Thank you for this wonderful conversation. To be witness to the stories of others, and to this time in history, gives me a role that I can embrace - rather than being fearful and feeling frustrated and upset - I will witness, and I will write. I will tend to those close to me, including myself. That is how we can get through this together. Thank you, Jennifer and Shelley, for your generosity in teaching and sharing in AWritingRoom.com. I look forward to spending more time with you there!
I’m so bummed to have to miss that session live but will definitely be listening to the recording. Ive read the amazing pieces- hope to be able to put something in front of you another time.
I loved the section about how we want to be in the “archetype” of the witness, not the critic, in response to student memoirs. IFS would say we want to be in Self, not a critical manager. Same thing / different terms I think.
But I really like the reminder to simply be a witness to other’s writing, not a critic.
How lovely to listen to a talk about memoir as a healing mode for personal narratives of trauma!
Hi Melissa, thanks for the connection with IFS--love that. And yes, in memoir, it's hard to sort out when someone is criticizing your writing versus how you lived your life, so it's important to me, at least in the beginning of memoir writing, to be really careful with each other. I have my writers take the lead on asking for the kinds of feedback they want.
Thank you! This was a nice podcast. Jennifer offered a very nice, enlightening view of the despair we are currently feeling after the elections. "Love's failure against death." Not having control right now is scary and really spoke to the deep emotions I have been struggling with lately.
Thank you for this wonderful conversation. To be witness to the stories of others, and to this time in history, gives me a role that I can embrace - rather than being fearful and feeling frustrated and upset - I will witness, and I will write. I will tend to those close to me, including myself. That is how we can get through this together. Thank you, Jennifer and Shelley, for your generosity in teaching and sharing in AWritingRoom.com. I look forward to spending more time with you there!
Me too Jacque!
Thank you so much, Jacque! It’s great to see you inspired. Keep going.
Just finished! So great. Thanks to both of you. Very excited that Jennifer will be continuing involvement in A Writing Room!
I'm excited about it too, Wendy! Doing a live editing session today with six memoirists. Looking forward to it!
I’m so bummed to have to miss that session live but will definitely be listening to the recording. Ive read the amazing pieces- hope to be able to put something in front of you another time.
We're scheduling another session in December--maybe that one will work!
Thanks Wendy!! Xx
Shelley, I really enjoyed this interview!
I loved the section about how we want to be in the “archetype” of the witness, not the critic, in response to student memoirs. IFS would say we want to be in Self, not a critical manager. Same thing / different terms I think.
But I really like the reminder to simply be a witness to other’s writing, not a critic.
How lovely to listen to a talk about memoir as a healing mode for personal narratives of trauma!
Hi Melissa, thanks for the connection with IFS--love that. And yes, in memoir, it's hard to sort out when someone is criticizing your writing versus how you lived your life, so it's important to me, at least in the beginning of memoir writing, to be really careful with each other. I have my writers take the lead on asking for the kinds of feedback they want.
Thank you, Melissa! I appreciate the framework of it as it relates to IFS.
Thank you! This was a nice podcast. Jennifer offered a very nice, enlightening view of the despair we are currently feeling after the elections. "Love's failure against death." Not having control right now is scary and really spoke to the deep emotions I have been struggling with lately.
Thank you, Bernadette. I'm with you in the struggle.
I’m so glad you listened and got some solace from it, Bernadette. Thank you for taking the time.
Enjoyed listening to this conversation, Shelley. I am grateful for your introduction of Jennifer’s work and book to A Writing Room community.
Hi Sharon, thanks for listening! I really enjoyed the conversation as well.
Thanks Sharon!