When a tragic or insightful life experience causes a writer to think "I could write about this," and subsequently "That's awful/narcissistic. Why would I think that?" It seems that the whole thought process should invalidate the experience's potential as writing fodder but can instead make for a nice modernist moment in which the author's role is explicitly recognized.
MOTHER: "Maurice died."
WRITER: "Oh, that's terrible."
WRITER'S BRAIN: (What luck! My strange and unique relationship with this person will make for a compelling chapter in my yet-to-be-written memoir!)
WRITER'S HEART: (You are a bastard.)
WRITER'S BRAIN: (I know. What a memoir moment.)
WRITER'S BALLS: (Write about it anyway.)
MOTHER: "Have you been taking your medication?"
WRITER: "Huh?"
WRITER: "Oh, that's terrible."
WRITER'S BRAIN: (What luck! My strange and unique relationship with this person will make for a compelling chapter in my yet-to-be-written memoir!)
WRITER'S HEART: (You are a bastard.)
WRITER'S BRAIN: (I know. What a memoir moment.)
WRITER'S BALLS: (Write about it anyway.)
MOTHER: "Have you been taking your medication?"
WRITER: "Huh?"
by NineLeggedDog May 13, 2009