Talk About Writing

7. Writing from Memory, Why We Reminisce, and the “Proust Effect”


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In this episode, we will delve into the connection between memory, reminiscence, and writing, drawing on the notion of the "Proust Effect." This concept, named after French novelist Marcel Proust, and describes how sensory experiences can lead to vivid recollections, especially those that are involuntarily.

This sudden surfacing of memories, often at unexpected times, indicates the power of reminiscence in shaping our narratives on one hand, and our understanding of ourselves, on the other.

The episode also discusses how our memories form a bridge between our past and present selves, influencing our sense of identity, our perception of the past, and our writing pursuits. The act of writing from memory can be a deeply reflective and transformative experience in this way.

The unique flavor of our lives, our own personal experiences lend a uniqueness to our writing, because revisiting memories can be a source of creative inspiration and emotional release.

So in this episode we will talk a little bit about the act of reminiscence from the psychological perspective, in terms of why and how the act of looking back at the past, and recalling past events, and really just sitting with our memories (whether deliberately or unwillingly), takes place. And how all of these revisitations of memories have a role to play in our writing pursuits - in what we choose to write, and how we write in general.

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Talk About WritingBy Ipshita Nath