Post #40 – Memoir Writing, Journaling – Matilda Butler and Kendra Bonnett
Recording our Journey: One Memoir Vignette at a Time
Here we are at the end of Day 3 of a 7-day journey to celebrate the approach of Kendra’s 60th birthday (she’s still such a youngster) and we invite you to travel along with us.
Memoir Writers Can Learn from the Vanderbilts
Today was a nice contrast from yesterday when we visited four major historic sites and attended a performance of I Love a Piano, the music of Irving Berlin.
This morning, we got off to a leisurely but productive start to the day as Kendra and I took a couple of hours to work on upcoming presentations. Then we packed up and headed down Route 9 to the Vanderbilt Mansion in Hyde Park, NY.
Frederick and Louise Vanderbilt purchased land on the Hudson River in 1896 and built a cottage, as they called it. After all, it only had 54 rooms and 50,000 square feet in the main house. They had a separate cottage where bachelor guests stayed as the hosts didn’t want unmarried males and females in the same house. We may laugh today about the word cottage for a place of such enormous proportions, but for the Vanderbilts, it was one of several homes they owned and much smaller than comparable homes owned by friends.
As you can see from our photo, the home (we’ll use that word to avoid the mansion versus cottage distinction) overlooks the Hudson River, which was heavy with commerce in those days. Consequently, the river side of the home was considered less desirable. Just the opposite of the way we would feel today. I know I’d love to have a home with a view of a river.
Today, visitors have the privilege of touring a beautiful Gilded Age home with most of the original furniture and paintings on display. This provides a unique look at the life of the wealthy in an earlier time in our history.
Here’s the Lesson
We had a wonderful tour guide, a great example in the finest tradition of the National Park Service. No matter what we asked, he both knew the answer and could provide additional detail. But I promised a lesson. Kevin, our guide, told us that the wealthy wanted their peers to know just how wealthy they were. But it wouldn’t do to talk about how much money they had. Instead, they would show their wealth by the homes they built and the impressive way they were furnished.
Kendra and I looked at each other and mouthed, “show don’t tell.” Yes, it seems to work in life as in memoir writing.
Memoir Writing Prompt
Kendra and I often teach about “show, don’t tell.” So while everyone nods when the subject is mentioned, it isn’t always easy to practice. That’s the point of today’s memoir writing prompt.
1. Take an event that happened to you this week. In a moment, you’ll see why having time on your side helps with this writing prompt. Write about what happened. Write for around five minutes. Then read through it.
Odds are, you have written a description that tells what happened.
2. Now, let’s show instead. How do you manage that? Well, it’s a lot easier than than building a 54 room home. Go back and add detail. Because you are writing about an event that happened recently, you can easily remember the day. The detail will help your imaginary reader see what you saw. In other words, be specific or particular rather than general. Don’t say you ate breakfast. Let us see and smell and taste your specific breakfast on the day being described.
Here’s a second way to show rather than tell. Try rewriting the passage using dialogue. If there isn’t a second person in the event or scene you are describing, let the main character use internal dialogue.
Read all your versions out loud. You’ll find that the addition of specific details and powerful dialogue will help your imaginary reader see and hear just the scene you are describing.
I talked Kendra into two photos today. Here we are on the west side of the Vanderbilt Mansion.
Join us tomorrow as we continue with Day 4 of our journaling our way to Kendra’s birthday.
You may also be interested in:
Journaling Our Way to Kendra’s Birthday: Day 1
Journaling Our Way to Kendra’s Birthday: Day 2
Journaling Our Way to Kendra’s Birthday: Day 3
Journaling Our Way to Kendra’s Birthday: Day 4
Journaling Our Way to Kendra’s Birthday: Day 5
Journaling Our Way to Kendra’s Birthday: Day 6
Journaling Our Way to Kendra’s Birthday: Day 7
NOTE: If you like this article, let us know by clicking on the LIKE button just below. Thanks. That helps us know the type of article you like.
memoir writing
memoir
writing
journaling
