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| Illustration for "Story of your Life", by Hidenori Watanave for Hayakawa's S-F Magazine. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
When I started this "Computer" series I didn't actually intend on it becoming a series. At first I was going to do just one post, but then it turned into a second, then a third, and a fourth. Then, as I continued writing the story, I realized that this is a saga--a story of not just my life, but of modern history in some ways. My experience is similar to that of many of you. My story is the story of many people of my age and older and younger. Computers truly shadow over us all and provide the setting of the world in which we live.
But isn't this what memoir is in many ways? Life doesn't happen in a vacuum. My life touches your life and your life touches the life of the person who hears your story. We are all interconnected. The lessons you have learned can be valuable to another in the same way each of us learn the lessons that others have learned. My story is not relevant unless the story has some universal meaning and is something to which others can relate. If you don't know what I'm talking about in my story then how can my story interest you?
Of course it's up to the writer to clarify the story so a reader can understand and thus identify with it. The writer has to show the reader what happened and put the reader in the middle of the story. The life lived should be in turn lived by the reader vicariously through the reading of the story brought to life bigger than life. The story should exist in every dimension in the reader's mind so that the reader can almost feel that they'd been there, that they'd lived the life alongside the characters portrayed on the pages.
So what's this have to do with my computer story. The story never ended on this blog. When we last left the narrative, my father had died. After that I got another job that involved computers. Then this happened and that happened and a whole lot of other stuff happened. As I dwelt on all of this I realized that my blog is not this computer story. The story could go on and on and take over Wrote By Rote. That's when I came to a realization. The "Born in the Shadow of the Computer" story is more than a blog series. It could be a book.
Now don't get me wrong. I'm not saying I'm planning a book about my life with computers. But I'm not saying it will never be a possibility. The story will go into my computer files as seed for some future project perhaps. The story will germinate and grow perhaps. Or it may lie dormant. Whatever happens, I see that this story is organic. It is a living thing that will grow if I nurture it.
Do you have a story that you need to tell about your life? What types of life stories are you most interested in hearing? If you were following my story, did it interest you? If so, what about it interested you?
It's been a fine series and a wonderful read, Arlee.
ReplyDeleteYes, I'm writing for our kids, the story of my travels and how I came to live in Canada. I don't plan to publish it, but family history is important to document, or it become hearsay.
ReplyDeleteI liked reading your computer tales,Lee, as everyone's story has something we can take away. A friend once told me if we learn one thing from everyone we meet, then that friendship has taught us something. I like that idea.
Hope you have a great weekend.
Actually I do have a story that needs to be told....so far I have them drafted into 4 separate blog posts but it became overwhelming to think that 4 posts only comprised the very beginning and I got intimidated and havent' finished it. Yet. I'd like to though....I've had friends tell me they'd like to read about what it was like to be a Deadhead and follow the Dead around, even though I wasn't as hardcore as some fans.
ReplyDeleteThis is an intriguing post, Lee. I'm not one to keep a diary or journal, and yet that's pretty much what we do when we blog. Oh sure, some of us write about "other" stuff and keep our blogs impersonal. However, it seems that personal stuff is never very far away, and manages to creep in when we least expect it. Think I need to read the rest of your series now. You've piqued my interest, kind sir.
ReplyDeleteI liked your series very much. And you SHOULD think about making a book out of it--maybe an eBook. I think I might do a post about how I started with computers. The reason is you and I have lived the before and after. Not everyone will have that story.
ReplyDeleteTo answer your question YES, I have a story (many) to tell and it's at The Ruralhood, but then you know that. hee hee.
I think putting snippets of your life on paper, even if saving them for later is a great idea. I'm doing that with my parents' life... much more exciting than mine;)
ReplyDeleteI would be happy to read any book you decided to write Lee! You've led a very interesting life, and I always look forward to hearing about everything from your vaudeville days up until when you started blogging. You continue to learn new things, and inspire us all.
ReplyDeleteJulie