We all have stories worth telling

Jan Larkey

At our ages, everybody living in SBR has interesting stories to tell: the lessons life has taught you, career ups and downs, turning points that sent you in a different direction, your love story and your family’s history. If getting started is a challenge, join the Writing for Fun and Family group of writers here at SBR.

The goal of this group is to encourage each other and to learn how to write better. Each meeting includes short readings by the members, plus discussion of a “learning topic.” A different topic is chosen each month such as How to Write Fascinating Dialogue, Creating Memorable Similes and Metaphors, or the Ethics of Writing about Living People. The members research and discuss information on the topic and how to apply the concepts to their own writing.

Discussions since the first of 2018 have focused on how to organize your writing. A reference we will discuss at our next meeting is by Denis Ledoux: “Memoir Writing – Four Ways to Organize Your Stories.” He suggests: “There is one tool above all others that makes the experience of life writing successful. It is the Core Memory List. No other exercise opens up the process of life writing as quickly and as surely as the thoughtful and thorough compilation of such a list. It’s simple, and as a first step, it’s crucial.”

Come check us out. Drop-ins are welcomed. Bring your questions, challenges and concerns.

The Writing for Fun and Family Group meets twice a month on the second and fourth Tuesday afternoons between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. in La Vista Room. For more information, contact Jan Larkey at 520-460-6633.