I’ve been meaning to tell you since we talked a few weeks back, when you talked about whether or not to express your thoughts in your memoir, that I AS a reader would be interested in them. When I read memoir, I often even more interested in someone’s thoughts than what actually happened. 😊
Thanks, James! I'm coming around more to this idea, too. I think the more important matter to consider is whose thoughts I'll be sharing: the character of me in the story back then? Or the writer me at the desk? For this, I'm leaning more towards that character of me back then. Not always but most of the time.
Can’t wait to listen to this. I’m still not completely clear on the exclusion of thoughts and feelings, so this seems like a great episode to explore that idea more 🖤
Hi Claire! I think I need to amend my stance on no thoughts and feelings. It's a blanket statement that seems reductive since there is actually a lot of nuance to it. Maybe the better point is the lens at which to approach writing, which is to trust the reader. But to simply say, "Trust the reader," is too ambiguous and, I think, unhelpful advice.
Trusting the reader means trusting that they'll get it without you spelling it out for them. For example, if I didn't see or speak to my brother for six years and knew I was going to see him at my mom's for Easter dinner (true story) I wouldn't need to write that I was anxious or nervous or worried about how it would go. Stating that we hadn't seen or spoken to each other in six years is enough. The reader doesn't need me to hit them over the head with my obvious feelings. So that is (one) key—to leave out OBVIOUS thoughts and feelings. When our feelings or thoughts are surprising or interesting, it's good to include them. So maybe, in the example with my brother, I could include a hypothetical of something I feared might happen, or maybe I could show some of my actions that day before his arrival, or maybe I just show the interaction when he finally arrived, and the reader can feel the tension of the moment themselves.
Thoughts and feelings can and must be included in memoir, at certain points. Stylistically I favor less than more, as do my favorite memoirs. I think the most beneficial thing you can do for your own writing is to study your favorite writers and see what they do, in regard to writing their thoughts and feelings, and how they do it.
This is awesome, thank you. It’s wonderful to see how your thinking is changing. Damn, I wish more people were brave enough to discuss evolving perspective, imagine how much clarity and progress that could bring to the world.
The angle you’ve mapped here is what comes most naturally to me so you’ve just made my day, not-Charlie!
Haha I always laugh when you call me not-Charlie! Well thank you for your comment. It forced me to think deeper about what I was trying to say. Clearly I'm still working through this and for sure, the more I read memoir, the more my thinking changes. Kate's book was so, so good and made me realize how powerful thoughts and feelings could be. I hope you like the episode!
I’ve been meaning to tell you since we talked a few weeks back, when you talked about whether or not to express your thoughts in your memoir, that I AS a reader would be interested in them. When I read memoir, I often even more interested in someone’s thoughts than what actually happened. 😊
Thanks, James! I'm coming around more to this idea, too. I think the more important matter to consider is whose thoughts I'll be sharing: the character of me in the story back then? Or the writer me at the desk? For this, I'm leaning more towards that character of me back then. Not always but most of the time.
Yes! I can’t wait.
Can’t wait to listen to this. I’m still not completely clear on the exclusion of thoughts and feelings, so this seems like a great episode to explore that idea more 🖤
Hi Claire! I think I need to amend my stance on no thoughts and feelings. It's a blanket statement that seems reductive since there is actually a lot of nuance to it. Maybe the better point is the lens at which to approach writing, which is to trust the reader. But to simply say, "Trust the reader," is too ambiguous and, I think, unhelpful advice.
Trusting the reader means trusting that they'll get it without you spelling it out for them. For example, if I didn't see or speak to my brother for six years and knew I was going to see him at my mom's for Easter dinner (true story) I wouldn't need to write that I was anxious or nervous or worried about how it would go. Stating that we hadn't seen or spoken to each other in six years is enough. The reader doesn't need me to hit them over the head with my obvious feelings. So that is (one) key—to leave out OBVIOUS thoughts and feelings. When our feelings or thoughts are surprising or interesting, it's good to include them. So maybe, in the example with my brother, I could include a hypothetical of something I feared might happen, or maybe I could show some of my actions that day before his arrival, or maybe I just show the interaction when he finally arrived, and the reader can feel the tension of the moment themselves.
Thoughts and feelings can and must be included in memoir, at certain points. Stylistically I favor less than more, as do my favorite memoirs. I think the most beneficial thing you can do for your own writing is to study your favorite writers and see what they do, in regard to writing their thoughts and feelings, and how they do it.
This is awesome, thank you. It’s wonderful to see how your thinking is changing. Damn, I wish more people were brave enough to discuss evolving perspective, imagine how much clarity and progress that could bring to the world.
The angle you’ve mapped here is what comes most naturally to me so you’ve just made my day, not-Charlie!
Haha I always laugh when you call me not-Charlie! Well thank you for your comment. It forced me to think deeper about what I was trying to say. Clearly I'm still working through this and for sure, the more I read memoir, the more my thinking changes. Kate's book was so, so good and made me realize how powerful thoughts and feelings could be. I hope you like the episode!