Drama NL June 28

About This newsletter:

Writers will happen in the best of families.
~Rita Mae Brown

Write what matters. If you don't care about what you're writing, neither will your readers.
~Judy Reeves

My most important piece of advice to all you would-be writers; when you write, try to leave out all the parts readers skip.
~Elmore Leonard



From the Editor:

When we think of drama, what comes to mind? High emotional impact? A tear-jerker? Often we think of anything that wrings a strong emotional response out of us. While fiction is often the foremost resource for drama, what about non-fiction? What about real life? Everywhere we look these days, we are inudated with blogs. Entire websites are devoted to them. These are drama in its purest form.

What about the writer who wishes to go a step further? The writer who chooses to write their memoirs or autobiography?


According to Wikipedia.org:

An autobiography is a biography written by the subject or composed conjointly with a collaborative writer. The term dates from the late eighteenth century, but the form is much older.
Biographers generally rely on a wide variety of documents and viewpoints; an autobiography may be based entirely on the writer's memory.

A memoir forms a subclass of autobiography, although it is an older form of writing. Memoirs may appear less structured and less encompassing than formal autobiographical works as they are usually about part of a life, often a public part, rather than the chronological telling of a life from childhood to adulthood/old age. A memoir also tends to lack the more intimate focus on the author's own memories, feelings and emotions that an autobiography tends to have.


Everyone has a story to tell. Some wish to tell theirs from the beginning while others choose a particular point in their life. One is no better than the other and both can be compelling stuff! It often depends upon the style of the author. I have read autobiographies that kept me turning pages while others put me to sleep.

Should you choose to attempt either of these styles, use your own voice. You aren't creating a character, you are the main character! Do not be someone you aren't. When writing in these forms, be yourself. Talk to your readers as you would with family and friends, draw them in. Let your writing flow and you won't come across a stiff. Your readers will see a real person and perhaps wil see a bit of themselves in you and your story.
Try it! You may be suprised with what you recall!

Until we meet again,
Nikola









Feedback:

From Vivian ╰☆╮ :
Good issue, Nikoloa. I use file cards, one for each of my characters: one color for males, one for females. Then I keep a list of all information for the character on each card.


From iKïyå§ama : Wow, great tips! I'll definitely be keeping those in mind when working on longer pieces in the future. Thanks for another great newsletter. It's always a pleasure to read.