Sunday, March 23, 2008

April 4-6 2008 - Writing Your Memoir - Calistoga, CA

This year's annual Body and Soul spring writing retreat takes place in the Napa Valley Wine country and runs April 4-6, 2008. Beautiful views, world famous wine and mud baths are just a few of the highlights. The weekend retreat is designed to give writers an opportunity to relax in a lovely place while mingling with other writers for a weekend of story writing, sharing wisdom, and learning.

"Writing a memoir is a challenge on many levels," says Linda Joy Myers, workshop leader and president of the event sponsor Memories and Memoirs. "It asks us to review our life--who we are, what roles we played in our family and with friends, and it asks us to expose ourselves deeply on the page. We also must confront certain very real psychological issues and emotional challenges."

A memoir is an exploration of a part of your life – a complete life story is referred to as an "autobiography." Both a memoir and an autobiography is a story written by the protagonist, through the point of view of the "I" of the story. Memoir writing has grown in popularity over recent years in part because of the therapeutic value. Research published in the Journal of the American Medicine Association in 1999 showed that writing stories is even more healing than journaling, helping to heal asthma, arthritis and chronic fatigue syndrome.

"Writing in a safe, sacred space with an experienced guide helps you to overcome the inner critic and write the stories you have been meaning to write," says Myers. "Memoir writers come away from this retreat with renewed passion and inspiration to complete their memoir, and often leave with six to ten new stories."

Writers of spiritual autobiography, therapeutic writers, memoir writers, and writers who want a safe, serene place to listen to their own voice are invited to attend this weekend retreat. Registration information as well as more information regarding the weekend event can be found on the Web site.

About the Body and Soul Spring Writing Retreat

The Body and Soul Spring Writing Retreat will be held April 4-6, 2008 in Calistoga, CA. For more information visit the Web site http://www.memoriesandmemoirs.com/

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