Wow, amazing advice. So many instructions to wrap my head around. I don't ever remember learning anything like this, but then, it's been a long time since college. I will bookmark this so I can return to it again and again.
What great tips! It’s especially challenging to find the right lens now that I am trying to write “nonfiction fiction” family history. It’s an entirely different form of storytelling than fiction and requires an entirely different set of tools.
Thanks! The tools don't have to be all that different, as Jo Ann Beard proves. But there's such a wide range within the genre of personal essay. They key is to remember to keep it as scenic as possible, even within exposition. Tricky!
Thanks Louisa! I can't tell you how many times I've used that phrase: TURN THE LENS OUTWARD to thwart the self-absorption that hogties beginning memoirists. It does help.
Wow, amazing advice. So many instructions to wrap my head around. I don't ever remember learning anything like this, but then, it's been a long time since college. I will bookmark this so I can return to it again and again.
Thank you Anne! I'm always delighted to hear that my posts help writers dig deeper in new ways. Welcome to MFA Lore!
Most grateful for your read and your comment!
What great tips! It’s especially challenging to find the right lens now that I am trying to write “nonfiction fiction” family history. It’s an entirely different form of storytelling than fiction and requires an entirely different set of tools.
Thanks! The tools don't have to be all that different, as Jo Ann Beard proves. But there's such a wide range within the genre of personal essay. They key is to remember to keep it as scenic as possible, even within exposition. Tricky!
Thank you for these helpful suggestions! I'm a visual person, so the analogy of the film camera really helps.
Thanks Louisa! I can't tell you how many times I've used that phrase: TURN THE LENS OUTWARD to thwart the self-absorption that hogties beginning memoirists. It does help.
Such good advice! A great reminder to watch out for self-absorption!