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Management

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Submitted By Rick2016
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23 September 2015

Risks Worth Taking?
A Reflection on the Effects of Memoirs

The primary purpose of my research paper is to present a cross-section of the current conversations taking place around the way memoirs affect the writers who publish them. Based on my research, it appears that the effects tend to involve emotional and psychological consequences, as well as legal troubles in some instances. The discovery of this conversation helped me to refine my research topic into the question, “Do the benefits of publishing a memoir outweigh the risks of their effects for writers?” This research explores the positive and negative effects of memoirs on their writers to determine whether or not the risks are worth the rewards. Although writing a memoir can result in lawsuits and family discord, it more often proves to be therapeutic and can be the starting point of a nonfiction writer's career.
What if I told you that memoirs are incredibly important to our society, because they document the human experience in such an honest way? Although they are valuable, they can also be risky. One key issue is that a memoir’s admissions risk causing major drama for writers, including legal trouble. In addition, they can be a catalyst for burning bridges with former employees. They can also potentially destroy long-term personal relationships. In this paper, I work to discover if it is worth all the drama to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
As I began my research, I initially uncovered several negative aspects of writing a memoir. One such risk is the potential for legal troubles. Writer and attorney Amy Cook addresses the risks associated with publishing a memoir in “Memoir Writing: Legal Issues You Need to Know.” Cook offer advice on the legal effects that writers need to be aware of with regard to invasion of privacy, defamation and the law surrounding those issues. Cook approaches the conversation from a critical lens and reminds writers that it is nearly impossible to avoid including others in their memoirs. She encourages them to educate themselves on their rights and the laws that govern them. Cook is quick to emphasize that writing a memoir can be risky business if you incriminate someone that you include in your book.
Another negative aspect I discovered is the way memories can can be emotionally abusive on your close family members when you share their secrets with the public. In "Loss, Revision, Translation: Re-Membering The Father's Fragmented Self In Alison Bechdel's Graphic Memoir Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic," Hélène Tison comments on this happening with Alison Bechdel's “Graphic Memoir Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic.” Tison observes the ways Bechdel’s revision of history affected her and her family, such as her father allegedly committing suicide after the disclosure of his homosexuality. She frames the negative effects of the memoir on its author, describing how loved ones can be traumatized after the brutally honest documentation of their life. This negative aspect is a big risk to consider when writing a memoir.
I was surprised to learn about an unexpected negative aspect in "Stylised Configurations Of Trauma: Faking Identity In Holocaust Memoirs." Writer Alyson Miller reveals several fraudulent Holocaust memoirs with false identities. Miller believes that memoirs with fake characters can still reflect authentic concepts of the past and self. She warns of the ways fraudulent memoirs manipulate discourses of victimhood and authenticity. Through notions of history and identity, she argues that the scandals surrounding fake identities help us to understand our own anxieties about literature exposing the truth. Miller touches on the effects of traumatic memoirs in society and the complications of faking identities while sharing the truth. Miller’s article taught me that if you stray from the truth, you could be shamed and ridiculed as a writer.
Along those lines, Leigh Gilmore analyzes "A Million Little Pieces," by James Frey, "Eat, Pray, Love," by Elizabeth Gilbert, and "The Power of Now," by Eckhart Tolle in her essay, "American Neoconfessional: Memoir, Self-Help, And Redemption On Oprah's Couch." Gilmore points how the writers were criticized publicly. She explored major issues they experienced, like harsh public judgment and lack of privacy. Using a negative lens, Gilmore sees memoirists as narcissists that are destroying our culture. She really highlighted the negative effects connected with memoirs being read by the masses.
Another great source I found, “Memoir as Contemplative Practice for Peace and Justice,” explores the effects of self-reflection for writers of memoirs. It discusses several positive benefits that writers have discovered, such as their contemplation leading to a better understanding of how they are connected with the rest of society. It argues that memoirs offer writers a greater sense of perspective, with regard to their entire human existence, because they are able to find patterns and connections in life experiences. It addresses various emotional and psychological responses associated with writing a memoir, informing me of the fact that they can have numerous positive benefits for their writers.
In the scholarly article, "Ripples In Mental Space Caused By Dark Matters And Twisted Tales: Some Reflections On Memory, Memoirs And Therapeutic Work," Judith Edwards teaches us the effects of rehashing old memories in memoirs, particularly with regard to dark experiences. She reflects on how psychoanalysis comes into play, drawing on the work of Freud. She discusses various ways memories can be transformed over time, while addressing the factors that can sabotage emotional elements stored in your mental space. Edwards carefully uncovers the effects of memoirs—the reflective process, personal memories, psychoanalytic work, and creative writing—acknowledging the limitations of disciplinary boundaries for writers. Using examples from the publication of her own memoir, she details the effects on her professional career from the psychoanalysis that are illuminated. At the end of the day, the process benefited her emotionally. The main takeaway was that it was worth the risk.
Finishing with more positive effects I unearthed, "In A Class By Itself: Memoirs," explores the ways writing memoirs can affect not only writers, but also future generations. It argues that the process of drafting a memoir benefits writers, allowing them to better analyze their own history. Sharing their story also allows for deeper human connections and relationships with those around them. Their memoir can leave a lasting impression on society while touching individuals.
Based on my research, the most famous memoirs have earned notoriety and respect for their writers. On the darker side, memoirs can be risky business. If writers incriminate someone in their book, they can get into legal trouble. Memoirs can lead to harsh public judgment and lack of privacy. If you stray from the truth, even unintentionally, you could be shamed and ridiculed as a writer. At times, memoirs have allowed writers to publicly support a cause. I found that memoirs inspire spiritual growth in writers searching for answers. I also learned that memoirs have filled their writers with emotional pride, happiness, satisfaction. Although writing a memoir can result in lawsuits and family discord, it more often proves to be therapeutic and can be the starting point of a nonfiction writer's career. For all of those reasons, memoirs seem to offer mostly positive benefits for writers—and the rewards often outweigh the risks.

