[stylist] questions about autobiographical writing

[Donna Hill]

Hi Bridget,
Well put, and congratulations on the job with the Omaha Post! That's 
excellent. I corresponded briefly with their writer (Stoddard, if I 
recall correctly) who did the piece on the NFB of NE's Braille bill. 
They're doing more than most papers in terms of getting the word out 
about blindness issues.
Donna Hill

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On 8/16/2010 1:22 PM, loristay wrote:
> nicely put, Bridgit.
> I majored in English Lit, mistakenly thinking that would lead to 
> better writing, but the only thing that has is sitting down and 
> writing itself, editing and revising.
> Lori
> On Aug 13, 2010, at 5:06:22 PM, "Bridgit Pollpeter" 
> <bpollpeter at hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> Jewel and others,
>
> I am a senior at university and will graduate with a BFA in creative
> writing, specializing in creative non-fiction. I am also the editor for
> the Nebraska affiliate newsletter, and recently I was hired by the Omaha
> World Herald to write a blog column for their health and wellness
> website.
>
> I love to write fiction as well as non-fiction, but I seem to have more
> of a knack for the non-fiction (to my chagrin!) Seriously, though, any
> form of non-fiction writing can have an applied element of fictional
> techniques. Non-fiction does not have to be limited to the traditional
> sense of what non-fiction is.
>
> That being said, all writers must follow a structure and may attention
> to content. In writing autobiography, you have to determine what your
> focus is. Are you telling your life-story, or do you wish to focus on
> isolated events? Non-fiction still has to have a beginning, middle and
> end, and the "main character" should undergo a change by the end. All
> successful non-fiction follows this method. Journals can really help
> flesh out moments in your life that you feel are important and
> momentous.
>
> Also, while you should retain as many facts as possible, non-fiction
> such as autobiography, is more concerned with how events have shaped you
> and your personality. Obviously this has sparked much debate because
> there is a fine line between focusing more on emotions than facts, and
> completely fabricating your story. People also have to understand,
> though, different perspectives happen for different people and even for
> the same person, but at different stages of their life. My memories of
> a certain event may be slightly different from those who may have their
> own memories of the same event. However, my own memories are shaped by
> my age, state of mind, and my own sense of priorities around a certain
> event. Muddy, huh?
>
> Have fun with non-fiction too. Try different things like switching the
> point of view, or do not follow a linear structure. Play with voice and
> content. Be really creative and write your story in a different time
> period. This may sound silly and ridiculous, but lots of non-fiction
> writers experiment with style and form. We are only bound by our own
> perceptions.
>
> Here are some suggestions for a good read:
> The Truth Book: Escaping a Childhood of Abuse Among Jehovah's Witnesses
> by Joy Castro
> Man Killed By Pheasant by John Price
> My Misspent Youth by Meghan Daum
> Julie/Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously by Julie Powell
> Where I was From and The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
>
> Those are just a few, but there are many more out there. I hope this
> helps and let me know if I can do anything else.
>
> Bridgit
>
> -----Original Message-----
>
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