Books to Read

When my brother and I give presentations to others on writing their memoirs, we usually have a handout that mentions a number of good books to read on writing.

Your Life as Story, by Tristine Rainer, is a fabulous book. It gave me a great deal of encouragement and inspiration to forge ahead when I was only a wannabe writer--at a time when I needed all the encouragement I could get.

On Writing Well, by William Zinsser is another good book. It offers the type of help a person needs to know inorder to write well. I originally got the book from the library to read, but after I read it, I purchased it so as to have it on hand as a reference book when I needed it.

Another book I found most helpful once we had finished our book was Your Novel Proposal from Creation to Contract, by Blythe Camenson and Marshall J. Cook. This book is indispensable when it comes to writing query letters and synopses.


And a book that I highly recommend, although it is not an advice type book, is The Education of Little Tree. This is a memoir type book that the author claimed was non-fiction, but it was later proved not to be true. While my brother and I were at Barnes & Noble for a book signing and a discussion of memoir books, their representative asked whether knowing that The Education of Little Tree was not true made any difference in the way we thought about the book. I was quick to respond that it made no difference to me whatsoever. Any book that can bring about such emotion and feeling as this book gets a five star rating from me whether it's true or not. It is the only book that I continue to purchase again and again to give away to others--not because of what is said, but how it is said. It is a book I never tire of reading.

Writing Contests

Until I entered a few writing contests--and won, I never realized what a confidence builder they were or how excited I could get over a writing award--or honorable mention. The acknowledgements and certificates that I've received remind me that I am a writer. Prior to winning my first contest I had not submitted anything for publication and until then I did not allow myself the privilege of calling myself a writer--a wannabe writer maybe, but not a writer. A writer has to earn the right to call themselves a writer by getting something published; and I found that winning a contest will get you over that bridge just as well. After winning my first contest I no longer felt guilty at the amount of time I spent sitting in front of my computer putting words together and polishing stories. I was a writer. It's what writers do. The writing contests gave me a confidence that until then had eluded me. I prominently display all my award certificates and honorable mentions on the wall by my desk.

The first contest I entered really tested my imagination as well as my writing skills. Everyone was given the same topic to write on, JOB APPLICATION. My first thought was that the topic was just awful. I am a short story, non-fiction writer, who enjoys wit and humor. I was lamenting to my daughter-in-law. "How can I write about something s-o-o-o-o boring? What can I possible say about JOB APPLICATION? It's nothing. It's a piece of paper. She and I digressed over the possibilities.

"What if it could talk?" She said. "What would it say about some of the yahoos that it meets?"

The more we discussed that possibilities the better it got. "I could give it a voice." I said, "a personality with an attitude." We considered some of the more interesting types of people that fill out job applications--motorcycle yuppies, someone just released from prison, know it all high school drop outs. The possibilities were endless. I called my story, The Silent Informer, and I won third place. I was ecstatic. I even made a copy of the check that they sent.

After my book, A Speck In God's Eye, was published I entered it in numerous contests. I was so sure that it would win, or at the very least get honorable mention. A couple of the stories in the book had already won prizes. And there had been so many people, especially men, who said they simply could not put the book down. I was also pleased with the portrayal of our father. He had a distinct personality. He could out swear any person I knew, but he was not a vulgar man--just a colorful character--a story teller in his own right. I was a little unsure how he would come across to others until I heard the following comments:

"Your dad was quite the man. I would like to have known him."

"At first, when I started reading, I said whoa! What's this? But the more I read the more I began to admire your father. He was quite the character."

When I first became aware that our book was not among the winning entries of the first contest I'd entered I was disappointed, but there were other contests, I told myself, yet to be heard from. Out of curiosity I searched for the title of the book that had won first place wondering what it was that captured the judge's interest. What made it stand out in the judge's eyes? Was it the content, or how it was written? When I came upon the title, I was a little put back. The title of the book that won first place was, My Big Black Penis.

Like I said there were other contests that I'd entered as well. And three months later we were contacted by READER VIEWS. Our book, A Speck In God's Eye, had won first place in their Nonfiction--Memoir/biography, Family History category.