Do you also write fiction?

Fiction? Not well.

I am strictly a nonfiction kind of gal. I've tried writing fiction in the past, and I have a hard time keeping my story straight.

In a short story (1500 words) about a boy hunting deer for the first time with a BOW and ARROW, I had him picking up his spent RIFLE cartridges, and didn't notice my discrepancy for over a year.

Argh.

I do both. . .

I write both fiction and creative nonfiction. I also am a journalist and playwright.

To date, I have completed five full-length novels, four of which have agent representation, one of which has sold.

I have also completed one full-length memoir, which has agent representation and one offer from a publisher on the table (and others hopefully to come).

I think writing all the novels first better prepared me for writing my memoir. It definitely helped me strengthen my narrative skills.

I've written 2 memoirs, one published nearly 10 years ago and one just bought. In between, I wrote 7 screenplays, all fiction, and all represented (a couple optioned). I'm thinking of turning one of them into a novel, as I don't think I have another memoir in me. (Or, maybe I should say I hope I don't, as if I do, it will be based on yet another of my husband's crazy ideas as to how we should spend a year of our lives.)

Writing screenplays has taught me to be ruthless when I edit. So, like Sakamona, I think writing in that other genre has helped me overall in my memoir (and possibly novel) writing.

Susan - I've been told that selling a first novel is as tough as selling a memoir. So, not sure what you'd be gaining by turning your memoir into a novel. Maybe that's a good question to ask your agent? If you do, I'd be curious what she says.

"about a boy hunting deer for the first time with a BOW and ARROW, I had him picking up his spent RIFLE cartridges"

OMG slshwood, that is so funny! I only write non- and I find that I make all kinds of silly errors if I try to change what happened for any reason. It's actually helpful because, looking at it backward, if I read it later and see a writing brain fart, then I know something is not truthful and it needs to be corrected.

And I must set my writing down and come back to it a couple of days later to see how good or bad it really is. When I am in the zone, I am enthralled with everything I write, to the degree where sometimes I don't even see spelling errors. Later I can be more objective.

Fortunately it is easy to keep busy with other parts while I let one cool down for a couple of days, because it's all in chapters that are interconnected but also stand on their own.

I see you also are a newbie, so welcome to you.

No fiction. Very rarely even read it. Still too much good non- ahead of me to read and write!