a part of this amazing group for more than a decade as student, social director, faculty and Salonniere. I can’t imagine ever leaving. Thank you for your creativity, vibrant and erudite presentation as well as the gift of this amazing response.
Hello, my new friends. I am honored to read you here. I also have heard from Liat Katz whose writing is wondrous. Here are links to pieces she recently wrote and published.
The first is a two-part series from Pulse, Voices From the Heart of Medicine. All of these take on the remarkable territory of the journey between being a clinical social worker and a patient in a psychiatric ward.
Here is Part One, and here is Part Two from Pulse, Voices From The Heart of Medicine.
And then look what repurposing one of these for publication in The Washington Post did for the piece.
Thanks to Liat. I could teach an entire course from these fine works of writing.
Please come back for more.
Thank you! You are such a wonderful speaker, writer & inspiration. Your humor particularly inspired me. So glad you could join us for a New Directions weekend & I hope you come back. In the meantime, I’ll continue to read your blog….
Marion,
I am a an alum of New Directions and I had the great luck and privilege to be in a small group with you. Your skill, humor, warmth and insight were invaluable to me in expanding a piece of memoir. The combination of this magical program and you as the weekend addition was truly inspiring. New Directions is my gift that keeps on giving. Thank you so much! Susan
Marion, this post is an embarrassment of riches. Can’t wait to dig in to all these fabulous links! New Directions sounds like a real gem.
Marion, I ordered your book and had it sent to me in Sydney. It helped me focus my manuscript better. I’ve just about got my memoir, “River Gir”, based on bitter (traumatic) events in childhood, in the 40s and 50s, and other sweeter ones that resurfaced during the telling. I’m considering uploading it to Amazon as an e-book. Have you got any advice to me? I’ve been writing it on an off for so long that I now just want to get it out there, so that I can get on with fictionalised works.
Hello, Anne.
Thank you for getting and reading my book, and thank you for being in touch. There has never been a better time for writers in terms of choices of where to publish. My advice is to get your book out there, absolutely. I know many people who have published via Amazon and are reaping the rewards. Read up on good book promotion — and all else — via the marvelous Jane Friedman, whose advice is accurate, clear and do-able. Let me know when it is up, please, and we will all celebrate your success.
All best,
Marion
Thanks for that, Marion. I appreciate your offer of publicising it. I will keep in touch and keep you informed.
Thanks so much
Anne
The New Directions memoir weekend was a truly remarkable experience, due in no small part to your inspiring presence. It is hard to describe your voice, but it was direct, candid, funny and eloquent. Plus you gave us a lot of strong and practical advice. Thank you so much for being with us!
Thank you Marion for inspiring our New Directions audience- and making us laugh!
Kerry