This is the fifth post in this series, which has an infinite number of parts. Therefore, there is no “Part 1 of a #;” it will simply continue until the well dries up. Previous posts are listed below.
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If you have not heard of Jerry Waxler, we need to correct that with this post.
It is my pleasure today to share with you the excellent resources from Jerry’s blog and books, as well as the wealth of information contained in Jerry’s expertise not only as a writer but also in his roles of therapist and teacher.
I first became acquainted with Jerry when I joined the Lifewriters Forum founded by Sharon Lippincott and Jerry. The forum provides a safe environment for memoir writers and story tellers alike to come together to share their thoughts, writings, and offer tips and lessons learned.
The more I read of Jerry’s new posts and replies on the forum the more intrigued I became about just who Jerry Waxler was. It seemed there was a lot going on in his mind and he wanted to share it all to the extent he could.
Enter Jerry’s blog, Memory Writers Network. Here I began to get a real sense of where Jerry had been, the path he had followed, and the current work he was doing in all these various communities where he was speaking, teaching, and writing, not to mention helping others along the way. I strongly encourage you to visit Memory Writers Network, if you have not done so. Jerry offers well written essays on the work others are doing and have done.
Additionally Jerry shares his own story and discusses in those posts his beliefs and thoughts on memory and evoking our memories as well as story structure and writing. From time to time, Jerry will review another writer’s book, and current count on his blog shows a total of at least 85 memoirs reviewed to date.
Then there are the works Jerry himself has written. Jerry’s first book, titled Learn to Write Your Memoir in Four Weeks, is available for purchase at this link. Learn to Write is a step-by-step guide in how to reclaim your memories and begin to record them, including techniques to organize your story and present it in an interesting way.
Most recently, Jerry authored The Memoir Revolution: A Social Shift that Uses Your Story to Heal, Connect, and Inspire. It is available in paperback and Kindle versions via Amazon at this link.
Previously, I reviewed The Memoir Revolution on this blog. You can read my review here.
My observations and opinions in my review still stand, and I find myself referring to Jerry’s work in this book often while writing my memoir.
With Jerry’s combination of blog posts, teaching sessions as listed on his blog, his involvement in communities like Lifewriters Forum, and his own published works, he offers the memoir writer of today a vast array of resources to draw on.
I strongly encourage you to visit Jerry’s blog many times–it takes a while to absorb it all. However, Jerry is well-organized. For example, there is an index available to the essays/posts he has written and interviews he has conducted with other writers, teachers, and authorities in the genre.
Q4U: Is there something you’re struggling with in your memoir writing? Have you reached a point where you are questioning your own ability to write memoir? Or is there something else bothering you about your writing?
Previous Posts in the Series:
