Memoir can be an intimidating genre for writers due to the very personal nature of the content. Memoir author, writers group founder, and publishing consultant Patricia L. Brooks offers a workshop aptly named "Write the Memoir You Are Afraid to Write." Brooks strongly encourages aspiring memoirists to "write your truth," despite the risk of getting negative feedback from family or friends. Brooks advises that if you know your heart is in the right place, you can't worry about what others think. By writing about and sharing her truths Brooks has been able to help many women. To build up your confidence in your writing, she recommends finding a critique group that you trust for support and encouragement.
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I'm so glad to hear you say two things that so many teachers or professionals don't understand. You said " Memoir is about segments of your life---to me that means not necessarily chronilogically. Thank you for that. It isn't readily accepted. Seems that people think Memoir is a chronologic accounting of your life. I want to put segments of my life that I have written in an order that should appeal to my reader.
Secondly: You said "write the memoir you are afraid to write". That is exactly what I am doing, with much angst. But my feeling is this is what your book is about. Hopefully, appealing to the reader who thinks she is an awful person not deserving of forgiveness from anyone. Thank you Patricia.
Thank you for your encouragement on Memoirs. Due to legal reasons, I am leaning toward Fiction so as not to hurt the ones involved in my story, which is comprised of Domestic Volence, Mental Illness and even Murder! I have been advised this would be my best genre with the reader guessing whether or not it is my story. Any and All suggestions are very much appreciated. A.L. LeBlanc
This helps me in a very special way. Because my memoir is my life story. And it comes from deep in my heart. My family will be very angry about it. But it is the whole truth. It will help me heal, and hopefully help others. The things in my life that brought me down to nothing, has made me the person I am today.
Thank you brook for your advice, can I ask a question though?... If I write about sensity truth from my perspective and call it a true story , if family members or friends beg to differ once they read it bc their perspectives were so different, is there a risk of lawsuit, or of penalty the argumentative members may be able to one up on me with. ? what can I expect from those who will not like me exposing the raw truth that I passionately feel compelled to share with the world for greater purpose.?......
I have written a memoire which I very much want to share. I´m having trouble ordering. At the moment it is in short chapters which contain different aspects of what I remember and my feelings. Thankyou for you encouragement, I will relook at it and see what I can do I think it might be worth it.