Michael Thomas’s Comments (group member since Apr 13, 2009)

Michael Thomas’s comments from the Personal Writer/Public Reader group.

Leslie wrote: "I am in the process of writing a memoir that covers the years in my life from age 4 to age 17. It's written first person present tense, in the child's voice. There's no adult saying this happened..."

I can totally relate to what you said about being reluctant to tell your family. I wrestle with the same issue. Sometimes while writing about the scandalous parts of my experiences in my own perspective I consider the idea of fictionalizing certain parts of my story so to protect all parties involved but I really don't know what I am going to do. I am curious to know how old you are and how long it has been since you actually lived the experiences you are writing about. I am slowly putting my stories down on paper but I often wonder how I am going to fill 200 pages without boring readers, the insecurity that my story isn't worthy.

At the risk of appearing self-aggrandizing or narcissistic, I have taken on the task of writing my memoirs. When I tell others of this aspiration, the reaction is often "you're too young to be writing a memoir" at which I have to reply and point out the difference between memoir and autobiography, the latter being an inclusive summary of one's life. I am merely trying to capture certain episodes in my life. Because I consider writing to be my natural borne talent and because I have undergone periods of my life that can only be explained or justified as "research for "the book" I am intent on completing it for publication. I have been told that my perspective on these events is enough to warrant being written about. A few of my contemporaries from college have since written their own memoirs, two of which are included on my book list of this site. I struggle with this project as the act of writing requires immersing myself into the past and reliving the events in a sense. It is an emotionally arduous process that doesn't take into account the mechanics of writing and editing. It's an albatross upon my shoulders.