Merry Rosenfield just published her first book, An Uncommon Life.  It is a wonderful account of her daughter’s life.  I asked Merry to share her  tips for aspiring writers and to discuss her book with us here.

On Writing a Memoir
by Merry Rosenfield

Recently I published my first book, a memoir of my daughter Cedar. I called it An Uncommon Life, because hers certainly was. Cedar was an extraordinary writer, visual artist, actress and dancer.

Because her life was so brief (she passed away in 2001 at the age of twenty) the body of work she left behind was all the more extraordinary. Two feature screen plays, starring roles in several independent films, watercolors and pastels, embroidery, pin and ink drawings, and one brief video of her dancing.

If you were lucky enough to know my daughter, you most likely have a funny story involving her. Despite being such a hard worker (she often wrote until the wee hours of the morning) she seldom took herself seriously, and we often played pranks on each other. I’m sure Laura Sherman, who was one of her best friends, knows exactly what I’m talking about!

To say that Cedar was a colorful character is an understatement. She was beautiful, funny and extremely talented.

But the idea of writing a book about her was a little daunting. Prior to this I had written very brief poetry, (haiku) comics about my life as a jewelry artist on the road and a few songs. But a book?

Luckily, I knew exactly where to turn for inspiration—a  little book that was written in 1938 by a writer named Brenda Ueland. The name of the book—If You Want to Write. In Ms. Ueland’s own words, “Everybody is talented, original and has something important to say…”

Brenda taught creative writing to the kitchen help, the truck drivers and the ditch diggers of the world. The printed samples of their writing are breathtakingly, beautifully honest.

I think every artist, no matter your preferred form of art, should read this book. Ueland doesn’t teach you how to write.  But she does show you how to find your own unique voice as a writer.

I believe all of us have a gift within us to communicate. Some of us just need the right nutcracker to get to the meat. For me, the nutcracker was If You Want to Write.