It’s almost time! Don’t miss out. Purchase your tickets today for the fantastic Memoir Showcase on Dec. 7th! https://ljms.org/events/memoir-showcase/
Please take a minute to read my interview with one of the talented writers, Melissa Jordan Grey.
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Melissa Jordan Grey, writer and actor for “Trial and Error,” winner in the 2021 San Diego Memoir Showcase. Interview by Laura Engel, SDMWA Board President.
LE: Congratulations Melissa on being a winner in the Showcase. In a nutshell, tell us about your winning memoir piece for the 7th Annual San Diego Memoir Showcase.
MJG: “Trial and Error” grew out of a childhood experience I shared with my brothers while holed up alone in a seedy motel thousands of miles from home. The events that ensued were at once galvanizing and shattering. And yet, we didn’t speak about it for years. The contrast between what we saw and what we did in the aftermath reverberated in me for years and offered me insight into the silencing power of trauma.
LE: What has been your experience taking classes/workshops and writing a memoir in San Diego?
MJG: I’ve enjoyed several workshops at San Diego Writer’s, Ink, Finest City Improv, National Comedy Theater, and the La Jolla Playhouse over the years, all excellent resources for the creative and the creatively curious. More recently, I discovered the San Diego Memoir Writers Association and am blown away by its depth and breadth. Its monthly meetings, replete with seasoned guest authors, should not be missed!
LE: This year has been unsettling in so many ways. How do you think that has affected your writing?
MJG: The pandemic catalyzed my fearlessness and allowed me to appreciate the risks I’ve taken in my life. It sharpened my attitude, fortitude, and gratitude, and that, in turn, has influenced my writing. After all, the act of writing is merely reflection through language, and being in lockdown provided an unexpected mirror—full-length, in fact.
LE: Melissa, please tell us what excites you the most about participating in the 7th Annual San Diego Memoir Showcase?
MJG: I’m most excited about learning from and connecting with the SDMWA’s mind-blowingly talented community: Marni Freedman and Tracy Jones, the pied pipers of print, and the loads of talented people they’ve attracted along the way. What a gift! I cherish the opportunity to absorb all I can from every one of them. I’m also equally daunted and excited about performing the piece.
LE: Do you have any advice for new memoir writers?
MJG: I would unequivocally say, “Lean into your fear and put your stories on paper! Your experiences are yours alone, and while someone else might describe them differently, it’s not your job to write for them.” Writing a memoir is a coming-out of sorts.
LE: Thank you so much for your thoughts and words, Melissa. We are all looking forward to watching you performing your scene on stage on December 7th at the Conrad in La Jolla!
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Hope to see you at our annual San Diego Memoir Showcase! Purchase your tickets HERE!