Posts by Lizbeth Hartz
Writing a Fictionalized Memoir, Part 1
An author friend of mine, Laurie Hanan, got me a gig speaking at a local library recently. Because my book Angel Hero is a fictionalized memoir, the librarian asked me to talk about writing one. I worked long and hard on my 15-20 minute speech before I came up with this version, which I’ll post…
Read MoreWriting a Fictionalized Memoir, Part 2
The word memoir comes from the French word memoria, meaning reminiscence. A memoir is a nonfiction, or factual, collection of memories an individual writes about that took place in his or her personal life. It is a subcategory of an autobiography but with a narrower focus. A few definitions: an autobiography is nonfiction, written by…
Read MoreWriting a Fictionalized Memoir, Part 3
For writers who do not invent dialogue, or make up events, or combine characters, but who do fictionalize details, a third category is necessary. If the writer tells the truth about events that actually occurred, uses genuine dialogue, and only changes details such as dates, names of places and people and their appearances, an appropriate…
Read MoreWriting a Fictionalized Memoir, Part 4
Before writing a memoir, you should pinpoint your reasons for writing. Want to publish for an audience beyond family and friends? Then you need to understand where your work fits in. Will there be a market for a book like yours? Can you present your experiences in such a way as to appeal to a…
Read MoreSisters in Crime, Ray Bradbury, and Me – Part 1
Knowing I would be one of four mystery authors to participate in a panel discussion at a Sisters in Crime meeting at Makiki Library in September, 2015, I’d done my research. In a small hot area enclosed by bookcases, twenty or so of us Sisters (and Misters) in Crime pulled our chairs close to round…
Read More