MEMOIRS OF THE SOUL

I was one of those teachers who come to school with a passel of ideas and tricks that open the most closed, reluctant writer. Before he realized anything was happening, he was scrawling his feelings onto paper, writing persuasive tirades, dramatic scripts, and even explosive free verse.

Over time I decided to apply my techniques to guide mature people who wanted to leave a legacy or explore their lives. Most would-be memoirists assume they should start by writing about where and when they were born. They plod along, fact after fact. I take a different, engaging approach, and I love the moments when the writers’ eyes light up. My book evolved from handouts I prepared for the memoir-writing groups.

I’m affiliated with the Oregon Writing Project at the U. of O. and travel nationally to present workshops for writers' groups, libraries, conferences, continuing education programs, and religious/contemplative organizations. My latest undertaking is creation of a writing-to-heal book for veterans who suffer from PTSD. This work feels like a calling because the idea for it came, literally, through telephone calls. When I was interviewed by the Institute for Noetic Sciences, veterans phoned in to say the kind of writing I’m able to evoke would be healing. Since then I’ve made an intense study of traumatic stress, have written the first draft of a guided-writing book, and now am ready to field-test it with groups of veterans.

To learn more about my publications and see videos from my workshops, please open www.memoirsofthesoul.com or write to me at nanphifer@mac.com.