 Some of the most powerful memoirs are those written within the context of the 'big picture.'
By that I mean, a writer tells the story of a life lived within the context of history. Many people have written memoirs about the world wars and their experiences fighting in these global conflicts, or as civilians trying to survive. Others wrote about living through the Great Depression, the great stock market crash, or what it was like to exist within the walls of Auschwitz. Such memoirs are often about loss: loss of freedom, loss of financial stability and a way of life, the loss of a limb or other body part, the loss of emotional, physical, or mental health due to witnessed or experienced trauma, the loss of loved ones. They are also about living through these losses: how did the writer do it? What steps did they take to get over the trauma or challenge? What can I as a reader take away from this memoir? We are now going through an historic event as the worldwide pandemic of Covid-19 sweeps through populations with devastating outcomes. While there are common denominators, each of us is having a different experience, different thoughts, varying viewpoints. My story will not be the same as yours. We are all individuals. That is what will make your story unique. A crucial aspect of memoir is self awareness and self understanding, looking at how we, as individuals, respond to life and events around us. To understand the loss we have to explore what life was like before Covid-19 entered centre stage. Sure, our lives were probably not perfect but what were our concerns, what were we doing, what was life like before 'the change' came, the catalyst (the virus) that turned our world upside down? Set the stage, raise the curtain, let the action begin. Right now we are living through it. The challenge is the virus. The loss is the suspension of freedoms, losing incomes and the way of life to which we are accustomed, and, heaven forbid, the loss of people we know and love. There's no telling how long the virus will affect our lives but one thing's for sure. It's something we won't forget, and it is an experience that will change our lives in many ways. If you want to get started with some writing and need some help, contact me, let's get online and talk it through. There's never been a better time.
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