|
|
Expert
Posts: 1301
 
Location: Somewhere in the state of Confusion | Definitely fiction, because my real life doesn't have nearly enough aliens and/or vampires in it. Besides, if it's fiction, maybe they'll make a movie out of me. As long as Bruce Campbell plays me, I'm good. I'm good. |
|
| |
|
Member
Posts: 15
Location: Fantasy land | Administrator - 2006-02-14 12:17 PM
Every month in Writer's Digest's InkWell section, we pose a thought-provoking question related to the writing life. In the March issue of WD, we talk about turning your diary into a novel, and ask: Would your story be better told as fact or fiction? Why?
My journal (what I do write in it) would definitely be better as fiction. It would be much too boring if it was merely my experiences than if it was some heroic main character going through life's confusing situations. Plus, with fiction, you can always stretch certain parts.  |
|
| |
|
New User
Posts: 2
| My life is fiction. I have a hard time believing the reality of it myself. Besides that, there are too many greedy little beeps who'd have a hand in the cookie jar. |
|
| |
|
Member
Posts: 42
| The way things happen in my life...I'd say fact but it would read like fiction. Only the fiction would be fact. It's funny how life has twists and turns just so you can enjoy knowing the truth - Everything is but for a season. |
|
| |
|
Member
Posts: 8
| My real life is too boring. I would have to take the baic parts of my life, make them bigger, and twist them into an awesome, action-packed sci-fi novel.
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2114
Location: Tinian...a tiny isle in the middle of the farthest | that's not real greek, y'know... but a clever little diversion, nonetheless... fyi, here's closer to the real deal, via babelfish [which is not always idiomatically correct]: Η πραγματικ? ζω? μου ε?ναι επ?σης τρυπ?ντας. Θα ?πρεπε να π?ρω τα baic μ?ρη της ζω?ς μου, να τα καταστ?σω μεγαλ?τερα, και να τα στρ?ψω σε ?να τρομερ?, δρ?ση-συσκευασμ?νο μυθιστ?ρημα sci-FI. [drat!... some of the characters came out as ?s... can't figure out how to get it to work better than this... for the whole thing, with no ?s, go here: http://babelfish.yahoo.com/translate_txt ]
Edited by mammamaia 2009-06-07 5:48 PM
|
|
| |
|
Member
Posts: 42
| Would my life story be better told as fact or fiction? Let's ponder that for a moment......
My life is a fact with episodes of fiction. Every time I tell someone what has happened to me, it sounds like fiction. Like the time I tripped out of my shoe trying to get out of one line to be the first person at the cash register just opening up. The fact is this happened to me, but the way it's written sounds fictional. Therefore, I live a life of facts that can be explained fictionously.
If a film writer were to ask me all the comical or interesting things that occured in my life because he wanted to make a movie about me.....I'd probably tell him the facts and toss in some exaggerations, because after all, we can't remember everything.
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 5656
 
| The facts of my life (which included watching "The Facts of Life" for a period longer than I wish to admit to) would come across as fiction when relayed. I wouldn't believe any of it myself if I hadn't lived it.
|
|
| |
|
Member
Posts: 5
Location: Central Ohio "highlands" (a hill in the woods) | I defer to those who have said for years that my life is so interesting I should write a book. My wanderlust, fearlessness, and curiosity keep me on the move. My focus is always on the next adventure.
Look for Life on the Sunny Side within the next six months.
|
|
| |
|
Member
Posts: 15
Location: Connecticut | my life has been "stranger than fiction" which is a cliched way to say that there have been things i have done, places i have gone, people i have met that would never be believed by those to whom i am close, if i had to practice full disclosure.
i guess that's my way of saying that i'd have to make it pure fiction - maybe invent a person who is contrary to the "me" that most people think of when they think of me. |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2114
Location: Tinian...a tiny isle in the middle of the farthest | i doubt anyone could believe my life, if they read it as an autobio... and everyone would most likely think i was nuts, if i wrote it as a novel, since it's too unbelievable even for fiction...
