Competing Voices
Besides my own, which voices should I listen to as I rewrite my memoir? The New York editor gave me important things to consider in revision, Laurie Wagner Buyer told me what she liked about the memoir and offered editorial suggestions, an agent gave me a critique, my husband Paul weighs in over each draft, my adult children listen to snippets here and there and give me their thoughts, my cousin Dorothy listens over the phone. I have also been given feedback from my writing group at the lake, the two young KU MFA’s I mentioned in my blog Feast for Seven Women, and my friend Jo, who is the subject of my next blog.
Here’s my problem. They don’t all like the same things about the memoir. Some like the family stories from when I was a kid, some the famous relatives and their effect on me, some the depiction of jewels and their connection to people, still others my journey to find my way as an adult. The only thing they all agree on is this: there’s a wealth of information to draw on.
Why am I revising again? Because the book is not quite there yet.
And I know it.
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