I was editing a bit of my memoir, Bipolar Courage: Are you sure you're not autistic? The story is written and I'm two-thirds of the way through, polishing it, best I can. I was quite amused at my own writing, which I cross-checked with a video, as I wasn't sure if I'd lip-synched or sang along to a song. I laughed when I watched some of it back.
0 Comments
I've been working on a memoir the past 18 months or so. I'm up to the final editing and proof-reading stages. I feel a bit worried I have broken lots of rules of grammar but then I think, 'Stuff it!' There are too many grammar snobs out there, hung up on rules, yet write boring stories.
I've just had a chat to a friend who has taught English and German for years. She said that a lot of people, including American writers, are being more flexible about grammar these days. Overly formal grammar can sound stuffy and take away from the essense of the story and expression. Listening to music while I'm doing the final editing of my manuscript. Music helps me to stay focused, to process and helps buffer the difficult themes. I have just edited a very triggering chapter halfway through my memoir, Bipolar Courage: are you sure you're not autistic? Triggering as it has themes like suicide (which I haven't detailed here).
A song came on that I don't recall hearing before, 'Private Emotion,' by Ricky Martin featuring Meja. I listened to it several times while working on this chapter plus this little snippet in a blog post. This book is my most emotionally vulnerable yet, about an intense connection and occasional clashes with an autistic man, Maxwell. Then, I listened to 'Fly Away' by Lenny Kravitz. I want to say upfront that I believe in ethics with writing, which includes disguising people, so they aren't easily recognisable to the general public. The challenge I have with the memoir I am currently finalising, is that some might have a guess at who the characters are, as it involved social media. Hence, I have filtered certain stuff out, including obvious identifying features. This is so I can tell my story, while also respecting others privacy.
I usually only write about people, if they had an impact on me in some way. Either I really liked them or they were highly irritating (some people are in both categories). I was writing a blog post about 'textationships' or virtual, text-based relationships. I wrote this section, then decided to put it into its own blog post, as I'd gone off on a tangent. Tangents is part of my creative process.
It's not possible to write memoir without other people being mentioned in it. Otherwise, memoirs would be a very self-indulgent and quite boring account, unless they stay vague and superficial. Or else go off into fantasyland, which then makes it more likely to go into fiction territory. I came across the term 'textationship' today. Obviously, from combining 'texting' and 'relationship'. Defined as a romantic, sexual or platonic virtual relationship that is mostly via texting or messaging. Seen by many as as inferior to a 'real' relationship that involves face-to-face communication and physical touch. Judged by some as a 'pseudo-relationship' with false intimacy.
One of the core themes in my memoir, Bipolar Courage: are you sure you're not autistic? is asking the question, 'Are online relationships real?' I will let the reader decide for themselves. I am anticipating to self-publish the memoir by September 2023. Some draft extracts from my memoir, Bipolar Courage: are you sure you're not autistic? Expecting to self-publish it by September 2023. The memoir focuses on my connection with 'Maxwell'. I was fascinated by his complexity. I'd met my equal as far as complexity goes and I wanted to figure out how Maxwell ticked, as well as figuring out my own mind.
I think I've succeeded doing this, hence I am excited about the book, which shows the big picture as well as the details. I want to do this story justice. Just another draft extract from my memoir, that I've just written, going off on a little tangent. Tangents are my thing, so I can't avoid them completely. I decided to share it here, just in case it doesn't make the final cull (for practicalities of book length). It's an unconventional love story.
The account, Passionate Intensity, no longer exists but it's what I'm currently writing about. I took some screenshots as memory triggers, before deleting it, to help me sequence timelines as accurately as I can, only shifting things back and forth a little if it fits better with my storytelling themes.
I was 'in disguise' in plain sight. The account was made for Maxwell. I feel sure he recognised me, as he replied to me in Deutsch and there was a bit of cryptic back and forth with our bios. In my memoir, I will give the bigger picture of what happened and why I did what I did and what had happened before and after. This might be a bit disjointed as my brain is getting tired after an intense session of hyperfocus working on my memoir, Bipolar Courage: are you sure you're not autistic? That second part is what 'Maxwell' had asked me. The memoir is about our intense connection and the clashes (from our strong-willed personalities plus our diagnoses). It's an unconventional love story.
No kidding, when I was retyping a very symbolic part of my memoir, listening to music, I got up to where I had mentioned, 'Every Breath You Take' (The Police). Then I realised the song that was playing, was also from the same band. 'Every Little Thing she Does is Magic'. When I was also referencing this painting, Synchronity. Maxwell's painting, symbolising our connection. |
Xanthe Wyse('Zan-thee Wise'). Disclaimer: the author of this blog is not an expert by profession and her opinions should not be taken as expert advice.
Archives
March 2024
Categories
All
|