On writing a memoir: Should the writer cut corners?
I am still on the element of writing a memoir. Since this creative nonfiction genre is something new to me, one of the elements of writing the memoir that intrigue me is about telling the truth of what happened as accurate as you remember it. My question is how far do you need to tell the truth to consider it as a real truth when you write your memoir?
The saga controversy over James Frey’s memoir titled “Million Little Pieces” which is categorized as creative nonfiction had sold millions when in the very beginning he tried to sell it as fiction, has prompted me to dig more about this very issue on telling the supposed truth when writing a memoir. After reading several opinions on this controversy, I can list several reasons why writers sometime ‘cut corners’ when writing their memoir.
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1. The plot in a memoir is not as fantastic as when writing a plot for straightforward fiction. In fiction you can write your plot with a happy ending or in a dramatic way; for that is one of the reasons why readers like to read fiction – to fulfill their desire to achieve something they can’t possibly achieve in their real life. Writing a memoir demands the writer to tell the truth about what happened with their life as accurately as they remember it. If the story in their life is not as good as they think it should be they often get creative with it, but this brings about problems in credibility.
2. The writer is staring at the word “taboo” the moment they write the true story of their lives especially when they are revealing some family secrets they don’t want anyone the know. So, instead of getting the fact(s) out raw, usually they embellish it creatively to the point it is ended as fiction.
3. Creative nonfiction like the memoir is a hot genre in the publishing industry these days. With the voyeurism culture creeping into people’s leisure time due to the massive impact on the ability to share stories via the Internet, just encourages authors to write memoirs more like pure fiction.
So, how does one walk the fine line and avoid getting a memoir labeled as fiction? I believe that you are the authority of your own story and will tell it as accurately as you remember it. You have to be responsible to yourself and your readers. Telling the world that your memoir is the true story about your life when deep in your heart you know it is otherwise is just plain wrong and misleading.
Learning from the Frey mistakes, the best way to write a memoir is to write the truth and be sure to get your facts straight and unambiguous.
1. Get the public facts straight. Make sure the background or setting for your real life story is accurate because it is documented by the public.
2. Readers usually can detect whether the story really happened or is the author’s projection of grandiosity.
3. On dealing with a taboo subject – the narrator can use humor to make it less painful.
Writing a memoir is an exciting yet a risky journey due to the huge responsibilities that come with it. By writing a memoir, it helps the writers to get in touch with their feelings over their story and at the same time touch the reader’s life and make an impact for the better upon both.
