Post #28 – Women’s Memoirs, Author Conversations – Kendra Bonnett and Matilda Butler
“Tenacity. Be tenacious. I can’t say that too much.” As part of her response to several questions, Sue William Silverman, author of two memoirs and a new book about writing memoirs, kept bringing us back to this point. There are many ways to get detailed as a writer and we valued her reminders that success comes only if we are willing to be tenacious about our schedules, about our writing, about our goals.
Here’s a sampling of the questions that Sue answered during our fun and informative interview:
1. Should I use my real name on my memoir?
2. What experiences have helped you grow the most as a writer?
3. What is the hardest part of writing for you and how do you overcome the problems or get past them?
4. How did you choose the format for your memoir Because I remember Terror, Father, I Remember You.”
5. How do you remember details from when you were very young?
6. What is the best advice you ever got from an editor?
7. I’m reading Love Sick right now. You use the five senses so well. Does this come naturally for you? Do you have any particular techniques to make sure you include all the sensory detail?
8. I’m reading your memoir writing book Fearless Confessions and see you started your writing life as a novelist. Since you’ve written in both genres, would you talk about your perception of the similarities and differences in the two forms of writing?
9. Is memoir writing as creative as writing fiction?
10. You’re an award-winning author. What’s the road to success?
11. I teach fiction writing for a well-known creative writing program. It may seem silly to worry, but my memoir delves into my experiences with bipolar disorder and relationship addictions. I’m worried about publishing a memoir under my real name. Any insights for me?
Listen here to our interview with Sue William Silverman. As just one of many treats in our conversation, you’ll hear her definition of memoir writing that we think is the best we’ve ever heard: “Taking your life story and crafting it into an art form.” With Sue’s advice and suggestions, you’ll be closer to finding the right way for you to craft your personal story.
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Every time I listen to one of these podcasts I am amazed at what you two are creating here on this website. It is such a gift. This interview with Sue William Silverman is, as always, very informative. Her response to my question about details…well, all I can say is I wish I’d been able to ask that question BEFORE I published my own memoir. Thank you, Sue and Kendra and Matilda.
Karen
Thank you, Sue, Kendra, and Matilda. I appreciate receiving an answer to my concerns so much. Sue said exactly what I needed to hear to allay my fears.
I’m ready to move ahead with revising my memoir now, and I’m not shaking in my boots so much about future possibilities.
With Much Gratitude,
“Sooz”
Dear Karen and Sooz,
Thank you so much for such lovely comments! I’m delighted to know that my answers were of help. I truly enjoyed the interview/podcast and having this wonderful opportunity to talk about memoir with such dedicated writers!! Sue
Your father always remained a grey shadow, because I filled his image with my own father, shorter, broader, bellicous and drunk. Violent drunk. My writing consists of pulling my teeth out, locking up the razor blades and now that I’ve quit smoking, alot of staring. I love words as well, maybe more. They formed at life raft in 7th grade when my teacher accused me of plagiarism ad I didnt know what it meant until she read my poem as an example to the class of someone who copied a ‘real’ poem and put their name on it. Today is Tu b’Shvat, I just finished Because I Remember Terror Father…if we are not relatives, in some blood fashion, then we live in a world more mad than either of us can write about, it seems, like in the Old Testment, one story per generation was told that was so devastating, Lot, Noah, Dina, Leah&Rochel…these were exceptions my Rabonnim taught is, lessons specifically for a weakness in that generation. We were also taught that in end time, things as you and I experienced will not longer be secret or unusual-it will be the norm, the usual. We mock young women taking vows to their fathers, they will remain chaste until marriage, they are considerered freaks. The world is shutting down I think Sue, if I can find the courage to extract the words onto paper, it will be from reading yours.
I so many copies to buy, so little time to waste. If I sent my love it is to the woman who wrote and writes, a ’sister’ in spirit. Rachel