The Terrifying Truth

The first line of my first novel was: "My dad drinks too much and my mom eats too much, which pretty much sums up why I am the way I am." As you might imagine, my parents were mortified. Their daughter publishes her first book and this is what she has to say?? All I could reply was, "Mom, that's not you! You have brown hair. My character is a blonde!" As for my dad, well, I didn't have to say much because he good-naturedly called to say he put my book down after the first five words. Dad has always been funny and fairly thick-skinned.

Telling an honest story without slamming people I love has been my biggest challenge as a fiction writer. I'm not saying my novels are all autobiographical. Far from it. But the only way I know how to write is to spill my guts through my characters…however embarrassing, revealing, exhilarating, or terrifying it may be. I figure, if I've felt like that, you probably have, too. Or at least something similar.

So next time you write something, make yourself a promise: Always tell your truth. Whatever it is. Even if (especially if) it's embarrassing, revealing, exhilarating, or terrifying. Write your view of the world. It's the only absolute guarantee of originality. And if it seems like you're describing a real person, always, always, always change their hair color!

Any thoughts? Be honest!

Mary Hogan
Author of The Serious Kiss