Why Write?

We've been looking at journalling. I referred The WordsFlow participants to an article, Why Write? at the Writing Through Life blog. One of them emailed me:

The question: "Why write?" is one I always ask myself. My problem is not lack of time, I can make tons of that for myself, it's answering that question to myself in a way that has rigour enough to satisfy me. I can't think of meaningful enough reasons for doing it. That's why I can't get myself to do anything with the memoir I began... just the possibility that my grandkids might like to know about some of my life story doesn't cut the mustard. So, where's the value to me? This woman may give me some insights to encourage me to take the trouble to write stuff on a daily basis, if only just for personal emotional and psychological reasons... e.g, dumping, expressing joy about something I experienced, spiritual explorations that have startled me in some way... maybe these are some reasons for recording the ephemeral parade of my ego's life and, at times, even, my soul's journey. Otherwise, recording my 'story' seems to amount to nothing more than passing fluff, and what's the use of that?

(My correspondent is also a sculptor, graphic artist and musician.) I replied:

Why write? I think it's different for the multi-talented; you might well feel more like expressing yourself some other way, being creative in a different medium. For myself, writing is a sort of compulsion, albeit one I passionately enjoy.

I think we do it first for ourselves, because it fulfils something within us, and that the wish to communicate it comes second. (A close second, mind you!) 

Your issues might be to do with self-worth. (Why not do it just for your own sake?) Or they might be to do with preferring other forms of artistic endeavour. If the former, the journalling advice would obviously help. If the latter - well, life's too short to waste on things you don't enjoy; stick to what you do love.

In my experience, our children and grandchildren do want to know our stories. If you don't enjoy writing the memoir, how about a scrapbook with photos, and notes related to them? You could maybe expand some of the notes into brief vignettes and reminiscences.

I should have added that she (unlike those of us with fewer gifts) might also draw in the suggested scrapbooks. 

UN CERTAIN REGARD (Cult of the Marvellous)

By Thom (We've been looking at memoir lately. This recent piece by our favourite guest workshopper seems right on cue.)  I was a Writer in Residence Kansas City School Of Performing Arts their exercise was making face masks She presented hers-white death with pins stuck in her lips "Is this true?"i asked.YES Never allowed to speak in a male world She reached to art to open her lips/pull out the pins and send a hand grenade of personality self defense rolling down the art room floor Each night,a certain light animates the faces of those exposed to radioactive self-revelations.Your own stories winds intestinal snakes -to strike out when unexpressed and to wind python round the mind of those willing to embrace When fully exposed-every Emperor Penguin is naked We are all Presidents of our Queen of Stories Memories,diary moons,handscrawled lyrics of forgotten tunes snatches of mulch remembered composted childhoods- these belong to you.Share them -quickly! before the pins of self-censorship are re-inserted just to prove all is possible.

The Ultimate Rejection Slip

We have read your manuscript with boundless delight. If we were to publish your paper, it would be impossible for us to publish any work of lower standard. And as it is unthinkable that in the next thousand years we shall see its equal, we are, to our regret, etc.

Rejection slip from a Chinese economics journal, quoted in the Financial Times. (I found it quoted in Creative Wisdom for Writers by Roland Fishman.)

Writing Memoir

I got into a doldrums with my writing; so today, to re-inspire myself, I went to the library and borrowed some books for writers. Already I am finding gems to share.

Here, from Writing the Story of Your Life by Carmel Bird, is the first part of her Prelude, 'Sing a True Song':

I would like to emphasise the elements of joy that you as the writer of your own story will experience. To sing a true song, the song of your own life story, is a most energising, absorbing and delicious thing to do. To create the narrative as first of all a gift to yourself, and then as a gift to the people who matter to you, and perhaps ultimately as an offering, through publication to strangers you will never meet, is a glorious and fulfilling project. And the process of producing it is a pleasure. Ultimately it is a useful thing to do because it may enlarge the universe of the people who read it.

She goes on to explain that the book is in four parts, 'designed to first of all confirm you in your desire to write a memoir, then to cover the practical side of things, then to enter many of the technicalities of writing, and finally to discuss with you some of the ways to work with journals and other personal writing', and that it includes twenty-eight exercises and a number of quotations which she hopes will nourish her readers..

This is Carmel Bird's third book for writers. The others are Dear Writer and Not Now Jack — I'm Writing a Novel. I own copies of the first two, so I know that this one will also be entertaining and useful. That you may discover for yourselves — I just couldn't resist sharing that joyous Prelude.

Here's another wonderful thing she says, a little further on:

The written word is a looking glass; it will tell you lots of things you probably didn't realise about yourself.