Writers and Readers discussion

Hi Everyone,

Thanks to Goodreads for giving me this opportunity to chat about writing and reading. And thanks to all of you who have read my memoir, The Thirty-Ninth Victim or my blog at www.arleenwilliams.com.

Arleen

Hi NYKen,

The tuna is setting on the kitchen counter, the sandwich bread right next to it ... but first, thank you for your kind words and your questions. Let me see...

1. I think to write a non-boring nonfiction book, or at least memoir or creative nonfiction, it needs to be written with the elements of fiction in mind: character, plot and subplot development. I also think it needs to touch on universal truths that all (or at least your target audience) can relate to. For example, not everybody (thank goodness) has lost a sister to vicious murder, but most of us know loss and grief, and have sought ways to overcome that pain. Another universal is family dynamics and dysfunction. A third is hope (which leads me to your third question). Those are universals that I hope I touched on in The Thirty-Ninth Victim.

3. (I know, not in numerical order, but oh well!) Hope is a universal truth. In my other life, I'm an ESL instructor working with immigrants and refugees in a local community college here in Seattle. I'm accustomed to oversimplification in my definitions of words... so, I suppose I'd tell students that HOPE means believing that things will get better, that you can and will reach your goals if you strive and never give up. Too simplistic? Maybe, but perseverance is key... especially as a writer!

2. A novel... yes, I'm putting the final touches on the final draft of my first novel and have begun the tedious task of seeking publication. It's women's fiction...that broad category that includes everything that women tend to read that is not genre-based (e.g. romance, sci fi, chick lit, etc.)

Okay, I hope I've done your questions justice. Thanks for asking and keep 'em coming!
Arleen

So this is the "unofficial" discussion that I began thinking that this was protocol! For further questions and conversation, let's move to http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/8....

Yes, poor Arleen had to go unofficial due to my lapse in memory. I'll close this one for comments and everyone can now pop over to the "official" (and late) discussion:
http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/8...