Happy New Year, Toolbox Writers! I hope you enjoyed some quality family time during the holidays.
My last Toolbox post talked about “What Exactly is the Origin Scene in Memoir or Fiction?” The origin scene starts a misbelief in the protagonist, a misunderstanding about herself.
Think about Harry Potter. When the series opens, Harry Potter believes he is an unwanted child. Insignificant. Nothing. Why does he feel this way? The adults who are raising him, the Dursleys, tell him and show him so.
In the first book, Harry is just looking for acceptance, in my opinion. He’s looking for friendship, and hopefully someone who will tell him he isn’t worthless. A deceptively difficult goal for an 11 year old boy.
Now let’s consider what Lisa Cron, the author and teacher of the Story Genius method of writing, has to say about story.
Cron teaches that story is internal. It’s about how what happens in the plot, the physical action of the story, affects a character who has a deeply ingrained misbelief about himself or about his place in life. And this character perceives his goal in the story to be difficult to attain. The internal change will be at the heart of your story and will make your point.
This is true in fiction, and this is true in memoir. The writer is telling a story. And there needs to be a point to the story, the universal theme. The uniqueness of memoir is how it’s a true story first and offers insight second. The hardest thing for memoirists to remember is that the memoir story is not really “all about them.” They need to think about their readers and how this particular slice of life can help the readers in turn.
I believe that I have the “difficult goal to obtain” part in my memoir story about attending college as a mother of five. It’s to believe in myself enough to, in fact, obtain that Bachelor of Arts degree while still raising those five children, while still being the main teacher of my special needs daughter. My internal struggle is constantly fighting doubt; it’s fighting inadequacy. It’s [mis]believing that I am not college material, not smart enough to succeed in college.
The plot, the story present, is learning how not to allow someone else’s judgment of me to color my world, whether it’s my father, one of my children’s teachers or counselors, or the many professors I encounter at college. And my story present begins when my special needs daughter wants the same dream that I had once allowed my parents to convince me that I was not worthy of.
Everyone wants to be seen as worthy in someone else’s eyes—especially someone important or close to them. Someone they feel who knows more than they do; whether it’s about education, about life, or about them specifically.
This memoir is about a younger Victoria, an inadequate Victoria, finally coming of age. For I believe that attending college—at whatever age a person attends college—can help her to believe in herself, in her life choices, in her parenting skills. At least it did for this Victoria.
The theme of “coming of age” doesn’t necessarily deal with only children becoming adults. I believe it can be realized whenever a life-altering event takes place in someone’s life—even if she is already an adult with children.
Please offer any insight you may have on a “coming of age” theme for my college memoir or about my thoughts on allowing someone else’s judgment to affect you. Any thoughts you wish to share are truly helpful to me in writing my memoir journey.
Next month, I’d like to discuss the transformational arc of the protagonist. I wish you all every success in 2018.
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No, it doesn't just apply to young people turning into adults – that's the heart of my first book even though the main character is a man at the beginning.
You are definitely worthy, Victoria.
I don't know if I mentioned this in your last article, but I love the idea that a character should start with a misconception about themselves. This is happening in my new book, woohoo! With respect to your question, I'm not sure I have anything to add that you don't already know. When I was in college as a mature student, it was obvious that I was one of the oldest students there, not only age-wise, but also in terms of our ideologies, what was important to us. The generational divide was apparent, as were our priorities.
Not being a memoir writer, I've never applied story concepts to real life like that, but I love the direction you're going. It sounds like a compelling journey, and one many readers would relate to.
Thank you so much for this, Alex. I truly appreciate your insight. And your kind words made my day. Thanks, Alex!
It's always a pleasure seeing you here at Adventures in Writing. Have a great week!
Bravo, Raimey, for having an "origin scene" in your new book. All the luck with this new book. The character's misconception of himself helps the reader [and the writer] understand why he does what he does in the story.
Wow! The generational divide was quite apparent when I attended college, too. You are so correct about how a more mature student sees life [in college] than a younger student does. I took everything much more seriously than my younger counterparts, and for that reason, I worried all the more when the professors required "group work." I needed to start working right away, never sure when I'd have time what with family obligations and all, and my younger counterparts usually waited until the last minute. This is important to show in my college memoir as well. And I think it's there. It just needs to be fine-tuned.
Thank you so much for sharing your insight with me here at Adventures in Writing. Enjoy your week!
Thank you so much for your kind words, Crystal. I feel it is much more difficult to craft real life experiences as a story, which memoir does. Your vote of confidence is important to me. Thanks for your comment here on Adventures in Writing. Have a great week!
Your writing has the power to inspire others to believe in themselves. I was a mature student when I studied for my BA and MBA – both of which seemed impossible at the time with all my work and family commitments but it was life changing.
I have only visited creative nonfiction once (first assignment in the first module in he first semester of my Masters degree in Creative Fiction 2016-2018), which I loved. I wrote the beginning of my brother's story, who died 2004. Lots of tragedy. But unearthing the past can be torrid as well as surprising. I got a first so it must have been acceptable.
Great post – Your memoir sounds like an interesting one. Best of luck; you certainly seem to know the subject! X
Sounds to me like you're on the right track! My advice is to always stay honest with your reader. Give the good and the bad, and use structure to give the book a feel of beginning/middle/end (e.g. Three-Act Structure, Moral Premise, or Hero's Journey), despite life not necessarily following that journey exactly. For example, utilizing flashbacks at the right moments can help with giving the book a narrative feel without actually having any fiction in it.
