The Problem With Writing

[phetish]

As I re-transcribed “Poor White Travelers,” I discovered a key storytelling dilemma.

“Poor White Travelers” is the tale of a road trip, wherein our rental car was virtually totaled (albeit in a typically dangerous and hilarious way).

We argued, my then-husband and I, about whether to dispose of the insured vehicle (my vote), or whether to drive an extra 150 miles to return it (his vote). Ultimately, he won out – as he usually did. Hilarity continues.

…and I can publish the story, because it wasn’t incriminating. If we had disposed of the vehicle…I have no idea how, or if, I would have told the story.

All of the best stories are like that. How do you, personally, overcome that obstacle?

Originally published at The Pandemonium Project. You can comment here or there.

Comments

[insanity-speaks.livejournal.com]

If it IS incriminating, write the story and don't publish it until after the statute of limitations is passed. Then you have no worries. Or, change the names and destination to make it seem more more like fiction.

[anxious-hearts.livejournal.com]

I dance around issues like that. I'll leave vague references and never be direct. A lot of times, I'll use language only I understand at that time. It'll be so out there, if I spend a lot of time away from it, not even I will remember what the hell I was going on about.

[ferret.livejournal.com]

Changing a few 'important' pieces to not be entirely true. Altering the parties / location / times and dates etc.

Sometimes 'twist' it a bit so it has the essence of the event, but it is not exactly right.

(Its borrowed vehicle rather than a rental car for example. Different states etc.)

A lot of that can be difficult, but ... sometimes a story must be told.