Post #144 – Women’s Memoirs, Writing Prompt – Kendra Bonnett and Matilda Butler
Happy Mother’s Day and the Beginning of a Writer’s Journey
It is lovely that we begin a series of five blog articles today that are based on Gail Straub’s description of her journey to write and publish her memoir: Returning To My Mother’s House: Taking Back the Wisdom of the Feminine. As we celebrate Mother’s Day, it is important to think about this relationship of mothers and daughters. It is a bond forged across daily encounters even though we only celebrate it one day a year.
Let me give you a little background.
Memoir Author’s Mythic Journey
Last week, Kendra was the guest editor on SheWrites and this week I have that honor. If you don’t know the site, I invite you to go over and check it out. Beginning today and continuing through May 17, I’m sharing the five-part journey that author Gail Straub took as she wrote and published her memoir: Returning To My Mother’s House: Taking Back the Wisdom of the Feminine
I heard Gail’s keynote presentation at Story Circle Network’s Conference and knew it would be perfect to share with other writers. I hope you’ll join me on SheWrites and read Gail’s story. I’m sure it will provide you with new insights about writing your own memoir.
Because Gail based her presentation on Joseph Campbell’s work on the Hero’s Journey, I’m going to blog on Women’s Memoirs this week about Campbell’s work, an author who is quite relevant to writers. For Gail’s discussion of her journey, visit us on SheWrites.
Joseph Campbell and The 17 Steps of The Journey
Campbell researched myths from many ages and cultures. He looked for those elements that were similar and eventually developed what he called the 17 stages of the monomyth. In other words, he found so many similarities in myths that he came to believe there really is just one myth, a monomyth. There are always variations and it is these variations that make each story unique. However, he found an underlying structure.
Departure
1. The Call to Adventure
2. Refusal of the Call
3. Supernatural Aid
4. The Crossing of the First Threshold
5. Belly of The Whale
Initiation
6. The Road of Trials
7. The Meeting With the Goddess
8. Woman as Temptress
9. Atonement with the Father
10. Apotheosis
11. The Ultimate Boon
Return
12. Refusal of the Return
13. The Magic Flight
14. Rescue from Without
15. The Crossing of the Return Threshold
16. Master of Two Worlds
17. Freedom to Live
Gail Straub’s First Phase, The Call
In Gail’s discussion of writing and publishing her memoir, she begins with The Call.
Want to know more about Campbell’s The Call phase? The Call is the first step in the hero’s journey. It is that moment when the person is in her or his natural or ordinary world and realizes that everything is going to change. In memoir, this is often called a turning point.
Following is a video that describes The Call and provides examples from multiple sources.
Joseph Campbell and The Call
Memoir Writing Prompt
1. When did you receive your Call, the Call to write? Describe the circumstances, your feelings and emotions — both positive and negative.
2. In what way(s) did you know that you had to move forward with your writing? Did you keep your writing to yourself? Did you tell others? If so, which ones did you include and why?
Write for five or ten minutes about your experiences with The Call. Honor the process that started you on your own mythic writing journey.
NOTE: Many of the examples feature male heros. We, of course, know that women are heros too.
Gail Straub is the co-author of the best selling Empowerment: The Art of Creating Your Life As You Want It, and the author of the critically acclaimed The Rhythm of Compassion as well as the award winning feminist memoir Returning To My Mother’s House: Taking Back the Wisdom of the Feminine
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