Thank you so much for your kind words, Tony. They are greatly appreciated. I'm learning how many people went to college later in life. And yes! College did seem impossible at the time with all my family commitments and workload. College is definitely life changing.
Thanks so much for your comment here at Adventures in Writing. Have a great week!
Thank you so much for your kind words, Shah. And bravo to you working on your Masters. More power to you. You can do this!
Unearthing and thereby understanding the past can be difficult and upsetting. But it always helps us grow as people as well as writers. Thanks for your comment here at Adventures in Writing. Have a great week!
True, Mica. Memoir needs to be a true life story. And flashbacks come into play when the protagonist, the memoirist, is trying to make sense of story present by remembering her past.
Thank you so much for your insight here on Adventures in Writing. It's greatly appreciated. All best to you!
"This memoir is about a younger Victoria, an inadequate Victoria."
I think that's a key point. My post this month is about choosing whether to write a true-life story as memoir, fiction, or something in between. I've come across all three, and the best are the ones which are truthful, which show their weaknesses, their inadequacy. The less-good ones could learn from this post. Thanks for sharing!
Sounds like the beginning of a great memoir and so much to draw from.
Anna from elements of emaginette
Always be honest, because the reader can sniff out a phony.
Good luck on your memoir.
I think feeling inadequate is key, too, Iola. Truth is at the heart of memoir. I truly appreciate your insight here on Adventures in Writing. I'll hop on over to your blog to find the tips you mention. Thanks again for your note.
Thank you so much for your kinds words of encouragement, Anna. They are greatly appreciated. And thanks for your note on Adventures in Writing. Enjoy your week!
This is true, Cheryl. Whether in fiction or memoir, the writer needs to be honest with character development and story structure to sound believable.
Thanks so much for your note on Adventures in Writing. Enjoy your week!
Hi! I love the info here. Just like I loved the last post 🙂
Leslie
I love how you take fiction resources and discuss how to apply them to memoir. It is always interesting to hear your interpretation.
I particularly loved "The theme of “coming of age” doesn’t necessarily deal with only children becoming adults. I believe it can be realized whenever a life-altering event takes place in someone’s life—even if she is already an adult with children."
So true, but I never considered it before. Thanks for giving me a new perspective on a theme.
Great post! I like the "misconception" idea… I'll have to try it out 😉
Thank you, Ronel. I appreciate your kind words. The "misconception" idea helps set the stage for your story. Good luck in all you do in 2018.
Thank you so much for your kind words, Leslie. I appreciate your comment here at Adventures in Writing. All the luck to you in 2018.
Thank you for your kind words, Erika. I truly need them. The best thing about our Author Toolbox community is learning from each other. I always appreciate your insight here on Adventures in Writing. I wish you every success in 2018!
Everything that you write in a book should impact the character either physically or mentally. I think it’s harder to do that for a memoir because you’re so close to the story. For me, it would be easier making my characters feel what they need to feel.
It sounds like you know what you’re doing. 🙂
Thank you so much for this insight, Chrys. It's true that everything that happens in the story needs to touch the protagonist on a deep level, either positively or negatively. And yes! Memoir is much more difficult to do this as everything needs to be true in memoir. Yet memoir still needs to be crafted as story.
Thanks so much for your insight here on Adventures in Writing. I wish you every success in 2018!
I agree that “coming of age” can happen as an adult and in any stage of our lives. An example of this is the sense of their new identities and possibilities newly retired people get. The inner conflict or misbelief of the protagonist in a story would be interesting for the character arc, I think. Not sure whether it could be the main theme. But, it drives the story and keeps the reader hooked. I’ll have to think about how to incorporate that in my memoir. Great post!
This a great post! I never thought to take fiction resources and apply to memoir. I love it!
Thanks so much for sharing your insight on Adventures in Writing, Liesbet. And I truly appreciate your kind words.
Yes, it seems that "coming of age" can happen at any time in life. Great thought offering how after the coming of age the person has a sense of new identity with possibilities never realized before. Thank you so much!
I appreciate your comment on Adventures in Writing. Enjoy your weekend.
Hi, Vanessa! Yes, memoir needs to be told as story to engage the reader. It must be a true story, offering insight in order to help the protagonist—the memoirist—as well as the reader learn something from the situation, the plot or what happens. In order to be told as story, the writer must use story elements in the telling of the tale.
I appreciate your comment here at Adventures in Writing. All the luck to you in 2018.
Excellent points. A story is usually what keeps me turning the pages as I become involved in the story. I think pulling the reader in to relate to the story and become invested is an important factor in a success written work.
Personal growth and "coming of age" is a never ending story that goes on as long as we are vibrant and living our lives.
Lee
Tossing It Out
Thanks so much for sharing your insight here at Adventures in Writing, Lee. I truly appreciate your kind words.
I agree; a good story keeps readers turning pages. And the writer's main job is to invest the reader in what's going on in the story. Thanks, again, for your comment on Adventures in Writing. Enjoy your weekend!
What you've posted is so important. A story always has two hearts and each of them must beat in rhythm to create empathy and engagement.
Just for clarification, Lee, are the two "story hearts" the heart of the protagonist and the heart of story theme or point? Or is it the heart of the characters and the heart of the author writing with passion?
I truly appreciate your sharing insight here on Adventures in Writing, Lee. Enjoy your week.