Going off of this post, talking about writing memoirs…
This is something that I’ve considered doing myself, writing a “memoir” as a cathartic, therapeutic work. Unfortunately, my concern is one mentioned in the post: getting people to read it. I don’t see much point in just writing to get it out; for me, most of the benefit comes from the thought that someone else will see it and have a connection to it.
My problem arises from a lack of expertise mingled with a lack of a story. I’m relatively young and I’ve lived a rather “normal” life–no horrors or atrocities to overcome, no traumatic experiences, no major illnesses or abuses to report. I’m also quite inexperienced as a writer, having only seriously played with it for about a year. Ergo, I have little to tell that would keep a reader’s interest on it’s own, and little in line of tools that could compensate.
So is there any “market” (and not financial) for a generic, run-of-the-mill life story that is overtly an autobiography of someone who has yet to hit the public eye and has yet to have any experiences worth talking about? I know for a small while at least, when blogs, YouTube, etc. first became popular, everyone having their own place to talk about themselves was great; people really were interested (to a small degree, at least) in the nobodies of the world.
Is that still the case, or has the blogosphere become more a corporate and political interest? Or was it ever the case, and I just missed the point?
I dunno; I might well do a series of “memoirs” on here, if nothing else just to get it out. I may open them up to the public or I know there’s a nifty little “Private” button there for post status; maybe I’ll just leave ‘em to myself and anyone who hacks my account.
Only time will tell, I guess.
A writing teacher of mine once remarked that people play a guitar for the musical satisfaction, not because they think there is a market. If it takes you a while to get good, then those are the “dues” as they say in the jazz world.
Writing is the same way. You work your way through the skills and experience, and get better and eventually you have something you are ready to share.
By: jerrywaxler on April 21, 2007
at 2:00 pm
I kinda replied to this in replying to another comment here, but I do want to say that I think “market” wasn’t the best word I could’ve chosen in my post. I get the business side of writing and the artistic side kinda mixed up sometimes, and in this case I was meaning more along the lines of “audience”.
I’m still trying to make my mindset a little more focused on the business-vs.-art side of writing, and I plan on posting about it in the future–I know it’s something that can leave a bad taste in the mouth, but I hope you can wait to hear that argument (if I can put it to words) before you feel a need to further tell me to write for the art of it (which is something I do agree with.)
Thanks for the comment
By: mcory1 on April 21, 2007
at 4:45 pm
I spent a little more time looking around your blog. I see you’re already involved in writing, and I even read some of your book. I like the tone, and it carried me along. Was any of it based on life experience?
If so, I’d love to hear about it.
By: jerrywaxler on May 19, 2007
at 3:14 pm
Hey, thanks for the comment — I appreciate it.
Fortunately, little of the book is directly autobiographical; only 2 or 3 parts of it — further on from anything that’s posted here — could be considered “fictionalized” representations of actual events. (If you ever get a chance to read the full book, you’ll understand why I say “fortunately”.)
For the most part, it’s heavily inspired by real life: some of the scenes, a lot of the dialog. Most of the characters are composites of close friends and relatives. The bulk of the story is set in a minor fictionalization of the area I live in.
I’d be more than willing to answer any specific questions you have — kinda hard to give a better answer than a “well, yes and no…” at the moment though.
By: mcory1 on May 19, 2007
at 4:00 pm
Writing memoir and using the blog as the medium is something I’ve been exploring for a few months now. Over at my blog, what I call my “living memoir” one can read anything from rambling, random thoughts to creative nonfiction to genuine memoir. Just hunks of life, spilled out of my brain.
I hope you do decide to write some memoir here. It’s an interesting undertaking . . .
Brian
By: tysdaddy on May 5, 2008
at 5:19 pm
And being young shouldn’t deter you from writing memoir. If Miley can do it, so can you!!
Ha!
Seriously, don’t let your age or lack of drama get you down or discourage you from writing memoir. It’s not about events, it’s about how those events shaped you. Getting that out, playing with it, and “writing down the bones” is what memoir is all about.
And a big “hey” to Jerry. Always a pleasure . . .
Brian
By: tysdaddy on May 5, 2008
at 5:21 pm