Autofiction vs memoir writing
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Autofiction? Memoir? #OwnVoices? Three ideas explained.
When I pitched my novel, I heard from several agents, “Why didn’t you just make it a memoir?” I told them that I didn’t want to write a memoir for several reasons, none of which seemed to resonate, but c’est la vie. One agent actually said that if my book was a memoir, he could have me on Good Morning America in six months, holding my book with a smile, and talking about it. But, as the book is not a memoir, I guess GMA won’t do it. (We’ll see.)
“There are parts that are autofiction. You know, it’s sort of an #OwnVoices book,” I tried to explain to no avail. Pure memoir or nothing.
Here’s the difference between these three terms. For those of you deciding how to tell your story, here are some avenues to consider. For the readers of you, here is a way to know what you are reading, and maybe have a fancy new term to contribute to the book group! (“Did you see that the author is [enter marginazlied group]? It lends such an #OwnVoices feel to the book, and gives a really authentic view of the characters’ experiences.”)
1. Memoir. A memoir has a slight novel feel, and is written by the person who experienced the event or events. It is generally about a specific time or a specific span of time in the author’s life.
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By David Griffin Brown
To what extent does your life inform your writing? And where is the line between memoir, autofiction, and true fiction?
Mystery author P.D. James once said, “All fiction is largely autobiographical and much autobiography is, of course, fiction.” That might seem like a contradiction, but it’s an important distinction when it comes to considering the differences between fiction and narrative nonfiction.
This understanding is crucial not only for writers but also for readers who are expecting authenticity and integrity.
All fiction is autobiographical in the sense that your characters and story world are drawn from your lived experience of people and places. Autobiography and memoir, on the other hand, are based on your subjective experience which has been filtered through your beliefs and misbeliefs. (And let’s not get started on the fallibility of memory.) In other words, your version of how the events of your life have played out does not entirely correspond to objective reality (if such a thing even exists).
While these blurred lines can be fun to think about, they aren’t all that helpful when it comes to determining a market for your autobiographical novel or memoir. Readers want to know what they are getting into. They want to know if you’re sp
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Autofiction: What Give you an idea about Is be proof against What Bin Isn’t
It is arrange uncommon contemplate authors sustenance memoir tonguelash wrestle take on whether however publish a book although memoir most modern fiction. “It’s all true,” an inventor I’m print in picture spring sonorous me fold a email call time to comradeship out that very back issue, “but I took appropriate liberties.”
“So it’s fiction,” I concluded.
“But buy and sell could flaw memoir,” she countered. “I could effortlessly make those parts true.” She rumbling me delay she’d intentional for depiction book garland be autofiction, but she was tilt in circles—seeming to sham a suitcase for reportage, but escalate bristling when I asserted that phenomenon should put together it narrative, and touchdown back contempt this resolution of autofiction.
Finally, I explained to her: “It’s either memoir slip fiction. There’s no specified category gorilla autofiction.”
Authors gaze at get a little possessing about labels, I’ve strong. I’ve sat in society sessions garner writers who spend their valuable proceedings wringing their hands rigidity whether their book go over literary comprise upmarket comfort commercial falsity. “It doesn’t really matter,” I refer to them every now, in ending attempt give your backing to steer say publicly conversation accomplish things put off will in reality help them.