Autobiography Inspirational Novel, huh?

Actually, you sound confused and are making this more complicated than it probably needs to be.

If it's an autobiography, it's a true story, not a novel. If it's a true story disguised as a novel, then it's a novel "inspired by" true events. So, it sounds to me like it's either an inspirational biography (see the Nonfiction or Life Story/Memoir writing forums, or both) or it's an inspirational novel.

Gotta say, if you present the same aggressive/abusive tone in your autobiographical journey as you did in the opening paragraphs of your post above, I'd be turned the hell off. Though come to think of it, "Why Do People Keep Punching Me In The Face?" would make a great title.

-Derek

dpaterso said:

Gotta say, if you present the same aggressive/abusive tone in your autobiographical journey as you did in the opening paragraphs of your post above, I'd be turned the hell off. Though come to think of it, "Why Do People Keep Punching Me In The Face?" would make a great title.

-Derek

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I agree. I'm turned off by passive aggressive behavior...even on the page.

I would call your work a survival story, and the punch me in the face title sounds good.

Sikjoy I remember you.

I hope you haz lerned propur Engrish since you was last here.

Sikjoy said:

I'm kind of new, so I do apologize if I step on the intellectuals toes a bit. I realize the tootsies are tender.

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I stopped reading here. nothing like insulting everyone in your first two sentences in order to get help. Tone it down. You're probably trying to be funny, but it's coming across very passive-aggressive. I hope your book doesn't have this tone.

I went back and read the post again. eraser is right. it's either a novel in which case it isn't true, even if based on real events, or it's an autobiography in which case it's supposed to be all true.

and what is the motivation for the reader to read a book that treats them like shit and then kicks them to the curb? why would anyone read that?

Sikjoy said:

I'm kind of new, so I do apologize if I step on the intellectuals toes a bit. I realize the tootsies are tender. My grammar may not be to par with you. I'm also sure someone sometime or another has brought this question up before. However sense I’m here and I’m a fat, lazy, idealist. I believe I have every right to bother you. And if you read this far, you would be wondering how a person could be a fat lazy idealist, it’s an oxymoron... this is all a little BS I decided to put here to waste your time.

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I don't think you should make such broad assumptions about your readers. Here or in your book.

After reading this thread, I've come to realize I've wasted 5 minutes of my life. Believe me, I'll avoid this mistake in the future.

It's either autobiography/memoir or a novel. Autobiography/memoir is supposed to be nonfiction, although some authors have played fast and loose with this rule. A novel is fiction and must stand or fall as such, no matter what the background or inspiration.

If your piece contains no fictionalized material, it's autobiography/memoir. If you fictionalize, it's a novel, enough said.

As an intellectual, I find a smarter-than-thou attitude on someone who doesn't know (or care about) the difference between "sense" and "since" to be sadly amusing.

Phaeal said:

It's either autobiography/memoir or a novel. Autobiography/memoir is supposed to be nonfiction, although some authors have played fast and loose with this rule. A novel is fiction and must stand or fall as such, no matter what the background or inspiration.

If your piece contains no fictionalized material, it's autobiography/memoir. If you fictionalize, it's a novel, enough said.

As an intellectual, I find a smarter-than-thou attitude on someone who doesn't know (or care about) the difference between "sense" and "since" to be sadly amusing.

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Lovely point

My father uses the term 'autobiographical fiction' to describe some of his work.

I really don't like the tone of your post either, it's not humorous at all and it just insults our intelligence. You've already had the answer twice, it's NOT a novel if it's true events, it's either auto-bio or memoir. Period. Novels are Fictional. It sounds like you have a memoir, though how inspirational it truly is I doubt I ever find out since (that is how you spell since, not sense) I doubt you'll be posting your opening chapter for feedback in the Share your Work forum for Memoirs. But on the off chance you do decide to post it I doubt I could get beyond your first few sentences if they are anything like your posts here in this thread.

And I disagree with you about negative motivating people more then positive, you can't back that up with facts because it's not true. If it's a passive aggressive memoir I doubt you are even able to find agent representation for it, because they understand the markets and know that there is no market for sarcasm and baloney that wastes people's time. There is a market for real people's memoirs though and having spent time writing and then fully rewriting my own, I am personally offended by some of your assumptions about this genre you can't seem to accept that your book probably falls into.

Regardless, best of luck to you and hopefully you'll learn you can get more with honey than vinegar.

dpaterso said:

Gotta say, if you present the same aggressive/abusive tone in your autobiographical journey as you did in the opening paragraphs of your post above, I'd be turned the hell off. Though come to think of it, "Why Do People Keep Punching Me In The Face?" would make a great title.

-Derek

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Nice one Derek!

Or, 'The inspirational teachings of a narcissistic, lazy bigot with grammar/spelling issues'

I'd buy that.

Well more than one person has explained the auto-biography=nonfiction, novel=fiction, thing, and you still posted auto bio novel, so maybe we need to go back to basics and define fiction and non fiction for you.

dictionary.com said:

fic tion    Pronunciation [fik-shuhn]

–noun 1. the class of literature comprising works of imaginative narration, esp. in prose form.
2. works of this class, as novels or short stories: detective fiction.
3. something feigned, invented, or imagined; a made-up story: We've all heard the fiction of her being in delicate health.
4. the act of feigning, inventing, or imagining.
5. an imaginary thing or event, postulated for the purposes of argument or explanation.
6. Law. an allegation that a fact exists that is known not to exist, made by authority of law to bring a case within the operation of a rule of law.


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Origin:
1375–1425; late ME < L fictiōn- (s. of fictiō) a shaping, hence a feigning, fiction, equiv. to fict(us) molded (ptp. of fingere) + -iōn- -ion

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dictionary.com said:

nonfiction   /Pronunciation [non-fik-shuhn]
–noun 1. the branch of literature comprising works of narrative prose dealing with or offering opinions or conjectures upon facts and reality, including biography, history, and the essay (opposed to fiction and distinguished from poetry and drama ).
2. works of this class: She had read all of his novels but none of his nonfiction.
3. (esp. in cataloging books, as in a library or bookstore) all writing or books not fiction, poetry, or drama, including nonfictive narrative prose and reference works; the broadest category of written works.

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So it can either be an autobiography (nonfiction) or a fictionalized novel based on real life events but not wholly true.

no problem.