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Thank you for the great advice. I am in the midst of writing my first memoir, although the experts insist that there is no market for memoirs these days. Still, it is where I have to start. I cannot move forward until I tell this story.

I've been considering writing my memoir for some time. Your advice is very timely!

This is wonderful advice. Now, I'd love to read what else Linda has to say!

I have found that writing helps me remember my childhood when I had buried it behind a veil of darkness. I am very interested in Linda's work. Thank you for your insightful post.

Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.D.
http://blog.stephaniesuesansmith.com

Great interview and topic. I have a memoir outline and three-quarters of the way completed. I've even pitched it to a major publisher who was interested in it. However, I am not sure what to do about characters / relatives that are mentioned that are still living. I don't care if they get mad, but I don't want to get sued. And of course some of these people are in great denial about the subjects I cover. This book is very timely. Thanks!

Thanks for such a great interview! I know that there will come a time that I will write my memoir (just not sure how soon). This book would be an incredible help so please enter me in the drawing!

[email protected]

I would love to write about a deeply personal experience, but I'm concerned about how it will affect my family and having to deal with it for the rest of MY life. I see that sometimes it's ok to take the chance.

I have been thinking of writing a memoir. Thanks for giving me a starting point!

I'm a counselor and children's author who has long been an advocate of writing/journaling to heal emotional wounds. I've also been thinking about writing a memoir, so coming across Linda's interview this morning was wonderful! Thanks for the great tips.

It's wondeful to see so many people interested in memoir writing. Don't miss the rest of the stops. She has so many great things to say.

I can relate to so much of what is written in this post. For some time, I have been thinking of writing my story, and now have encouragement to begin. Thanks so much!

Thank you WOW and Linda for this interview. I have used writing as a means of healing for years.
A question, Linda. Much of my history involves abuse - physical, mental, emotional, spiritual - while I have written about it clandestinely, usually in poetry. I have avoided a memoir out of fear, yet, I know that if others can read about another person's triumph over abuse, it helps them to move forward in their lives.
Any suggestions on how to share my experience with others? Is there a such thing as an anonymous memoir?

Linda, you told us that you wrote about your grandparent's and parent's stories. I'm curious to know if you saw a thread from the past woven through these stories as well as through your own memoir. Thank you.

I like what Linda said about writing the first draft in secret so you can hear your own voice. Great tip. Awesome post. Thanks a bunch!

Tricia S.

Here's some great photos of women writers: http://todayspictures.slate.com/20100308/

All these comments are really good ones. Don't listen to people about the marketing of memoirs--it needn't be your focus when you begin writing. Write that first draft for yourself and your own healing. It's amazing how much it helps to get your stories on the page where you can see yourself and your life through a new perspective.
And when we write, we always end up going somewhere other than where we expected--there's the creativity and magic in writing.
Dr. James Pennebaker, one of the original researchers on the power of writing to heal says, "Story is a way of knowledge." That galvanized me to explore writing as a path of knowing, a path of awareness.
The best way to deal with the family is to NOT tell them what you are writing about. Create a safe, sacred space where you can listen to yourself and not get caught up in what others will say. The inner critic that most of us have is bad enough!
If you visit the other blogs on the tour, you will see how I address these issues in depth along the way. Be brave--start writing your story today. I will answer some more questions soon!

My writing critique partner writes memoir and I write fiction. This book would be an excellent resource for both of us.

I am especially helped by your advice to tell her to first write fully, honestly for herself. That will free her from the worry about hurting others that could hold her back. Once she starts revising, then she can omit details or change names to protect the innocent (or guilty.)

Great interview!

Have you tried to write a six word memoir? It's fun. Here's Ernest Hemingway's: 'For Sale: Baby shoes, never worn.'

Mary Mullen
Galway, Ireland

I would love to win this book!

Thank you for the interview. Three years ago, shortly after I was diagnosed, I joined a writing group for women cancer survivors based on the Amherst Writers and Artists Methodology. At each session, we are encouraged to leave our inner critic outside the door, and write freely. Although I have journaled all my life, I was not prepared for the amazingly therapeutic benefits of writing with other women in a supportive environment. This writing group has literally been a lifeline for me.

The value of memoir writing as a healing outlet for expressing thoughts and feelings can never be underestimated. Equally for the reader, reading the memoirs of others who have journeyed through similar experiences can help you find new strength and hope.

Many people have told me what an interesting life I have lived and how I should write about it, but just as you and everyone else, I think, who would want to read this. I have always loved to write about my deep emotions, but I do not share them with anyone.

