J U LY / A U G 2 0 1 4
Thanks for the
Memories
Senior writers share
stories and life
experiences
by Mary Hackworth
Are you thinking of writing your
memoir but are not sure where to
start? You may want to consider
the Seniors Writing Group, which
meets at the Lexington Senior Citizens Center most Fridays throughout the year.
A joint offering of the Carnegie
Center for Literacy and Learning
and the Senior Citizens Center, the
Writing Group offers participants
not only a forum for giving and
receiving feedback on their work
but – just as important – a place of
fellowship with other like-minded
seniors.
Instructor Sarah Combs says
the group is sometimes billed as a
“family stories” class but it is by no
means limited to that. Class members frequently focus on memoirs,
but they also often experiment
with fiction, poetry and other types
of writing. In addition to life stories, nature and the passage of time
often appear as themes.
“Their life experiences are so
rich,” Combs said. “Their perspective on things is a gold mine.”
All levels of writers are welcome
in the class – newcomers and
longtime members, beginners and
experts. The group has been sharing stories and mutual support for
nearly 20 years, having been led by
former Carnegie Center director
Jan Isenhour before Combs took
over last year. While the group is
open to up to 25 people, Combs
said about 15 members generally
attend, bringing their writing and a
readiness to respond to the work of
their fellow writers.
“The class from the beginning
has been very successful,” said
Isenhour. She says the group’s longevity has generated trust that frees
its members to explore personal
themes in depth. Since participants
29
often write about sensitive family
matters – babies given up for adoption and World War II experiences,
to name a few – trust creates the
openness necessary for exploring
difficult material meaningfully.
The class is structured as a
workshop in the round. Members
may ask for specific advice on the
craft of their writing, and Combs
offers what she calls “prompts”
that members are free to follow
or not. In a recent class, she asked
the group to write about their
memories of the day President
John F. Kennedy was assassinated;
other times, she suggests a word
or two to use as a starting point.
Participants usually have plenty of
their own ideas and often choose to
write about something else entirely.
Isenhour said class members are
also willing to do the hard work of
revising and shaping their material.
“They’ve alw