The writing journey: getting it down

What has it been like to write this memoir?

It took me 13 years, roughly. I started out the first year writing down everything I could remember. I had this feeling that as time passed the pain and memories would fade, and I wanted as clear a recollection as I could. So, I started writing. It would become too painful at times, and I would have to put it aside, sometimes for a few days, once for a full year. It certainly brought up a lot I could talk about with my therapist. And vice versa. Talking with my therapist clarified things for me so I could write them down.

I would write sporadically, sometimes every day for a week or more, sometimes once a week or once a month. I bought a small voice recorder because a lot of times memories would surface when I was driving, and then fade by the time I got home. Several times I would turn on the recorder and just talk while I was driving. Once or twice, it got too emotional, so I discontinued that practice. I didn’t want to jeopardize my driving, or the other people on the road.

This process was invaluable. It was good for me to get the memories down on paper and out of my head. That enabled me to stop thinking constantly about them. I highly recommend talking to a therapist as well as writing. But do shop around until you find one you are comfortable with.