What Inspires a Memoir Publisher?
A Further Interview With Kitty Axelson-Berry
Sep 1, 2008 Dulcinea Norton-Smith
Publisher Kitty Axelson-Berry has worked in publishing, journalism and editing. Skills which proved invaluable when setting up her business Modern Memoirs Inc to publish memoirs, manuscripts and family histories for private clients.
Kitty also founded the Association of Personal Historians, which brings professionals, academics and hobbyists together to share their knowledge and experiences.
Kitty took some time out to talk to Suite 101 about the unique services offered by Modern Memoirs Inc
Suite 101: What was your background before starting Modern Memoirs?
Grew up upper middle class in West Hempstead, NY, graduated in 1967 already somewhat cynical. Then on to Smith College, religion (Buddhism) major, marriage, and a beautiful baby. It was a time period when our society was in flux. Graduated with good grades, somehow, but rather than taking a path of financial security, I became a back-to-the-land hippy earth mother in a tent with mosquitos, building a geodesic dome in the woods. A fire pit instead of a stove. Chickens, pigs, steer, and a horse--and another wonderful baby!-- but no electricity or water for several miserable years. Became intimate with the distinctions between needs and choices. Oh, it is tedious to think about.
My earlier “career” choices included waitress, secretary, piano teacher, writer, journalist/reporter, magazine and book editor, news editor, editor in chief. Importantly, I have three daughters, and three grandchildren (and one on the way). Two marriages, two divorces. That's enough to share!
Suite 101: Why did you make the move to setting Modern Memoirs Inc up?
The idea of providing professional personal history services began when I left my job as executive editor of a pair of regional alternative investigative newsweeklies, The Valley Advocate and The Springfield Advocate. The job was low in pay, although high in prestige among like-minded left-leaning young people. I had a few other business ideas, but this one seemed far away the most suitable, considering that I had been an investigative reporter, author, and editor for many years by then. (The others were pretty good, but required start-up capital, whereas this required what I already had: extensive professional experience, chutzpah, and a computer.) Unfortunately, I neglected to face the fact that I would continue to serve as what amounted to the sole financial support for my family, and would have no spare money to invest in growing the business. But I knew immediately that writing real life stories for real families, with respect, compassion, and truth, would be extremely important work.
It developed from there by hard work, some creativity, quite a bit of experience in design and words, and in a way becoming a bore and a drudge by doing too much myself. It would have helped to have had an entrepreneurial background or outside financial support, but that doesn't seem to have been my "path."
Suite 101: Have you written or are you writing a memoir? If so have you enjoyed the experience and who do you think of as your audience when you are writing?
I'd hire someone to do the interviews and the work. My own story is a bore to me. I'd want someone else to to the hard work.
Suite 101: Do you often read memoirs of famous figures? Do you have a favourite memoir or autobiography?
One of my favorites is Pearl S. Buck, "My Several Worlds," about growing up in China.
Suite 101: You have a very in depth philosophy on memoir writing and sum it up with the quote "If my doctor told me I had only six minutes to live, I wouldn't brood. I'd type a little faster." by Isaac Asimov. Do you feel that memoirs hold an important place in society?Absolutely. Cultural amnesia (one writer calls it de-storification) contributes to some of the violence here and throughout the world.
Suite 101: What do you enjoy most about working with other people's memoirs and what do you enjoy the least?
I don't think about this. It feels like "right livelihood" and that's enough for me! I don't focus on what is relatively more fun or less fun. It's a very lengthy process with ups and downs. Well, I suppose my favorite moment is when the client receive his or her books and loves them, and write us a thank you note.
Suite 101: Do you have any advice for anyone about to write a memoir?
Read “Bird by Bird” by Anne Lamott. Jot down a hundred little stories you want to write. Proceed one by one.
Suite 101 also had a chat with Kitty Axelson-Berry about her clients and about her company Modern Memoirs Inc.
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