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A Question For All

I'm curious... Generally speaking, given the books released in let's say the last 5 years through the present & reactions to those books, do you feel that messages and experiences are taken more seriously (or given more credit) when released as nonfiction/memoir as opposed to being released as fiction? Which style of writing holds more weight for you when it comes to taking the overall theme of the book (if there is one) to heart? Are you more likely to relate to the book when it's nonfic/memoir or fiction? Regardless of your preferred genre, if Eat Pray Love had been written as fiction book, would its' impact be as far reaching as it has been being a memoir? And what if The Help has been written as a non-fiction/memoir book?
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Comments

Mrs. Fry said…
I am not particular a nonfiction/memoir kind of person although the next book I am writing is a memoir of a crazed school secretary.

I prefer fiction, and I like it when the account of a person is fictionalized. I think it makes it more interesting.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 2:07:00 PM EST
Bloomin'Chick Jo said…
So you feel then that messages & experiences are taken more seriously when presented as fiction as opposed to nonfic/memoir?
Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 2:25:00 PM EST
Melissa @ Life:Merging said…
For me, it doesn't matter whether it is NF or F, the story and how the characters act and react is what I really take to heart. For instance, two of my favorite books that I have read over the last year were The Help and Eat Pray Love...both had a lot to say, but one was fiction, one was a memoir. I took away meaning from both of them. Simply because one was fiction did not take away from the meaning of the book and themes.

Melissa
Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 4:47:00 PM EST
Mrs. Fry said…
no, I just prefer fiction. I rarely read memoirs. I can't answer the question with regards to either of those two books because I never read them. I started The Help, but I didn't like it, but from the little bit I know about it, I am not sure the author would have been able to make it as enjoyable if it was just a straight memoir.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 5:21:00 PM EST
Mrs. Fry said…
Funny you asked this question because originally I start writing a memoir of my life, and found that it was more boring than I realized. LOL!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 5:22:00 PM EST
Bloomin'Chick Jo said…
LoL Brenda! Sometimes we're not the best judge of our own writings! (Write your memoir anyway! Doesn't mean you have to publish it). Thanks for your thoughts on this!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 6:05:00 PM EST
sammy said…
personally speaking, i think being a memoir has a better overall reaching capacity. a fiction book absolutely has redeeming qualities, but i have to 'work' a little harder to get at that point.

whereas when i read a memoir, i automatically comprehend that this is beneficial and impacting because its someone's life as opposed to something thought up.

hopefully that made sense
Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 11:40:00 PM EST
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