Maryann Thomas is writer and editor with a persistent love for words and emotionally wringing stories. Armed with a Masters in Media & Communication from LSE, she has written extensively, from news articles, blogs, and case studies to works of poetry, creative non-fiction and memoirs. She has worked at Google, as a journalist for the New Indian Express and as a copywriter and content creator for tech companies. Her work has been published in The Guardian, LSE’s student journal, The Clare Market Review and The Hindu, a leading news daily in India.
We speak to her about record keeping, memoirs and writing during the pandemic.
Why do you think memoirs and record-keeping became more important than ever during the pandemic?
Stories of continued suffering and being separated from loved ones during the pandemic started to make people more aware of the fragility of life. People wanted to connect with family, and also had the time to think about their past and remember their family stories. There was a need to preserve these stories, and document lived experiences from the past, especially for future generations who will not know what life was like for their elderly relatives back in the day. Many turned to ghostwriters to have their memoirs written and published for posterity.
What similarity does your company have with this emerging concept? What are the kind of stories you wish to tell and what’s the process like?
Stories, by Mae is a ghostwriting service that aims to write memoirs for anybody who has a story to remember and share.
As I writer and storyteller, I have always been curious about people’s inner lives - the personal stories and the intimate details that have shaped the lives of ordinary people - who sometimes have the most extraordinary stories. That said, I’ve also worked with people who have lived through historic times of upheaval and suffering, including WWII and the Partition of India in 1947.
At Stories, by Mae (Mae is the first syllable of my name and a nickname during college), I have a simple and straightforward process that involves interviewing people, taking extensive notes, transcribing the interviews, and writing a story that reflects the life and personal journey of the person, as if they have written it themselves. I can also help with the design, printing, and publishing of their book.
What aspect of the lives of South Asians intrigues you? Which part of it is the most interesting and less explored which one must read or document?
I’m always amazed at the incredible resilience and adaptability of our people, especially as they encounter various social and cultural challenges when they move abroad from an environment that is entirely different from the country of their birth and upbringing.
It’s also fascinating to observe how a strong sense of community prevails (and sometimes governs!) over our lives no matter where in the world we go, perhaps giving South Asians a much-needed balance as they navigate life in a culture that champions individualism.
What makes you think 'our' voices are not heard as much as needed in the UK?
South Asians have such an incredibly rich and diverse cultural heritage to draw our life experiences from. First-generation Asians are accustomed to living and working alongside people from different backgrounds, regions, languages and religions in our country of origin, and so, we have so much to offer the world in terms of our belief systems and our attitude toward each other.
South Asians have taken major strides and excelled in every aspect of public life in Britain, whether this is business, healthcare, the arts, or politics. But less has been written about the incredible sacrifices and struggles that our forefathers have taken to make the current generations of successful South Asians. I am particularly passionate about championing these stories because they rarely receive the attention they deserve.
Website: www.storiesbymae.com
Facebook: Stories by Mae
Insta: @stories_by_mae
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maryann189/
