New BAIPA member Laura McHale Holland, who joined in November, wrote a guest post on the Memoir Writer’s Journey blog, which went live today.
It’s called “One Reason Not to Publish a Memoir.”
Great title! Makes you want to read it, right?
Here’s an excerpt:
As we were packing up at the end of the day, Christi asked, “Was it cathartic for you to write and publish your memoirs?”
I am often asked questions like this, and my response doesn’t vary: “No, it wasn’t.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Really? I thought it would be very therapeutic, after the start you got in life.”
I then explained that, while healing is a lifelong process, most of my healing from childhood trauma took place before I began my first memoir, and when it comes to publishing a book, I don’t think catharsis for the author should be a goal.