but if anyone wants a taste of the bizarre, there are some bits and pieces on my site's 'other works' section [ http://saysmom.com/maia/categories.asp ], titled 'a weird life'... it's all you'll get, though, 'cause i'll never finish it...
|
|
| |
|
Regular
Posts: 95
| I have the morbid little habit of reading obituaries. Most of them are uninteresting, but once in a while, I come across one that really opens my eyes. When you see that bland little man sitting on the subway, or the little girl in the jeans and pink t shirt, or the nondescript delivery person, think past what you see on the surface. The obits have helped me see that the little bland man on the subway may have served time for embezzlement or he may have simply gone to work every day of his life and made sure that his family had what they needed, in spite of overwhelming odds. The little girl in the jeans and pink t shirt may be a genius or deeply flawed. The delivery person could be casing homes and businesses for the gang of street thugs, or he could be working his way through law school, after which he'll run for office, win, and have a spectacular political career. Everyone has a life story, and in some way or another, it is always interesting.
|
|
| |
|
Regular
Posts: 51
| My story would be better publishable as non-fiction but I would have to chose fiction. It is too unbelievable and I wouldn't want to hurt anyone along the way. I am a better person now because of all that has happened. Can't say anymore than that! |
|
| |
|
Regular
Posts: 67
| My life story would be interesting, I guess, but I would definitely replace names of real people with fictional names - to protect the innocent. |
|
| |
|
Member
Posts: 43
| While using bits and pieces of one's life can add considerable spice to a work of fiction, there is rarely a good excuse for writing an entire work of fiction wholly based on your own life. If someone has an interesting life, they should write a memoir and tell me the straight facts. If someone has an ordinary life that's not worth telling to others (and let's face it, most of us do), I don't want to hear about it anyway.
Edited by Sascha 2009-10-18 1:46 PM
|
|
| |
|
Member
Posts: 8
Location: California | You can consider to write something about your life. But try to put a good conclusion with it. Something that could help others and get inspired by your life story. It would be better if you also include in the note the good motivation practice you have encountered to achieve your goals in life.
|
|
| |
|
Member
Posts: 6
| Nobody's posted to this topic since 2006? Better late than never. I am working on my life story as "creative non-fiction." I don't see how to do it otherwise and be interesting unless, of course, one seriously misbehaves for a lifetime. |
|
| |
|
Regular
Posts: 54
| Myrtle, That was an excellent comment! I totally agree!
Alexis |
|
| |
|
Member
Posts: 33
| Fiction would work for my life. At times I feel like I am merely standing looking in the window at the lives of friends and family, connecting with them, but never really becoming a part. Maybe, it was the nomadic lifestyle I lived as the step-child of a military father. At other times it's like I have made myself a home with the starting of my new family. In any case, life just happens and it is the substance of our stories. Our experiences pour from our pens and into the characters we imagine creating witty,sad,fun, and strange beings that people can relate to. |
|
| |
|
Member
Posts: 8
Location: California | It is good to write stories especially if you can give inspirations to other. Something that they will learn for then to get motivated with the challenges in life. Making them set their smart goals to reach success. |
|
| |
|
Regular
Posts: 95
| Thank you.
|
|
| |
|
Veteran
Posts: 162
Location: In The Wilderness | As the quote says: "Never let the facts stand in the way of a good story." Fact or fiction, it would be a story. |
|
| |
|
Member
Posts: 14
Location: Michigan | This is a very good question, one that I am currently dealing with. I started keeping a journal when I was around 7 or 8 years old and somehow, had this "bright" idea to save everything I wrote. So from city to city, relationship to relationship, journey to journey, I have without even thinking about it, thrown away mounds of clothes and shoes and "keepsakes"....anything really, but never have I tossed out any of the journals. I am now 35 years old. I am now faced with the "bright" idea to transcribe them all from the dusty notebooks onto computer. This will take me, what seems like a lifetime to do, since I am also working on a fiction book, which yes--pulls some elements from my personal life. I do not know how this will all end up, but it is something that I have to do. I hope one day to know the answer as to why. But I have an idea that it will be my therapy if nothing else.
Edited by Tru2LifeLuv 2009-10-22 11:39 AM
|
|
| |
Life Stories
