The Magic of Memoir: Inspiration for the Writing Journey

by Linda Joy Myers (Editor), Brooke Warner (Editor), Bella Mahaya Carter (Contributor)

The Magic of Memoir is a memoirist s companion for when the going gets tough. Editors Linda Joy Myers and Brooke Warner have taught and coached hundreds of memoirists to the completion of their memoirs, and they know that the journey is fraught with belittling messages from both the inner critic and naysayers, voices that make it hard to stay on course with the writing and completion of a book.
In The Magic of Memoir, 38 writers share their hard-won wisdom, stories, and writing tips. Included are Myers's and Warner's interviews with best-selling and widely renown memoirists Mary Karr, Elizabeth Gilbert, Dr. Azar Nafisi, Dani Shapiro, Margo Jefferson, Raquel Cepeda, Jessica Valenti, Daisy Hernandez, Mark Matousek, and Sue William Silverman.
This collection has something for anyone who's on the journey or about to embark on it. If you're looking for inspiration, The Magic of Memoir will be a valuable companion.
Contributors include: Jill Kandel, Eanlai Cronin, Peter Gibb, Lynette Charity, Lynette Charity, Roseann M. Bozzone, Carol E. Anderson, Bella Mahaya Carter, Krishan Bedi, Sarah Conover, Leza Lowitz, Nadine Kenney Johnstone, Lynette Benton, Kelly Kittel, Robert W. Finertie, Rita M. Gardner, Robert Hammond, Marina Aris, LaDonna Harrison, Jill Smolowe, Alison Dale, Vanya Erickson, Sonvy Sammons, Laurie Prim, Ashley Espinoza, Jing Li, Nancy Chadwick-Burke, Dhana Musil, Crystal-Lee Quibell, Apryl Schwab, Irene Sardanis, Jude Walsh, Fran Simone, Rosalyn Kaplus, Rosie Sorenson, Rosie Sorenson, Jerry Waxler, and Ruthie Stender."

Genres: Memoir, Writing, Nonfiction

352 pages, Paperback

Published November 15, 2016

About the author

Linda Joy Myers has always been haunted by the power of the past to affect people in the stream of time. She learned about World War II through her grandmother, a passionate Anglophile who would rhapsodize about the unfairness of war. Together they watched black and white documentaries about the war when Linda Joy was young which led to a passion about history which she integrated into her own struggles with intergenerational trauma and her work as a therapist and a writer.
As founder of the National Association of Memoir Writers, Linda Joy is the author of four books on memoir writing. The Power of Memoir and Journey of Memoir help writers find their way to their healing stories. Her two memoirs Don’t Call Me Mother, and Song of the Plains have won the Bay Area Publishing Association Gold Medal award and the 2018 Next Generation Indie Book awards.
The search for layers of truth to help inform current generations about WWII led Linda Joy to explore the mostly unknown history of Vichy France in the weeks following the fall of France. Her new book is inspired by Varian Fry’s memoir Surrender on Demand and Donald Caskie’s The Tartan Pimpernel, and by the daunting courage of unknown and unnamed people who helped to save the lives of thousands of refugees, British soldiers, and other lost souls during the chaotic war in France. Memoirs were the most helpful books to find the “inside” secret stories.
Linda Joy loves to travel, tends her rose bushes and her two kitties, Harvey, a Maine coon, and Charlie, a Norwegian forest cat. They sit on her desk and dangle their paws over the keys.
To learn about The Forger of Marseille and what inspired it: https://theforgerofmarseille.com.
Linda Joy’s memoir links: www.namw.org and www.writeyourmemoirinsixmonths.com.

Reviews

[Laurie Prim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclosure: I am a contributing author to this book. I remain compelled to write a review, because the majority of The Magic of Memoir not written by me feels like such a gift. The writing, of the 37 other contributors, and editors Linda Joy Myers and Brooke Warner, is beautiful, but, for me, it is in the individual and collective stories, perspectives, and processes where the real magic lies. It is in the connection, as writers, as readers, as sometimes struggling, but always curious and determined, humans. It is in the pearls of wisdom. It is in nodding and thinking, “Me too.” It is in coming away reaffirmed that our own story is valid and valuable, because everyone’s story is valid and valuable, and no other reason is necessary. It is in all the ways that telling our stories heal.

Interviews with well-known and best-selling memoirists, including Mary Karr, Elizabeth Gilbert, Azar Nafisi, Dani Shapiro, and more, feel like shiny gift-wrapping, for both writers and readers of memoir.

I am honored to be part of this book, and hope and believe other writers and readers of memoir will love it too.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Magic of Memoir features a mix of essays by and interviews with memoir writers, some new, some established, and some at the household-name level of stardom (think Elizabeth Gilbert, or Cheryl Strayed).

The collection took me a while to get into. Each essay has a different style – some are personal narratives, while others offer practical advice – so I was never sure what to expect. The switches in style, however, kept things interesting, and the further I progressed through the pages, the more I recognized the common themes in each writer’s take on the art (and act) of memoir writing.

