If you think graphic novels, memoirs, or any type of comics are just for youth, think again. According to Penguin Random House, a well-known book publisher, “sales of graphic novels and graphic nonfiction alike have seen consistent growth year over year.” What’s more, the publisher also states that graphic novels and memoirs have had a major impact on increasing the representation of LBGTQA+ and BIPOC populations, as well as awareness of what could be considered difficult topics. 

This is certainly true for Minnesota author and artist Lynn Von Sien (a 2023 recipient of a Creative Support for Individuals grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board), who is releasing a graphic memoir on her time as a caregiver to her mom who was diagnosed with cancer, and the impacts of adoption as an adoptee.

What are graphic memoirs?

Von Sien explains that a graphic memoir consists of “Typically words and pictures together in sequence to tell a story from one’s own life,” before adding that an author could make one that is wordless if they wanted. 

The difference between a graphic memoir and a graphic novel is that a graphic memoir is creative non-fiction, while a graphic novel is fiction. “Memoir focuses on one part of a person’s life, as opposed to autobiography which endeavors to tell one’s whole life story,” she said. A graphic memoir can be about any part of a person’s life, or created for any type of reason: documenting your story for future generations, sorting through difficult times in life, documenting good moments, as part of a therapeutic process, and more. 

Why graphic memoirs? 

“One of the reasons people write memoirs is to create order in areas of our memory that are messy and unsettled and I have a lot of that. Putting things under the microscope through writing and drawing can help us untangle things and find the takeaway, the lessons learned about life and about ourselves,” she said. 

“I had a diary comic published in a SAW anthology (Sequential Artists Workshop) where one of my cats died, and three weeks later my Dad died. I choose to write and draw the difficult things because in doing so I can share that our worst imaginable losses can be survived. This is something I appreciate in other people’s work. When someone shows us how to navigate and get to the other side of the tough things, that’s a real gift.”

The reason an author may decide to write a graphic memoir over other non-fiction options is, of course, an individual decision. But for Lynn, she says that there is a lot that’s special about graphic memoirs. As a reader, “Reading graphic memoir asks us to use both sides of our brain, verbal and nonverbal in unison. And it’s kind of like getting the movie version, only we can control the timing. I find it fascinating to get a look inside an author’s mind, and see what visual choices they make, see their story exactly as they saw it.”

"My life is too boring to share my story"

Typically and historically, according to Von Sien, graphic memoirs are written someone who is an artist first, but can be written by anyone who has an urge to tell a story (even if that person thinks their life is mundane or boring). “There is a lot of beauty in the ordinary. There’s a lot of sadness too. I like reading about a person’s inner life and emotional responses to sometimes even mundane things more than someone’s exciting life as a royal,” she added. 

If you don’t know where to start, Von Sien shares that there are writing prompts and activities you can do to start the process of writing, like attending a workshop. 

Tonight, the Grand Marais Public Library is hosting Lynn, who will be conducting a workshop on Exploring Graphic Memoirs. Attendees will learn about the history of graphic memoirs, recommendations for titles to read, and walk away with a ‘take and create’ activity that will help jump-start writing their own graphic memoir. 

You will also learn about Von Sien’s upcoming graphic memoir titled Snow Emergency Route. 

“Snow Emergency Route focuses on the last six months of my mom’s life and explores the relationship I had with her. I was living across the street from my elderly folks, looking after their needs when mom was diagnosed with oral cancer. It’s a tragicomic, with many flashbacks to the 1960s and 70s too, as memories popped up while caregiving in the neighborhood I grew up in. Lots of adoptee feels came to the surface during this time as well. It’s complete at 310 pages and I’m coloring the last 60 pages. I received a grant from the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council supporting its creation (thanks, ARAC!).”

Exploring Graphic Memoir will take place at the Grand Marais Public Library on Wednesday, October 18, 2023, at 6pm. Learn more here.

You can learn more about Lynn Von Sien here: https://www.lynnvonsien.com/