Memoir for a Nobody?

February 27, 2020 11:55 am Published by EverEden Leave your thoughts

“Well, would you read a memoir by a ‘nobody?’” – The question posed in a loosely named “Writer’s Group,” this week.

The main reason it annoyed me was because it came from an older gentleman who was saying no one will care enough to read one because it won’t be written by someone famous.

WRONG, OLD MAN!

I’m interested. It’s why I watch things like documentaries on wrongfully convicted criminals, why I like the movie “Girl Interrupted” (for those who CBF reading the book.) It’s a trip to experience/learn about a life you will never lead and a path you will never walk. And it doesn’t matter if the author is famous or not.

When the comment came from an older man, I didn’t understand.  I want to know about his life…did he serve in the military? Did he experience racism from either side over the years? Was his headmaster allowed to use a cane in school? Did he remember where he was when the trade centres were demolished? Does he have any tips for me on how to adult since a lot of us can’t even change a tire these days?

While I was promoting KOS, I came across a young indie author’s memoir regarding her stint in jail for drug possession and selling substances. I was fascinated by her take on what happened to her and how she ended up in the situation.

I was also interested in Kayla Hayes’ story about being the victim of extreme domestic violence. The recovered victim has since started her own movement called RISE ABOVE and frequently helps other people who are experiencing similar issues. She doesn’t have a book available but if she did, I would have bought it and I currently follow her on social media to see her journey.

Let’s not forget Elizabeth Wurtzel (RIP) whose memoir “Prozac Nation” seemed to inspire other angsty memoir-style books and movies to spring out from everywhere. It was great to see another type of genre be pushed to the forefront of what it meant to be a writer/ an author.

This time it was explicitly honest, funny and detailed sex acts, depression and suicide attempts…and it has become apparent to me that (believe it or not!) some people aren’t exposed to these themes in their childhoods, teenhoods or adult life. Some people have never known someone who has taken their own life. Others have never even knowingly liaised with someone suffering depression.

Memoirs and autobiographies inspire people to realise their own important turning points and bring knowledge and a point of view to someone who might never have the experience.

Nobody is a nobody. No one really just stays home and watches TV all day, they go to the local shop, they have car trouble and see an old friend while they’re waiting for a tow. They get a random message on social media from an ex-girlfriend after ten years. They start long distance relationships or get messy divorces. Some people find out they have a long-lost sibling, some people think they live a boring life but have a strange family secret they’ve always lived with. Some people have been stalked or had an experience they thought they wouldn’t get out of.  I believe everyone has a story in them, the same way I believe everyone has the ability to create art.

There have been events in my city where you “check out an older person,” meaning that rather than buy a book, people spend an hour with a much older person and hear about their life.

It’s so much fun when you’re out with a group of friends and a topic comes up and everyone shares their sordid tale. You know the kinds of stories; bad date scenarios, horrible service at a restaurant, all the things that don’t make the cut every other day but serve as anecdotal or amusing in another setting. Those things can be memoir-worthy…and we all have them.

I recently found a letter from one of my grandparents. It reminded me that older people (who aren’t experienced with being online) have stories which will be forgotten while Jessica next door has every one of her nasty booty pics forever stored on NSA Instagram servers for the ages. There won’t be evidence of some people’s lives and I’m sure that’s already become different now due to the internet, but there are still so many who are slipping through the cracks. I don’t, and will never, have booty pics anywhere but I do have online presence in a number of creative outlets and nothing ever disappears from the internet. It’s a way to live forever or…at least longer than we used to. Maybe we’re all writing memoirs in another way(?) Maybe one day our social media pages will be assigned to some kids in the year 3000 to analyse for a test on “social interaction in the olden days.”

 I’ve already accepted that some robot in the future will have my voice from all the samples out there and be blowing guys on the corner for a quarter talking about, “how YOU doin?”

My letter to Jiu-jitsu made me consider working on my own memoir again, a project I abandoned several years ago though I’m not actively pursuing right now. Doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t! Everyone has something that’s happened to them which only a small percentage of people have been through. Mine (whenever it gets out there) will have all sorts of misadventures, drama, guns, heartache, medical issues, life-threatening instances and lurrrve for eg. and I’m probably considered a relatively boring person to the naked eye!

 

What would yours contain? Would you want your life to be remembered? Do you think everyone has a story?

 

 

 

 

TLDR:
*Nobody is a nobody and I want to hear everyone’s story.

*You live a life that no one else does. It might be similar, but you do it, and view it your way.

*OLD MAN WAS WRONG!!!

All content is no copyright infringement intended. All posts are opinion only and are subject to change due to experience, kicking ass and learning how to adult more effectively. If you don’t like it, don’t let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya. Elements of original content may be reproduced with expressed permission from Ever Eden.

 

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