The story you end up with might not be the one you initially imagined. The best words, and memoirs, don’t come easily – “digging” for the truth was a common theme. Memoir, for many, can even be a way of getting to know yourself better.

Magic of Memoir offers plenty of inspiration, and I did enjoy it in the end. If this had been a physical book rather than an e-book, though, I think I would have appreciated it much more; I would then have been able to dip in and out of different sections at leisure, rather than being forced to read it straight through, like a novel.

For writers looking for inspiration, or even an insight into how others practice their craft, then Magic of Memoir is worth a read – but make sure you pick up a copy of the book itself!

(Thanks to NetGalley and She Writes Press for the complimentary digital review copy of The Magic of Memoir. As always, all opinions are my own.)

[Zoe]

This book is fanning the long burning embers of my semi written memoir. My story longs to be told, and I am in its way.

[L.A. Jacob · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most of these people haven’t written a memoir. They’re in the throes of figuring it out. Some who have written memoirs contradict each other. Not really that inspiring.

[Melissa Grunow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some great essays and interviews in this collection about writing memoir and all of the nuances that go with it: truth, legality, healing, readership, accuracy, memory, heart, and pain. After a while, the essays start to feels too similar, though, so it's a better reference book than a sit down and read cover-to-cover book. I will likely return to it to consult as I work on my own writing and prepare to teach writing courses.

[Eve · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an excellent book for anyone contemplating writing a memoir. More than 38 writers share their processes, which lends clarity, yet at time confusion. Where to start? How to proceed? Sometimes it feels overwhelming and a bit repetitive, which is why I "liked" rather than "loved" it. Enlightening though, that's for sure, and I was also inspired to read some of the works of the authors. Overall, very informative and well worth the time!

[Nancy Chadwick · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a contributing writer to this anthology, I call attention to the other essays written by thirty-seven writers from all backgrounds, education and writing levels who expose their writing journey to grant inspiration to any writer. Contained in each essay, the author's personal slice of memoir and their passion for writing is discovered where the reader will truly see the Magic of Memoir.

[Ineke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is worth reading if you are interested in writing your own stories on your life- memoirs.
Each author in the book has something extra to tell about how they came to be writing their memoirs.
Thanks to the two editors Linda Joy Myers and Brooke Warner, you put together an excellent book.

[Ken Luber · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great and very useful read!

[Julene · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Magic of Memoir: Inspirations for the Writing Journey, is an anthology edited by Linda Joy Myers, PhD, and Brooke Warner; Joy is the founder of The National Association for Memoir Writers (NAMW). This organization runs writing programs and has an assortment of benefits to support memoir writers. The book has ten author interviews alternating between Joy and Brooke asking questions with well known authors: Mary Karr, Elizabeth Gilbert, Margo Jefferson, Dani Shapiro, Hope Edelman, Azar Nafisi, Daisy Hernandez, Mark Matousek, Sue William Silverman, Raquel Cepeda, & Jessica Valenti. Between the interviews are essays about memoir writing, each section with three to four essays, it's a long book, and a worthwhile read if you are working on a memoir. Many of the authors of the essays in this book are published, a few reference how the NAMW helped them grow their skills and get the support they needed.

The essays included provide a wide range of experience and touch on the many particulars of writing in this genre: developing skills, dealing with family, the stresses of diving into painful material, how people approach the process, etc. There is a lot of good memoir writing information scattered thoughout the essays in this book.

[Victoria Marie Lees · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Magic of Memoir: Inspiration for the Writing Journey, Edited by Linda Joy Myers and Brooke Warner is full of essays and interviews on the topic of memoir. Let me share some of the insight.

Memoir is theme focused according to Peter Gibb. “Memoir is about the luscious weave of the outer and inner life.” [p-23 E-book]

A memoir needs a takeaway, as Myers and Warner say in the chapter “Takeaway: The Heart of Memoir.” They differentiate between reflection and takeaway. Reflection offers thoughts and feelings with the “purpose of making sense of experience.” The takeaway is for the reader, a moment of connection that “mirrors a human experience.” [p-83]

Fran Simone quotes Vivian Gornick’s observation on the craft of memoir. “What happened to the writer is not what matters; what matters is the larger sense that the writer is able to make of what happened.” [p-281/2] I think this is memoir in a nutshell.

There is much to learn from The Magic of Memoir: Inspiration for the Writing Journey. It’s a good read for anyone trying to tackle and write memoir. Thanks, Linda Joy and Brooke!

[Shane DM · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a compilation of essay relating to memoir-writing; some of the writers are well-known such as Dani Shapiro and Mary Karr; most of them, however, I've never heard of, but found many of their essays compelling and motivational. And I ended up ordering several of their published memoirs, most of which are out-of-print and thus inexpensive, go figure. I look forward to reading them, especially Mark Matousek's The Boy He Left Behind.

[Traci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed reading this as a way to improve my writing for my scrapbooks. Surprisingly all the stories about each memoirists inner critic felt reassuring and comforting.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy her writing and she's relatable and easy to follow. I'm writing a memoir and all of her books have inspired and helped me improve.