Dear Writers,

What a group we had last week at the "Telling The Stories That Changes Us" Workshop at the Dunedin Public Library. Twenty-one participated and you wrote and shared some fascinating stories.

Thank you for your excellent and specific feedback on the three-hour session.

I just finished reading "Lit" by Mary Karr a well known memoirist. A good read! When I researched her on google I found this.I linked you to the entire page of Slate  because it was Memoir Week and connects you to other interesting articles on the topic. I also found some interesting video interviews of Mary on You Tube. 

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/memoir_week/2007/03/the_liars_club.html

Now I am going to check out Liars Club by Mary Karr. Can't wait to read it. Write On! Jan

The Courage to Write Your Story

“Lots of people think things - but they don’t say them. They know that saying them out loud would change their lives.They know that claiming their own truth is the first step off the edge of a mountain alone.”

I am reminded when I read this quote, from one of the most inspirational woman I follow, Sister Joan D. Chittister, O.S.B., a Benedictine nun, author and speaker and a member of the Benedictine Sisters of Erie, Pennsylvania, of just how tough it can be to tell your story.

Joan knows what it is to step off that mountain alone. Her analyses and critiques of political systems and the church that she loves have been met at times with fear and harsh criticism. 

“I would rather be criticized for what I say then for what I have failed to say.”

Talents that lie dormant in our souls destroy us from the inside out. Creation goes on creating through us. We are the only hands God has. Find the thing that stirs your heart and make room for it. Life is about the development of self to the point of unbridled joy. For me it is writing.

Silence Your Inner Critic

I don’t know about you but worrying about what the other people in my memoir might think or how they may react to reading my story sometimes stops me cold when I begin to write. Here are some words from Matilda Butler and Kendra Bonnett (Story Circle Network) and writer’s of the blog Women’s Memoirs

“Don’t let the noise of others opinions drown out your inner voice,” Kendra says.” I hear this often from our students:

“My sister doesn’t think I should write a memoir.”

“My parents don’t want this family story told.”

“I’m worried I’ll offend someone.”

“I think I should get permission from other family members before I write.”

Using any of the above as your inspiration, write about how you hope to or are already following that advice. Is there a specific thing you can do to change or silence the voice?  For next month write a 600 or less word piece about what you might, or already do, to silence the inner critic.

Remember, your words matter.  

To connect to The Women's Memoir blog: Women's Memoir Link

Hi Writers,

A long delay in posts - my bad. I've been lost between the two formats while trying to transfer the blog to WordPress.

We heard some entertaining  and touching stories about aprons at the Circle last month. You said it seemed like a lousy topic - until you started writing. Then some pretty interesting stuff came up. I asked some of you to post your stories here on the blog but so far no one has done so.

To take us a step further in our writing practice our home work assignment was to re-write using dialogue. We discussed how dialogue is used advance the story and to pull the reader in. Bring your edited story to read.

Most of us have held a job of some kind from babysitting, cashier, manager,
salesperson, teacher, etc.  The jobs we have held may or may not have been
the one we dreamed of when we were asked "What do you want to be when you
grow up?"

Think back to a job you enjoyed.  One you liked going to, one where you
learned a lot about a particular business, people or yourself.  How did you
get it?  Did you apply from a sign in a window or an ad in the paper?  Did
you have an inside track to the position?  Did the job find you?

Your assignment, in 600 words or less, is to write about getting the job you
enjoyed.  In addition to writing about the experience use dialog in your
story.  Dialog can help define the characters and the setting as well as
move the story along.

People Watching

What an opportunity a vacation is for developing characters, creating scenes and discovering new plots.

If you are fortunate enough to have a vacation coming up use it to stock your writing treasure chest. Watch the way people walk, talk and what they tote. Wonder where they are going and where they just came from.

One sad thing - not many are smiling, looking up, or walking tall, most are a bit hunched over, backs rounded, right shoulder up, left shoulder bent to listen to their iphone cradled there. They seem to be leaning left as they walk.

Others are chatting away to themselves or the air - or are they talking to me? No, they’re wearing a blue tooth devise, involved in some other time and place.

I'm visiting old friends. We reminisce. They take me to the homes of their children and I get to meet the grandkids, too. I notice how they gather to eat, at the table or around the TV? What they eat - from vegan to meat and potatoes families. Are they night owls or morning people?

We tour their favorite places, two Elks Clubs, a small hole in the wall place in Beverly and the big, bright and airy Elks surrounded by windows overlooking the rocky coast in  Rockport, MA. I'm with my friend Mary Jane. We exercise at the YMCA for water aerobics, and have brunch at the Wenham Tea House. I've been driven up and down my favorite coast north of Boston - to airports, subway stations, and museums.

One of the most interesting places was Charles Street in Boston where I sat at an outdoor cafe. It was around 6:30pm, horns tooting, runners getting their bodies moving after a day at the desk, or in a meeting, some with pizza boxes others with carryout dinners or bouquets of fresh flowers. Each living a life of many stories. Imagine!

The Story Circle is expanding!

I am still at work putting the new blog together. http://www.jangoldenstorycircles.wordpress.com Meanwhile, I have great news - the Story Circle is expanding! My original vision to develop story circles at 3 libraries is coming to fruition. The first Wednesday of the month will be at the Largo Library, third Wednesday still at safety Harbor, and the fourth Wednesday will be at the Dunedin Library. The big plan is to then gather the 3 circles together quarterly. What fun and inspiration! I'm thinking of a Saturday afternoon for the quarterly. Please pass the word and let me know what you think! Write on! Jan

Changes are coming

Hello Writers,

This month we are writing a 600 word piece about an animal, any animal, real or imagined that has impacted your life in some special way. Is it a family pet, a power animal, a totem? As always we'll be anxious to hear you read your story at our next Story Circle - August 15, 6-7:45 pm at the Safety Harbor Library.

What changes are coming? I'm changing my blog to Word Press. http://www.jangoldenstorycircles.wordpress.com.I'm hoping for a smooth transition. The new blog will show all comments and give us a greater opportunity for dialogue. I want to hear your thoughts and comments, too. The new blog will be up in a few days.

A reminder that my next Dream Workshop is this week at the St Pete Beach Library. Wednesday August 8, from 6-8:00 pm 365 73rd Ave, St Pete Beach. Come and bring a friend who may agree to be your Dream Buddy. We had 25 people at the last one at the Dunedin Library - what a fun time!