 Drama: December 06, 2023 Issue [#12286] |
This week: Plots from Our Own Lives Edited by: Joy  
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"The only pages that don't need editing are blank."
Bookbaby's ad in Writer's Digest 
“That's why I write, because life never works except in retrospect. You can't control life, but at least you can control your version.”
Chuck Palahniuk, Stranger than Fiction
“Be regular and orderly in your life, so that you may be violent and original in your work.”
Gustav Flaubert
“Writing is like breathing, it's possible to learn to do it well, but the point is to do it no matter what.”
Julia Cameron, The Right to Write: An Invitation and Initiation Into the Writing Life
Hello, I am Joy , this week's drama editor. This issue is about writing dramatic fiction using our own lives.
Thank you for reading our newsletters and for supplying the editors with feedback and encouragement.
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Welcome to the Drama newsletter
Many authors draw inspiration from their own lives when crafting the plots of their novels. This practice allows writers to infuse authenticity and personal experiences into their work, creating narratives that resonate deeply with readers.
Then, sometimes, our memories are so vivid that no fiction can ever outdo them. As in this tiny fragment from Princess Megan Snow Rose  's "The Houses That Built Me and My Life" "I have had two houses that built me. I grew into womanhood and learned about life at my grandparents' house. I write and scrapbook. Memories are still being made. We build our houses, build lives, learn from our mistakes and make memories."
In the same vein, many famous authors write half-fictional books, rooted in their own lives and paint rich and compelling stories, allowing readers to connect with the characters on a deeper level and providing insights into the human condition.
Let's look at a few well-known examples:
"Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë:
Charlotte Brontë drew inspiration from her own experiences as a governess when writing "Jane Eyre."
"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee:
Harper Lee's classic novel draws heavily from her childhood experiences in the racially charged American South. The character of Scout Finch is based on Lee herself, and the novel addresses issues of racial injustice and moral growth in a small Southern town.
"The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger:
J.D. Salinger's masterpiece is a coming-of-age novel that mirrors Salinger's own experiences as a young man in New York City. The protagonist, Holden Caulfield, navigates the challenges of adolescence and adulthood, trying to deal with the issues of identity and alienation.
"On the Road" by Jack Kerouac:
Jack Kerouac's iconic novel is a semi-autobiographical account of his cross-country road trips with friends during the late 1940s. The novel captures the Beat Generation's spirit and explores themes of freedom, self-discovery, and the search for meaning.
"The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath:
Sylvia Plath's only novel reflects her own struggles with mental illness. The protagonist, Esther Greenwood, undergoes a descent into mental illness, mirroring Plath's own battle with depression.
"Norwegian Wood" by Haruki Murakami:
"Norwegian Wood" is a nostalgic novel that reflects Murakami's experiences as a student in Tokyo during the 1960s. The story explores themes of love, loss, and the impact of societal changes on individuals.
I bet writing such works like those above is not all that easy as a non-writer might assume, but you, my writer-friends of WdC, already know this so well. This is because writing dramatic fiction using your own life requires a blend of personal experiences, imagination, and storytelling skills. Plus, you have to pick and choose as to which of your backstories would best provide the context for your characters' actions, motivations, and personalities.
Understanding a character's backstory, a character--who may be you in disguise--can illuminate motivations and desires, adding complexity to the conflicts to face in the actual story. Whether it is unresolved issues from the past or past traumas that resurface, a well-crafted backstory can create internal and external conflicts that drive your story forward. Cleverly crafted backstories can set the stage for unexpected plot twists and surprises, and then, if the story is based on your own life, all you may have to do could be just to pick and choose.
Then, some steps for writing fiction based on personal experiences could start with identifying the experiences in your life that you find engaging or dramatic, such as emotional highs and lows, life-changing events, intimate personal moments, and even interesting or unusual everyday situations, similar to Princess Megan Snow Rose 's houses that "built her."
As for your fictional characters, you can directly base characters on people you know or mix and match their characteristics to create unique individuals. The idea is to disguise real people enough so they're not easily recognizable, unless you have their permission.
Then, if you think your life is bland, look again. There's always drama to be found. Look for the conflicts and challenges you or others faced, the obstacles you overcame, and the goals pursued with all kinds of results. Also, remember that you have the writer's license to amp up these elements in any way you wish.
In addition, just as your own life story is unique, so is your voice. It is better to use your very own words and perspective to tell the story so its authenticity shines through and hooks your readers. Since evoking emotion in your readers is the key to good writing, by using your own life as a source material, you can easily draw on your and other people's understanding and experiences of human emotions, and thus, bring your very own stories to life.
Until next time! 
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 This Issue's Tip: Use objects for a change of focus and power play in our dramatic works, similar to what Shakespeare does, as in Richard II handing over his crown and the metaphors hiding in the the ass’s head and magic potions in "A Midsummer Night’s Dream."
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