Making memories was the focus of the monthly Carnegie Café series at the Drayton library on Jan. 29. The introductory class allowed participants to develop skills needed to write a memoir.
“A memoir is the sharing of memories that are not in chronological order,” librarian Joanne Wiersma stated. “It is how you remember certain experiences.”
Memoirs cover a range of topics, including marriage, family, friendship, animals, illness, business and travel.
The book Leap of Faith by Queen Noor is a religious memoir. Romantic memoirs include memories of courtship, marriage or divorce. Tell-all memoirs reveal a part of the past that the reader never expects. Mine collapses, 911 and earthquakes are a few examples of disaster memoirs. Call-to-justice memoirs focus on justice or social action groups.
“Memoirs are legacies passed on to the next generation,” Wiersma said. “Journaling helps with the memoir writing process.”
Wiersma challenged writers to create a six-word memoir about themselves. Examples included:
– “The best is yet to come”;
-“Been there done that, ate it”;
– “I almost gave up but didn’t”; and
“I saved the best for last.”
The Drayton library has numerous memoirs on its shelves. Recommended by Wiersma for first time memoir writers is How to Write a Memoir in Thirty Days by Roberta Temes. Stephen King’s book On Writing suggests the writer be comfortable, brave and just start.
Others to consider are A Beautiful Terrible Thing: A Memoir of Marriage and Betrayal, written by author Jen Waite; and The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls, a memoir about a dysfunctional family for whom good comes out of trouble.
They Left Us Everything is a grief journey by well known Canadian author Plum Johnson.
Wiersma noted memoirs can be found in different formats including discs, movies and books.
The next Carnegie Café, entitled Winter is for the Birds, will be held on Feb. 26 from 2 to 3pm. Information will be shared on winter birds in the area.
