I know it's a bit soon to worry about what might happen if this book got published, since I am only in the brainstorming stage, but it occurred to me that it would be hard to keep my stepdaughters, who are now 16 and 19, from reading a book that I might write that has something to do with a stepmother with two stepdaughters. I will, of course, change their names and call it fiction, but I have nothing to draw on but my experience. They will probably hate me. Should this stop me?
My wise friend Pru said not to read other works on the subject you are going to write about, but I think she may have meant not to read them once you've started, and I'm still in the brainstorming stage, as I believe I have mentioned, so I did do a little web search and then got the library to obtain "I'm not Julia Roberts" by Laura Ruby. Judging from some of the comments, either on Amazon.com or LibraryThing, the title is not a success. It requires one to remember a forgettable movie (note to Pru on why you should not reference Ephron's book). But so far, it's pretty good. Here's a paragraph from page 14:
"But worse than hating the ex was that Lu had started to hate Ward for having married the woman some gazillion years before, for having chosen such a solipsistic person as a mate. What could that say about him? And then what did marrying Ward, choosing someone with such flawed taste, say about Lu herself?" Wow, she nails a very essential dilemma very succinctly. Can I top this? Should I bother? Well, Ruby's book is about step sons, which are different. Daughter issues are very potent. Things like how at one point, they could borrow my shoes, but then, their feet grew and grew and grew into the huge feet their mother has, not my dainties. Spell-binding, won't it be?
4 comments:
Wow- have you gotten any farther in the brainstorming process? The bit about the book possibly making them hate you sounds hard. I'd love to hear more about it if you ever feel like "thinknig outloud".
I have started writing, but feel like I will be able to do it in a way that won't be awful. I'm exploring trying some pieces from their child points of view. Anyway, the possibility of ever getting published is so remote.
Hi,
Displeasing families goes with the territory. Went to a lecture by Tobias Woolf and he said, "Call it fiction and you can do anything." Too late for me of course (re the dying memoir). Then, continue to insist that it is fiction! (Also gives opportunity for s.d.'s povs). P.S. Thank you for calling me wise.
Pru
You are wise, Pru!
As I mentioned above, I am proceeding to proceed, though driven by doubts. The story feels so boring!
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