D.G. Kaye author

How to #Write Your Memoir | Savvy Book Writers Interviews author D.G. Kaye

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book review by DG

It’s been a very exciting week for me with interviews I was invited to do on memoir writing and promoting my new book.

 

This week I was elated to be invited over to Savvybookwriters.com – Everything about writing and self publishing, hosted by Doris Heilmann. Read the post Doris put together from my submission.

 

“People telling you “you have a great story, you should write a book” might be a kickstart for you to write your memoir. . . 

The process of writing can help you to understand yourself and others better.  Fundamental dynamics of a family, or relationships with friends could have very deep causes.”

 

Multi-Book Author D.G. Kaye Explains in an Article:
“Whether writing a novel or writing a memoir, the process is similar, but it has different components.  Some might think, writing a memoir is easier than creating fictional stories, but the story must still be created, even though taken from our own experiences, and facts still must be checked.
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Emotionally Draining…
There can also be added emotional stress when writing such stories as we are forced to re-live, sometimes, really painful memories.  The process of focusing on painful events from your past, writing about them, re-reading them in revisions and edits can become emotionally draining and sometimes depressing at points.
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Memoir Writing is Similar to Conflict Resolution.
I compare the process of writing my memoirs to going to therapy sessions where I’m baring my raw self and soul to a specialist in search of resolution from the conflict.  There can be dark moments when we go back to some unpleasant places in time.  I find in those times that I need to step away from my work to distance myself from my story in order to decompose for awhile.
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The Writer’s Job is to Tell the Truth.
As memoir writers, it’s our job to tell the truth and convey our stories from our own truth, the way we experienced it.  The truth is not made to be sugar-coated, or exaggerated. Characters in our stories shouldn’t be adorned for more than who they were, just to sensationalize.  The purpose of our stories is to keep the readers engaged by allowing them to form their own emotion from what we deliver.  The story isn’t a place for us to present ourselves as self-centred or heroic, nor is it to invoke sympathy from the reader.  It’s rather to engage our readers into the stories we tell, allowing them to develop their own emotion from the story, and hopefully gain some insight for themselves from the material they’ve read… CONTINUE READING

*Please Note: Doris’ site is going through a bit of technical difficulties with comments. So please go over to continue reading, share around and please come back here and leave any comments or questions. Thank you. 🙂

Source: How to Write Your Memoir | Savvy Book Writers

28 thoughts on “How to #Write Your Memoir | Savvy Book Writers Interviews author D.G. Kaye”

    1. And yet another big thank you to you Sal. It was uncanny I was invited for these interviews a month ago and they all fell in the same week. 🙂 xoxo

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  4. I like the style of this interview, which is also commenting on the possible issues that a writer may have to deal with post publication. While it could be very challenging to deal with our own emotions while writing, asking the character who would be the villain of your book whether he may be projected in the same light…quite hard!!
    Great job dg 🙂

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  5. I really like how you express yourself openly and with truthfulness, Debby. Confronting the past with some conflicts and sadness would be like conflict resolution but very personal and difficult. Hugs, Robin

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  6. Deb, this is a wonderful article with some great links, all of which I’ve bookmarked to read later. I can’t tell you how enough how very helpful this is to me as I fine-tune my memoir revisions, both confirming what I hoped was right – phew! – and advising me on what I need to double check and add (or remove, lol). I’m not re-blogging anything at the moment, I’m only reading very few blogs, but I will share this on Twitter and my public FB page as a fantastic resource guide for memoir writers. (Once I’m blogging more regularly I will definitely be sharing your posts though, you can count on it). You make many excellent points, especially about memoir writing being emotionally draining at times. I’ve had to take so many breaks over the 3 years I’ve been writing mine for that very reasons (and the others, as you well know…), and also although the story is true, it still needs constructing just like a fictional novel. A true labour of love and hard work,as we both know! Thanks Deb, you’re a star and I want you to know that reading your blogs is guiding me through my memoir writing in more ways than you know! Huge hugs of gratitude and friendship from me to you 🙂 ❤ xoxo

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    1. Sherri, thank you for leaving this beautiful, heartfelt comment. I am not only thankful, but grateful that what I’ve written has been a help to you. That really makes me feel like what I have to say is helping others.
      I know a lot of what you’ve been through writing your memoir. And we all go through those different valleys and peaks when writing. There is no time limit Sherri, a book needs to take however long it takes to get finished. Writing isn’t only about writing, but the processing and digestion of the emotions we endure while writing. So don’t be hard on yourself about time elapsed. The book will get there when you’re ready. And you know where to find me if you need anything. 🙂 xo ❤

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      1. Oh Deb, you are so right about the ‘processing and digestion of the emotions’ when writing memoir. The words need to simmer, and it is useless to push it. I get so frustrated when I can’t get the time I want to write (I get so absorbed that the hours tick by but I’m always having to watch the clock for other ‘stuff’ when I want to ignore all that!) but thank you for reminding me that yes, it will get written! You have helped me greatly, and many others too. And yes, thank you so much Deb, I do know where to find you…I’m making a list of questions as I type this, lol! You’re a star…an angel!! 🙂 ⭐ ❤

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      2. Sher, I’m honoured from your praise and humbled. You are not alone. You are merely experiencing the life of a writer. And time is a huge factor, for there never seems to be enough of it for writers. Sometimes a page may take 10 minutes, and sometimes a day, depending on how our creativity and emotions are going with the write. Don’t sweat the clock, do what you can and if you have to stop because life calls just keep a notepad of thoughts that come to mind regarding the piece you’re working on so you can jog your memory the next time you go back, for the bits you left yourself hanging with. Always make lists! 🙂 🙂 xoxo

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      3. You know Deb, I’ve been doing a lot of those lists lately, and find them really helpful! It’s so true about time and the ebb and flow of our creativity and emotions. See, you are very wise 🙂 Thank you again so much my friend, you are an absolute gem, and I know I’m not the only one who thinks it! I’ll catch up with you on Monday as I’m off to visit my boys this weekend, leaving soon. I hope you have a wonderful weekend, it’s been great chatting this week. Love & hugs to you 🙂 ❤ xoxo

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      4. Sher, you make me smile. You’ve been round to all my interviews this week, and I thank you so much for having interest in my words. I’m sending you virtual hugs and just wait till I really see you next year at the Blogger’s Bash!!!! Have a great weekend! I’m jaunting off myself for a 3 day getaway. 🙂 ❤ xo

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      5. OMG…are you going to the Blogger’s Bash next year????? For real?????? I’m so excited right now…just the thought of it and meeting you is the best news I’ve had in a long time!!! And I love your words Deb, you’re my memoir mentor! Hope you had a wonderful getaway, richly deserved, and have returned refreshed and and raring to go!!! 😀 ❤ xoxo

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      6. Yes!!!! That’s my plan and I’m sticking to it! I can’t wait! We will get to give each other real hugs! I don’t know whether I’m refreshed though, lol. But I’m back to working a full schedule and trying desperately to catch up everywhere! xoxo ❤

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      7. Oh Deb, I can’t believe it! I’m truly so excited about the thought of meeting you…wow!!!!!! Huge hugs for real!!!!! And as for catching up…well, you know I’m in that boat right with you! 😉 xoxo ❤

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