HONEST MEMOIR? WHAT OTHER KIND OF MEMOIR IS THERE

The guy in the picture is a fellow neck cancer guy, Union General U. S. Grant.

He’s also a fellow memoir writer, but was it an honest memoir? Not if he didn’t talk about neck cancer. If it lands on a writer’s neck, wouldn’t it be worth writing about?

Like every writer, it was his choice to do what he did on the page. Luckily, he had a publisher: Mark Twain.

And he had a marketing scheme for brisk sales.

Mine isn’t the same story. I like to think mine is a more honest memoir.

Instead of plowing ahead with a cancer survivor story, I’ve taken extra steps by having professionals give the once over, the twice over, and the three times over.

So often I read the comment, “This needs to be unpacked more,” which means adding context to an event included in my work.

Another note that keeps reoccurring is, “You need to focus on the people around you,” which means it’s not all about me.

One of the big steps in coming to grips with an HPV16 neck cancer story in an honest memoir, which there are understandably few, is unfolding memories. Memoir, memories, it makers sense?

As I do, I realized I might be the odd man out in making life better for others. Do I reach out to people, check in, stay in touch? Do I remember dates, anniversaries, birthdays?

Keeping on topic, I have not made anyone’s life better after dating, breaking up, and moving on. I’m no wrecking ball, and life comes with all the wrappings and gifts and trash, but my version of kindness and love didn’t seem too contagious.

Somehow I landed with a winner who understood the dating terrain of the 1980’s. We got married and stayed married. After I found a neck bump thirty years later, history became a topic.

An honest memoir tackles history like old-time football, except I clothesline myself?

That’s how it reads so far. And my wife gets to be the hero. How can this be fair? Lol.