Sources
Cook, Amy. (2015). “Memoir Writing: Legal Issues You Need to Know” Writers Digest. Retrieved 9, September, from http://www.writersdigest.com/
Denton-Borhaug, Kelly, and Daniel Jasper. "Memoir As Contemplative Practice For Peace And Justice." International Journal Of Critical Pedagogy 5.2 (2014): 114-130. Education Source. Web. 9 Sept. 2015.
Edwards, Judith. "Ripples In Mental Space Caused By Dark Matters And Twisted Tales: Some Reflections On Memory, Memoirs And Therapeutic Work." Psychodynamic Practice 19.4 (2013): 390-405. Academic Search Premier. Web. 8 Sept. 2015.
Gilmore, Leigh. "American Neoconfessional: Memoir, Self-Help, And Redemption On Oprah's Couch." Biography: An Interdisciplinary Quarterly 33.4 (2010): 657-679. Academic Search Premier. Web. 9 Sept. 2015.
Miller, Alyson. "Stylised Configurations Of Trauma: Faking Identity In Holocaust Memoirs." Arcadia -- International Journal For Literary Studies 49.2 (2014): 229-253. Humanities International Complete. Web. 8 Sept. 2015.
Nestor, Theo Pauline. (2013). “Why Writing Memoir Might Actually Make You Happier“
Huffington post. Retrieved 9, September, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com
Petralis, Loretta, and Carol Samuel. "In A Class By Itself: Memoirs." LLI Review 5.(2010): 58-65. Academic Search Premier. Web. 9 Sept. 2015.
Tison, Hélène. "Loss, Revision, Translation: Re-Membering The Father's Fragmented Self In Alison Bechdel's Graphic Memoir Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic." Studies In The Novel 47.3 (2015): 346. MasterFILE Premier. Web. 8 Sept. 2015.

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