Thanks

Yes, The Amherst technique uses similar kinds of rules and suggestions that I use in my online and in person writing groups--I came to my version from being a therapist who was used to listening with unconditional positive regard. Another factor is what Alice Miller, a well known Swiss psychiatrist calls "Witnessing." We witness each other and ourselves with compassion as we write and share, and reflect back to each other our stories, who we were, what we struggled with, and how we came to terms with those struggles.
Some of you may feel that no one would want to read your story--but you might check to see if that is your inner critic. Often when I hear that and get to find out more about the person, she has lived an interesting life that I and others can benefit from knowing more about. Of course, each person has to decide if she wants to share her experiences. For many of us, simply writing is enough. We witness ourselves when we write honestly and dig deep into who we are.
--Linda Joy

I think I'd have to write three memoirs to get it all of my themes in... maybe five. This book sounds fantastic and the interview alone has given me a starting point. Thank you, Muffin, once again!!

Karen McGrath/Boston dreaming...
http://pandkmcgrath.blogspot.com

Wow! I have been writing about my experience of parenting my daughter who suffers from anxiety as part of our therapy and have found it incredibly powerful. I just last week enrolled in a writer's group to explore the possibility of it being a book somewhere down the track - so this was perfect timing for me! Thank you, Linda - I am a winner now regardless!
Gabrielle

as a single woman who just turned 40, i often look at my creative writing degree (BA English from UW-Milwaukee) as useless. for my 'day job' it kinda is. however, i've found that when i just let the pen flow across the page, i get such wonderful feedback that i guess i learned something at college after all. as much as i studied the short story genre and poetry techniques, ever since i turned 40 i have felt a strong urge to share my life experience thus far. to some i suppose memoirs sound utterly vain but when i write memoirs, it's the opposite--from a place of total humility. it's what i've seen and how i see it. it's about what we overcome, often without knowing it at the time. it also helps me pat myself on the back for courage i never knew i had. the feedback is therapy, the process is cathartic. there is simply nothing as moving as a personal memoir. namaste, Lisa

Isn't it great to think that within us are all these worlds to explore? To imagine that we could write 3 or 5 memoirs, and truly know this is not self-indulgent, it's self knowledge. Society tends to be weird about introspection, seeing it as selfish or indulgent. I suppose some think it's better to act out or be addicted instead of trying to heal within?
When we allow that pen to flow across the page, we are inviting ourselves to listen, to listen to the still voice inside us. To tap into greater wisdoms.
We learn about who we are, and find that we are someone interesting, someone with value and ideas worth sharing.
Truly, writing opens up worlds.
--Linda Joy

Wow! Thank you for such an inspiring interview. I found it motivational, because it helps us know that everyone's stories are unique and worth reading. There is so much information in this interview to help me understand memoir writing that I know I want to purchase the book now. Thank you!

Thank you for affirming the benefits of memoir writing and for your advice. I noted that many of your experiences in the process paralleled mine. I'm so glad I tackled the daunting task of writing my story.

Thank you for a down-to-earth and informative interview! As a Healing Artist who is also a writer and poet, I deeply relate to your healing process of "painting through it". Plus, when you braved the writing arena to heal, I could feel that "long process of writing through the layers." That's one of the ways I decided to stop scribbling thoughts only on tiny pieces of paper and, instead, claim them as worthy of full sheets.

Linda, I am eagerly looking forward to your workshop at NAPT! I just registered and that is how I landed here via your NAMW home page to this blog tour.

Linda Joy, It was great having you guest blog on Women's Memoirs last week and talk with Matilda and me on Friday. I'm going to follow your progress throughout your March blog tour. There are so many excellent memoir-focused sites out there.

Good luck going forward. And to everyone else, I hope you'll come by Women's Memoirs and listen to the audios from our interview with Linda Joy. We've broken the hour-long conversation into a series of short, digestible bites. Here's a link: http://bit.ly/cL1TcW

Have fun, Linda Joy. Kendra

What a great interview. I particularly liked the line, "Writing leads to more writing, and the more we write, the more we learn." Well said!

Debbie Diesen

I enjoyed this interview. Even after reading Linda Joy's book I still learn from her as she executes the blog tour. I was particularly excited to learn that Linda Joy is working on a book for teens to write about their lives. I found out who I was much later in life and I always thought that if young women could write about their feelings, beliefs and desires they could overcome their challenges and open the path toward becoming whole women at a younger age. In that way they would have more time to develop as the person they choose to be rather than the woman family and society guide them to be