Mamaroneck Talk Details How To Write Memoir

MAMARONECK, NY — Everyone has a story to tell, and if you need some guidance, Mamaroneck-based writer and photographer Marina Kiriakou will guide people in how to begin writing them. Kiriakou will teach how to turn personal experiences into captivating memoirs in a talk from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 5 at the Mamaroneck Public Library. Presented by the Village of Mamaroneck Arts Council as part of its Arts Live initiative, the talk is free of charge.

“This session is for anyone who is drawn to tell their own stories or those of a loved one,” Kiriakou said. “People often say to me, ‘I’ve lived an amazing life! I really should write a memoir someday!’ Well that’s wonderful, but memoir writing is not just about the events that happened to you. It’s what you took away from those experiences that the rest of us crave to understand.”

Kiriakou works with individuals to create their personal narratives. Trained and certified in the Amherst Writers & Artists method, which has been nurturing writers for 30 years, Kiriakou leads workshops that incorporate writing as part of a lifelong creative and spiritual practice.

“Amherst Writers & Artists is an international community of writing workshop leaders committed to the belief that a writer is simply anyone who writes, and everyone has a unique voice,” she said. “To quote the founder, Pat Schneider, the method provides writers ‘a safe environment in which to experiment.’”

Kiriakou is the author of the memoir “Within the Sole,” which describes pilgrimage through a wide range of spiritual communities. It also explores the way that symbolism around one focal point — the foot and shoe — can reflect unifying principles of the world’s religious and tribal traditions. The work was first exhibited in New York City at the Lesley Heller Gallery in 2010.

The Nov. 5 session will cover various topics, including the difference between memoir and biography, how to establish a personal writing practice and how to dig deep for the heart of the story. Kiriakou will discuss a writer’s voice as “a personal fingerprint” and ways to “curate your memories into art.” She also will offer three specific actions to help you move from gathering content to framing and executing your own story, or that of a loved-one. The lecture will conclude with writing prompts to help you on your way.

The session is the latest in the lecture series that is part of the Arts Live program. Previous talks have regaled and educated the public with professionals who have painted murals around the world, trained in dance at Julliard and created the backdrops for animals, birds and insects at the Bronx Zoo.

“If you’ve got a story you’ve been dying to tell – and who doesn’t? – this lecture is a must,” said Jacqueline Meier, Chair of the Arts Council. “This session will be as engaging as it is practical. We are confident that participants will come away prepared and eager to begin, or to continue, their own journeys with the written word.”

Photo credit: Submitted.