The Basics and Encouragement of Writing a Memoir or Biography

Writing a memoir or biography of some great person in society is a huge task that should be considered carefully. The first thing to consider is that you should check your motives to find out from your inner core what are the reasons or rationale for wanting to write about the life of this person. A memoir or biography should be written only if you were affected profoundly by the person's life. This is the primary motivation for wanting to write the biography or memoir. In this case even if you are not a professional or experienced writer you can still go ahead to produce the book. You should not be just a source to a professional writer who you will be interviewed about the life of that someone you know.

The world needs people who are just themselves as human beings not some professional. The world needs books written by people who are genuine - people who are writing from the heart instead of a professional writer who will, instead of concentrating on the truth, is concerned with language structure, syntax and morphology of words. A biography or memoir is more about thorough acquaintance with the person being written about than language dynamics.

You must be at absolute sympathy with the subject, and enthusiastically be devoted the project, that is the writing process itself. As no one can interpret a poet without poetic feeling and taste, or a philosopher without speculative talent, so no one can rightly comprehend and exhibit the life of another person without being in sympathy with that person.

So instead of just being a source for information to experienced biographer or memoir writer considers yourself to be up to the task of writing a memoir or biography of that person who you know closely and you know those characteristics that made him or her to be on top of human society.

Your highest and only aim should be, like a witness, to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, and, like a judge, to do full justice to every person and event which comes under your consideration. Your job is to bring out reality that you know from experience and contact with the person you are writing.

But by all means it comes to planning the project in advance. If you are affected by the life of your subject you will indeed have passion to go through the complex process of planning and outlining the book. Once you have an outline you have the book, because the facts are there around you and from the people who you know can contribute to your book - providing you with their views about your subject.

A Memoir of Childhood Terror - A Story of Healing

Arms Akimbo: A Journey of Healing, written by Audrey Roth, is the story of a terror-filled childhood and the aftermath of pain and healing. Roth chronicles her life from a childhood of sexual abuse and incest to the recovery process that led her to write this book for others.

From the age of three years old, Roth was repeatedly molested by her own father. As traumatic as this always is to a small child, Roth found ways to survive the pain and emotional distress. With the help of diverse groups of support, Roth was able to work through the healing process that all child-victim survivors must eventually face.

In Arms Akimbo, Roth tells of the various groups in her life that helped her heal. For example, from a spiritual standpoint, Rabbi Kleinbaum convinced Roth that she didn't have to embrace the Judaism of her parents, but could create the role that religion was to have in her life.

Artistically, a community called Mudflat in Massachusetts opened their arms and led Roth to find creativity in the molding of clay with her hands, while her mind worked through the pain in her heart.

Psychologically and emotionally, Roth gives credit to therapists such as Evelyn Schroeder, who was also a friend and mentor and supported Roth through her father's death and sorting through devastating memories. During late night phone calls to friends and supporters, Roth poured out her damaged heart and soul and the result was a network of love that helped her see that she had true value.

During the writing of Arms Akimbo, Roth also had the help and support she needed from friends, professionals and family members who believed in her writing and encouraged her to keep writing. The memories that Roth extracted during the journey of writing her book were painful, but she kept on going through tears of angst.

Roth describes her childhood existence as living in a "Jekyll and Hyde" home, where her father could be loving and nurturing when he was sober, but was another personality when he was drunk. From the outside, Roth's family looked ideal - a mother whom everyone thought was perfect and a father who was always the "life of the party." But, inside the family was another story. Alcoholism and child molestation were the dark little secrets within the family and were never spoken of.

As the years marched on, Roth realized that something was wrong - that emotionally, she felt as if a volcano was about to erupt. When she had her daughter, she knew that something had to be done and she began the journey of healing that was to take her into the deep recesses of her mind to face the demons that lived there.

Arms Akimbo: A Journey of Healing, written by Audrey Roth is an incredible story that can be a beacon of light for others who have gone through similar childhood traumas.