I love this idea of two different stories - the one you know you are telling, and the one the reader will interpret from what you as the writer don't know or understand. I feel a need to think on that because one of my learning edges right now is finding a way to accept that I can't include absolutely everything. I can't learn about every single question that comes to me through reflecting on words I just wrote. At some point, it's necessary to accept that every written work is necessarily limited in scope to the awareness of the person who created it. I'm having a hard time accepting that.
I'm also really looking forward to reading your book. It sounds fascinating, and your time as a firefighter and your interest in Indigenous fire management is an extra bonus. I listened to an Ologies podcast about this a few months ago, and am fascinated by how different the reality is from what we're taught to assume about fires.
Thank you for this reflection, LC. So much can hold us back from really expressing ourselves as writers. Sometimes we need to be held back (for revisions) and sometimes we need to let go. It can be hard to tell which one is needed, at least for me. Also, I am SO excited for my book to come out because that means I'll be DONE with it! Lol.
This is some of the most powerful advice I’ve read yet about writing memoir. I’ve been told to write about the thing you can’t not write about because you can’t get it out of your head. That thing is generally the story that carries the most fear or shame for the writer. Will people still love me? Will they understand why I did this things? This so resonates with me. I’ve also saved your list of great memoirs as I’ll be reading through them. I also look forward to reading anything that you write.
I love this idea of two different stories - the one you know you are telling, and the one the reader will interpret from what you as the writer don't know or understand. I feel a need to think on that because one of my learning edges right now is finding a way to accept that I can't include absolutely everything. I can't learn about every single question that comes to me through reflecting on words I just wrote. At some point, it's necessary to accept that every written work is necessarily limited in scope to the awareness of the person who created it. I'm having a hard time accepting that.
I'm also really looking forward to reading your book. It sounds fascinating, and your time as a firefighter and your interest in Indigenous fire management is an extra bonus. I listened to an Ologies podcast about this a few months ago, and am fascinated by how different the reality is from what we're taught to assume about fires.
Thank you for this reflection, LC. So much can hold us back from really expressing ourselves as writers. Sometimes we need to be held back (for revisions) and sometimes we need to let go. It can be hard to tell which one is needed, at least for me. Also, I am SO excited for my book to come out because that means I'll be DONE with it! Lol.
This is some of the most powerful advice I’ve read yet about writing memoir. I’ve been told to write about the thing you can’t not write about because you can’t get it out of your head. That thing is generally the story that carries the most fear or shame for the writer. Will people still love me? Will they understand why I did this things? This so resonates with me. I’ve also saved your list of great memoirs as I’ll be reading through them. I also look forward to reading anything that you write.