Writing about family is a time-honored activity for women, whether it is keeping
a private diary, writing a family history, or crafting a novel. And while the world
of publishing offers ever-increasing opportunities for new writers, it can be difficult
to take the step from writing for oneself to writing for a broader audience. Women
Writing on Family is a start-to-finish resource for writers facing this challenge.
Like a trusted writing group, the authors provide insight and advice on everything
from mental preparation to marketing and promotion. The personal experience of the
contributors lends credibility, but the focus of the book is on helping the reader
to reach her writing goals.
Co-editors Carol Smallwood and Suzann Holland have assembled an impressive array
of contributors for this anthology. While all are experienced authors, each has
taken a different path to reach that goal. They are psychologists and nurses, college
professors and secondary school teachers. Several teach writing courses, and many
have won awards for their work. Their accumulated knowledge and skills are the backbone
of this book. These are women whose advice I would not only trust for myself, but
pass along to my friends. For example, Kezia Willingham’s contributions go to the
heart of two major challenges for many women who write. In one chapter, she gives
concrete tips for balancing writing, family, and work, while in the other she discusses
the emotional risk of writing with honesty. Willingham knows what she’s talking
about. She was a single parent and high school dropout in her teens. She has gone
on to earn a Master’s in Social Work and now works for Seattle Public Schools. Her
work in Women Writing on Family exemplifies her journey as a writer, a parent, and
a family participant. Each of the contributions brings a similar quality of authenticity
and experience, even while the ages, professions, cultures, and publishing backgrounds
of their authors are widely diverse.
There are many resources for writers, some of which focus on women. The emphasis
on writing about the family is what sets this book apart from the others. The unique
issues that women face when they use their family as the basis for their writing
transform an activity that is already highly personal into one that may be fraught
with risk even while holding the potential for significant personal and professional
development.
In her chapter “Family Secrets: How to Reveal What Matters Without Getting Sued,
or Shunned,” Martha Engber explores the tension between the right to express oneself
in writing and the emotional and legal consequences that can result from publishing
others’ personal stories. She explains concepts such as libel using clear, jargon-free
examples, then goes on to suggest five ways to reduce the likelihood of damaged
relationships and limit exposure to legal action. Additional chapters on personal
and legal issues help the reader assess her subject matter and make informed decisions
about whether and how to share sensitive topics as part of her work. This advice
is supplemented by insightful words meant to encourage the writer who is still uncertain
whether she is ready to reveal her work—and her family—to the world.
Families are a never-ending source of stories ranging from full scenes to tiny snippets.
The challenge is using your own writing style and solid technique to develop the
characters, setting, and story into a finished piece with reader appeal. Women Writing
on Family offers several viewpoints on crafting both fiction and nonfiction. In
“Making Up Grandma: How to Blend History and Imagination Into Powerful Family
Narratives,” contributor Lela Davidson offers on-target advice for effectively
blending historical fact and imagination to bring family stories to life. She offers
guidance on how to embellish a single incident using historical details about the place
and time, as well as exploring the likely emotions of the people involved. Asserting that
“…it’s a shame to let a story die just because it’s only a
snippet,” Davidson gives permission to combine fact and imagination in order to
portray family stories more completely.
The internet is a valuable tool for writers, and three chapters written by successful
bloggers provide information about opportunities for career development through
online writing projects. Other career-related topics include marketing, self-publishing,
and efficient use of writing conferences. Of course, many authors writing about
family are doing so between loads of laundry and during naptime. A particularly
valuable section on balancing writing and family commitments provides inspiration
for those days when everything seems to hit at once.
Women Writing on Family is a gift from experienced writers to their sisters who
are just starting down the road to a writing career. The techniques, exercises,
tools, and tips make it a resource to consult again and again. Poet or family historian,
blogger or novelist, this book offers something for every woman seeking to write
about family. Amazon.com includes several reviews.
—Previously published in Prick of the Spindle
(Volume 6.1)
is a librarian with King County Library System and an adjunct lecturer at the University
of Washington. She writes on local and family history and library practice.