Yes, I’ve Written a Memoir!
In case you’ve wondered, yes, I’ve written a memoir. It arrived last month and took ten years. And it’s only 36 pages.
A memoir is as individual as the person whose story it tells. Yet the point of any memoir is to share something of yourself.
Mine is titled Thin Places: A Memoir, lest there be confusion about what this slim, small piece is exactly. It is composed of photographs, most of which I’ve taken, paired with quotations or poems, some of which I’ve written. Taken together, they speak of the “thin places” I’ve experienced in my life so far. If you’re not familiar with the term, a thin place is a location or a situation where the divine is clearly felt.
As with any story, and especially with memoirs, it’s crucial you know clearly these three things: what the story is, why you’re the one to tell it, and who the audience is. All the content is measured against those three points. If a piece doesn’t fit – doesn’t advance what you want to say, isn’t yours to tell, or won’t be understandable to the audience, no matter how much you love it - it doesn’t belong in the story. Unless, of course, you are the only audience in which case use it! (This previous blog provides more guidance on these things.)
I created my memoir mostly for me, as a way of helping me understand and describe places and times in my life where I’ve felt grace, connection, or peace beyond myself. Like most of us, my life has included times of great difficulty, loss and confusion. It has also included times of great joy and clarity. Thin Places: A Memoir is the product of working through and making art from all those times. And yes, I’m quite pleased with it.
Sharing a memoir is an act of great courage.
Many clients, after having their memoir actually in hand – a real book, not just WORD docs and jpeg photos on the computer – have wrestled with letting others read it, regardless of their initial intended audience. To be honest, I’m feeling similarly about mine. There’s significant vulnerability in having another read your story. What if they don’t like it, or don’t get it? Most of us, no matter our age, still care what they think, particularly since early recipients are often our loved ones.
While I wrestle with sharing mine, I encourage you to create a memoir (this previous blog will help). It can be whatever you want to say, in whatever format, of whatever content you’d like. Just say what you want to say, while you can.