When people decide to start writing, most of them start with their own
lives. Some draw inspiration from the places and people around them, while
others decide to write about real life as it happened … or so they think.
It’s okay to embellish or change the truth in fiction — it is fiction, after all — but if you’re
writing nonfiction, you’ll fall flat if you don’t make an accurate, honest
assessment about who you are. Make sure you can tell the
difference between
what actually happened and what you think happened.
You’re Being Honest If…
One sign of a goodwriter is the ability to see things objectively. These clues tell you if
you’re doing the same for your own characterization:
You’re not
perfect: If you have flaws
and you’ve done bad things, then you’ve written honestly. If, however, you’re
always the good guy put upon by bad guys, then you’re writing an ego trip.
Your life is
sometimes dull: Like everyone
else, your life has some interesting stories in it. But not every story is
interesting to others, and hopefully you’re perceptive enough to distinguish
those that make good reading and those that don’t.
Other people play
a role: Your story isn’t
all about you. If you’re good, you know who helped make your life what it is
today, from the wise kindergarten teacher to the first person who broke your
heart.
If Not, You’re Doing This:
If you’re in a writing workshop where students sit in old classroom desks sharing their
roughest drafts, a good writing teacher will advise you to avoid these
autobiographical pitfalls:
Everyone loves
you: No one is beloved by everyone, and
your work will ring false if everyone in your life idolizes you, falls in love
with you, or asks your advice about all the challenges they’re facing.
Life’s a non-stop
adventure: That funny
incident at your first job might have been hilarious to the people in the room,
but probably not to the people reading about it 20 years later.
You learned
nothing: Seinfeld was about nothing,
but your life can’t be. If you’re going to write about your life, be sure you
learned something along the way.
If you’re the subject of your own story, be as honest and objective as
possible to make your story uplifting, compelling, and, most of all,
interesting to readers.
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Byline: Michelle Rebecca is an aspiring writer with a
passion for blogging. She enjoys writing about a vast variety of topics and
loves that blogging gives her the opportunity to publically voice her thoughts
and share advice with an unlimited audience.