Here is an excellent cast from NPR of William Zinsser, author of On Writing Well, talking about the challenges of writing, with the genre of memoir specifically examined. Apparently, the memoir has turned into pages dedicated to a pity party of it's author. Zinsser criticizes this victimhood while at the same time says something along the lines of "don't ever care what others think of you and whatever it is that you write, write it for yourself." Interesting kind of paradox...
Check it out:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5340618
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"Apparently, the memoir has turned into pages dedicated to a pity party of it's author. Zinsser criticizes this victimhood while at the same time says something along the lines of "don't ever care what others think of you and whatever it is that you write, write it for yourself." Interesting kind of paradox..."
ReplyDeleteThis made me laugh. I don't mind reading different types of "help me, I'm pathetic" memoirs, but I've always loved the comical type, like Sedaris or Eggers. I've heard a rumor that Adam has like fifty pages of stories from his personal life- I think it would be cool to get a hold on those!
Thanks for the laugh-
Sam