Congratulations Lenore Greiner! SDMWA March 2022 Member of the Month
Interview with SDMWA President, Laura L. Engel
LE: Congratulations Lenore! We are excited to announce you and our March 2022 Member of the Month! How did you discover SDMWA?
LG: Through Marni Freedman’s memoir writing classes at SDWI, while earning my Certificate in Memoir Writing. I joined right away.
LE: Have you always been a writer?
LG: Always. In fourth grade, Sister David Mary told my parents how I wrote the best stories. I went professional at UC Davis, writing art reviews for the campus newspaper. Then years as a freelance writer followed, focusing on travel writing. Now I teach travel writing and journal-keeping at San Diego Writers Ink.
Today, I’m working on the third draft of my untitled memoir. I’ve kept diaries, journals and letters since age 13 and those private archives became very useful when writing my memoir!
LE: Lenore, what impacts do you think writing classes have made on your writing?
LG: My biggest impact is that, after over 30 years of writing professionally, I still have so much to learn. Trained as a journalist, I had to exercise new skills by placing myself into the story. Very hard & I struggled with showing and telling. In journalism, you’re the observer who reports facts. Now I had to go deep and dig out emotions, be vulnerable, place myself into the story. That was hard for me and felt very narcissistic. But I got over it!
LE: Please tell us about your scenes that were published in our Shaking The Tree anthologies and your experiences from being in the anthologies.
LG: For my first anthology piece, “Translating Respect,” I wrote about translating Aretha Franklin’s song, “Respect,” into Italian for fellow Nigerian students while studying in Italy. My character arc was about recognizing your worth and demanding respect after experiencing trauma.
My second, “Exploding Valencia,” took place during Valencia, Spain’s Las Fallas Festival. Every spring over four days, the Valencians blow up their town with fireworks and bonfires all day and all night. I learned that sometimes you have to blow things up in your life and things turn out alright in the end.
I love being in these anthologies. Everyone involved with SDMWA is so supportive. Shoutout to Marni Freedman, Laura Engel, and Tracy Jones!
I especially loved participating in the author readings. I read at the Coronado Library, the Women’s Museum of California and the Borrego Library. It’s so gratifying to see people react to your work after toiling alone in my office. And to show others that they need to write their own stories. So important.
LE: I love that so much. Thank you, Lenore. We’d love to hear about what you are presently writing or any new projects you are working on.
LG: Right now, I’m working on my first travel writing assignment since the pandemic for the “Travel Guide to California.” Plus, finishing up my memoir after almost three years of work. Can’t wait to see it published!
LE: What are some of your favorite Memoirs? Your favorite Authors?
LG: My favorite memoir, which I first read in 8th grade, was “Two Under The Indian Sun,” by Rumer and Jon Godden. These sisters and authors chronicled a resplendent childhood in India during the British Raj. My first introduction to memoir and travel writing!
Favorite authors include Anne Lamott, Paul Theroux, Tim Cahill, Cheryl Strayed. I also grew up on and love Hemingway, Fitzgerald, and Joan Didion.
LE: Lenore, do you have any advice for new writers?
LG: Keep taking classes, create and keep your writing schedule and join a read and critique group for valuable feedback.
On memoir-writing for new writers, I’ve found the best advice comes from Brooke Warner of She Writes Press. She wrote:
1. Relatability – invite your reader into your inner world
2. Insights – share your insight by showing vs. telling
3. Through-threads – don’t lose sight of your theme
4. Transparency – be honest, truth-telling, and vulnerable
I can’t say it better than that!
LE: Thank you! Great advice Lenore. Please tell our members and other writers how they can reach you. Website? Social channels?
LG: Yes, you can find me online at www.LenoreGreiner.com
My Instagram is @LenoreGreinerTravelWriter
My Facebook is LenoreGreinerTravelWriter