Meg always has great ideas and this is one of her best. I've been having such a great time visiting all the sites of the writers attending the Ball. It's really nice to read all the personal info and connect it to the blogger.
I am a non-fiction writer...have tried fiction but find it too tedious for me and it just takes too long....all that character development and dialogue writing. I find writing topical articles and essays so much easier.
Almost a year ago, I gave myself a challenge by deciding to write a memoir about the 16 years I have been an owner/innkeeper of a bed and breakfast in Louisville, Kentucky. As it turned out, writing a memoir is much more of a challenge than I realized and just as tedious and time consuming as writing fiction.
I am in the process now of re-writing the whole manuscript and trying to infuse the pages with my own unique voice. I've actually discovered the humor and sarcasm lying behind that perfect grammar. In addition, I'm adding dialogue, some character development, and a lot more description....all fiction writing techniques.
Thank you all for visiting my site. I look forward to seeing more of you soon.
if you enjoyed this post, feel free to leave a comment
An innkeeper...hmmm. You should have some very interesting tales to share. As a memoir, embellished with elements of fiction or vice versa. I would be interested in reading something like that- the comings and goings of all these strangers.
ReplyDeletewww.totsymae.com
@tosh: Nice comment. Thanks for dancing by. Yes, I do have some interesting tales. In fact, I've posted some excerpts here, if you think you'ld like to take a look. So happy to hear that I piqued your interest in the book.
ReplyDeleteHello Nancy. Your are my first stop from the She Writes Bloggers Ball. I have also tried to write fiction, and also poetry, but currently find the creative essay most to my liking. Good luck with that manuscript!
ReplyDeleteCarol, Thanks so much for stopping by. I'm glad to hear that I'm not alone.
ReplyDeleteHi, Nancy. I'm here from She Writes - looking forward to reading your posts.
ReplyDeleteHi Helen, so glad you stopped by. Glad you'll be coming back to read my posts.
ReplyDeleteNancy, that sounds like such a fun memoir! As for writing itself, isn't it amazing how something can be tedious and exhilarating at the same time? Love your blog.
ReplyDeletelizzi, Thanks so much for the nice comments. Glad you like my blog. I've been having quite a time with the memoir...very few bad days; mostly exhilarating. Once I get started writing, that flow is the best feeling ever. Guess that's why we write.
ReplyDeleteSixteen years as owner/operator of a B&B strikes me as rich material for a memoir. Here's to bringing it to fruition . . .
ReplyDeleteNancy, what a great concept for a memoir… especially in sarcasm! Really like your blog too...
ReplyDeleteAck, Blogger ate my comment.
ReplyDeleteDancing over from the SW ball. Looking forward to reading more of what you have to say. Great to meet new fellow bloggers.
ReplyDeleteDeborah, Thanks for the toast to finishing my memoir. It will be finished one of these days but is certainly taking longer than I thought it would, especially with all the rewrites after feedback, etc.
ReplyDeleteLaurie, Thanks for the nice comment. Glad you like my concept, that's certainly encouraging.
ReplyDeleteFi, So glad you dropped by, and please do come back
ReplyDeleteHi there, Nancy.
ReplyDeleteI'm swinging by on the SW tour, and am delighted to find another memoir writer here.
Five pages a day, sister. Write five pages a day, and you'll be done by Labor Day.
Or, as we say in my family, write on.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete@Marion: Thanks for the suggestion...much appreciated. However, I am one of those writers that never has a problem generating pages. I write far more than 5 pages a day and love it. Sometimes write for 4 or 5 hours, with a few breaks of course...but usually forget to eat. I have 45K words so far and not too many more to go. I just need to find a good beta reader and a cracker-jack editor for my final edit. Query and proposal are done.
ReplyDeleteHi Nancy. I'm halfway through my dance card from the SheWrites Ball (working backwards). I'm working on a memoir too and trying to keep all those fiction techniques in mind as a go. Good luck to you on yours. I always thought it would be great fun to own a bed and breakfast. Maybe your memoir would help sway me one way or the other.
ReplyDeleteSusan Bearman
Two Kinds of People
Hi Nancy, I love that you are writing your memoir and discovering how similar it is to fiction. I write both nonfiction and fiction, and am in the middle of a memoir. I couldn't get much traction on my memoir until I finally decided to go back to school and get a master's degree. Now the memoir is my thesis, and I'm getting some great direction along with deadlines (as a former journalist, deadlines are great motivators for me). Good luck!
ReplyDeleteMarcia, thanks for the nice comments. What a great idea to have your memoir be your thesis. You can kill two birds with one stone, to use an overused saying. I actually think writing journal articles and blogging also helped tremendously in writing a memoir, especially the blogging. It opened me up and allowed me to write more authentically.
ReplyDeleteI think that would be an interesting read!
ReplyDeleteThanks, I have written about it many times.
ReplyDeleteHi Susan, checked out your site. Love the pic with the girls...Rebecca is one of my favorite people. So glad you danced by and I want to know more about your memoir. I am now following you.
ReplyDeleteWe are considering your proposal. Thanks.
ReplyDelete