My favorite two words (meaning-wise) are Create and Truth. I especially like them together. Even though it sounds like a pretty way of saying lying, creating truth, to me, means writing fiction.
Which, apparently, I love to do.
I started Nanowrimo this year as a cheat. Kind of. I’m writing non-fiction. Creative non-fiction. According to Cybele, one of the Nanowrimo ringleaders, this is considered kind-of-okay, as long as it isn’t journalistic fact-checking newspaper kind of stuff. They’re putting together another challenge for those folks. Gotta be creative, that’s all.
My writing is certainly not the fact-checking kind. Oh, it is so very far from it.
In fact, I’ve found that I’m bored. Or I was bored. Apparently, when I’m bored I spice things up a bit.
I’m writing non-fiction. Therefore, I’m writing about things that Have Happened. I know that truth is subjective in many ways — no one remembers the same thing the same way. Everyone who writes about the past is fabricating somehow. Everyone.
But oh, lord, I am making stuff up, not realizing I am doing so, and then BELIEVING IT! I was writing a scene where I broke up with someone over something, and I was all upset, pulling the faces I make when I write dialogue. While I was trying to figure out what was going to happen next, I realized that I shouldn’t have to figure it out — I should know. Since it had already happened and all. But I had made myself into a character, and my girlfriend was another one, and none of this had ever gone down. But I was writing it as if it had, and more, I was believing myself. And I was mad at the ex!
SO much more enjoyable. So much easier to write! More fun!
So I have abandoned myself to writing what I am calling a fictional memoir. That makes me happy for three reasons:
1. I am fully qualified to be in the Nanowrimo challenge. Although I wasn’t too stressed about it. It’s Nano. (Half-way party tonight at Juans! Woot! I’m over 30,000 words!)
2. Dude. I had a great reason here and I just forgot it. Oh, well.
3. I don’t have to worry about sticking to the boring facts. I can throw in what I want, where I want! I just made three people up! People with whom I had a fake, never-happened conversation. I can tell you, the fictional me has sparkling conversational skills. Yup.
HOWEVER: I will forestall worries you might have about me James Frey-ing it — I don’t predict this being published anytime soon if ever, and by then I will have figured out what to do with it, what to call it, but I promise I won’t call anything non-fiction that isn’t. That I promise. (But why would you believe me? When I can’t even believe myself! Oh, it’s so much fun.)
Digit update: OHMYGOD he’s so good. And you know what else? HE’S ALIVE. That’s my very favorite part of him, even more favorite than his soft, wet nose. Here’s a shot of me, two weeks ago when I had that flu. There are five animals on the bed with me – two kittens, Miss Idaho at my feet, and a dark Harriet to the left. AND DIGIT! My Digit. (Your Digit, too.) More pictures and maybe a video next week? When I get them out of the camera?
That’s right, we have a stake! When Digit goes IPO, I’m totally going to rake in the cash.
Regarding fictional memoirs – hey, if David Sedaris can do it, so can you!
I’m home sick today, surrounded by pussy cats (on the bed, on the desk) and it’s just the greatest.
W00t! on you hitting 30.000! Go Rachael! Also w00t for fictional memoirs & doing whatever the hell you please, because it’s your book, and you’re the boss of it. Erm, nominally, that is. I know it can sometimes run away in a direction you hadn’t really figured on :-).
My favourite reason is number 2. 🙂
What a lovely picture! I do love his not-deadness.
Can I just tell you how much I love your cat Digit? Because I do! I have five of my own, but I absolutely adore Digit. Maybe he’s more special because he arose from the dead. I’m so glad he’s here. And congrats on reaching 30,000. I’ve stalled around 6,000 myself.
I love the idea of a fictional memoir–writing your life story the way it *should* have happened. Yes?
and I LOVE LOVE LOVE Digit updates. I have to say, though, that his story has influenced me badly. My Peanut did end up dying in September; she was in liver failure and had several complications, she was very young but it was still “time”. It was a gentle death and I was with her at the time.
I dream about her now, and about her coming back to me, and I think “of course! She just went for a walk like Digit!” and then I wake up and realize that it can’t be true. And then I am sad. But, I’m glad that SOMEONE’s cat came back, yanno?
I do have another cat, she’s a kitten and very cute and loving, and that’s good, because I have a baby coming ANY DAY NOW and I can’t have a baby without a cat!
Sorry, didn’t mean to make this all about me. 🙂
I’m always so happy to see bed pictures and know that you’re enjoying the quilt. Isn’t it great how animals know when you’re sick and need cuddling all day long?
I love all the cats giving you comfort! My cats do the same thing. It always makes me feel a little better.
Look at you! Neck deep in pussy!
Lala is funny. And the real you has sparkling conversational skills, too. But it does sound fun to make up people and then get all righteous and break up with them. 🙂
Lala needs to not post funny things when I am eating popcorn.
So I am forwarding this scene to my new girlfriend just to prove we are not alone in our sleeping arrangements. She flew in last weekend with her mini-pin, bedtime equalled, 4 dogs(all under the covers), three cats on top of the cover and 2 women where ever they could catch a break! perfect…..next time I will ditch the down comforter…….whew….