”Fiction is always really a labor. The hardest piece of non-fiction I ever wrote is NOT anywhere close to the easiest piece of fiction.”- Ann Patchett
As she talked about her non fiction work This is the Story of a Happy Marriage, Patchett also touched on this issue, which has become my problem, too. She put it into words so effectively. No wonder, she is a great wordsmith.
Though she is more known for her fiction works, Patchett also wrote non fiction ones, which apparently are not so much read by the public. Here in her book, she dared to spill some personal intimate details of her own life.
She admitted she is fond of working as a magazine writer assigned to write non fiction pieces. This job enabled her to survive while pursuing her dream of becoming a successful novelist right in her twenties. It’s the best choice of all jobs, compared to being a waitress and a teacher. Being a writer of a magazine didn’t drain her physical energy and made her much easier to write fiction works because there was more spare time left.
One thing that seems interesting to me is when she stated that her best piece of non fiction is much related to her most intimate private life details, like her stories on taking care of her grand mother, her marriage, etc. I guess that is because it is written with a heartfelt passion.
I as well am quite like her now. I work as a reporter, a job that makes me write 25 pieces of stories a single day (8 hours). Insanity? You bet. As challenging as it may seem, I thank God because this way, I can afford my future fiction writing project.
Patchett is absolutely right about fiction writing. It is not merely about writing any imagination and wild and odd ideas but more about creating a whole different world that resembles the world we live in. Because you still need to use logic after all while writing fiction works.
How about you? Do you think the same way, too?
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