Writers of memoirs often leave out intimate details for fear they might cause hurt feelings to loved ones, but journalist and writing teacher Tricia Booker says writers should tell it like it is. Booker will explain her rules for penning memoirs in her presentation, “Get Naked,” at the next meeting of the FWA Ponte Vedra Writers, Saturday, June 16 at 10:30 a.m. at the Ponte Vedra Beach Branch Library.
“We all have stories to tell, and we all worry about hurting the ones we love by telling those tales,” said Booker. “But the truth is that most of those stories are about ourselves rather than other people, and once we write them down, we begin to see a path toward creating a strong narrative.”
The workshop is designed to help writers:
· Swallow the fear of writing about family
· Motivate writers to put the words to paper
· Stimulate the memory to show that we remember more than we think
Booker is an award-winning journalist who has written for Folio Weekly, Southern Living, Notre Dame Magazine and other publications around the country. She currently teaches journalism at the University of North Florida and writes a blog about topics ranging from politics and literature to adoption and manners.
Her first book is a memoir about how she and her husband adopted and are raising three children, including one who suffers from an attachment disorder. “A Place of Peace and Crickets: How Adoption, Heartache and Love Built A Family” is a story about love, kids, dogs and chaos. It was published last year by Twisted Road Publications.
The Ponte Vedra Writers group is part of the Florida Writers Association, a statewide, nonprofit organization with over 1,500 members dedicated to the support of both aspiring and published writers in any genre. The June 16 meeting is open to members and non-members alike. For information on FWA visit www.floridawriters.net.
