Hello Paulo,
First off, it is truly an honor to write you this email. I read, The Alchemist, while trekking through the Himalayas a few months ago, and your message is parallel to how, at 25, I am trying to live my life. It is inspiring to read your words which are weighted with passion and desire to live life.
I have spent the past ten months traveling the world. It was an experience of a lifetime, and one that has changed me in so many ways. I want to write about this experience, but am not about to write a memoir because–who is Cindy Swain?–exactly, I don’t think many people know or would care to find out. I do, however, have a thousand stories that can entertain and I want to spread the message of how important it is to leave the comfort of your home…to challenge yourself to explore new places…and to experience culture while it still exists.
In light of this, my question to you is:
What are your guidelines for writing about what you’ve experienced and making sure that the story is fictionalized (i.e. the famous statement that “all of the events in the story are coincidental”)? For example, I grew up in a small town of 1,500 people and have spent the last 10 months traveling throughout New Zealand, China, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Europe. Can my main character also be from a small town? Can she also go on an around the world trip to the same countries? Could she participate in the same events that I did?
In other words, what is your advice and guidelines on how I can use my experience in writing a fictional novel, and how close can I get to describing the truth (in setting, description, events, emotions) but still have it remain a fiction rather than a memoir?
Dear Cindy,
When I wrote The Alchemist I was experiencing exactly the same questionings as you.
I had written before a non-fiction book about my pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela (The Pilgrimage) and I knew that I had to turn myself to fiction, in order to grow as a writer.
I had though, many things from my life that I felt I still had to share with others. That’s how the idea of using Santiago’s story as a metaphor for my life came up.
I think in your case – you are the only one able to truly draw the line between fiction and reality. Never lose sight of the fact that dreams feed reality and vice-versa.
Also, simply start writing: see where this will lead you.
Dear Paulo
Thank you so much for just ‘being’.At times I relate so much to your words and what you express thro’ your books that I feel kinda ecstatic as well as baffled also in some cases. Like the title of your latest book ‘The Winner stands Alone’ is a realization that I have come across in my life. I can connect to this title in so many ways and although i have not read your book, I feel like I have, in a way. BUT AGAIN THANK YOU FOR ALL THE EXPERIENCES…
what can we do when we feel to old to begin dreaming beacause we had crashed all are dreams??? one day i start thinking i want to be a great artist when i graduated highschool and the next day im just a student in highschool that is trying to graduate….
Cindy, when your book finish, I want to know which will be a Title, becouse I want to be the first readers…
Blessing,
Thank you Paulo for your advice and words of encouragement. I sincerely appreciate you taking the time to respond to my question. I am in the midst of writing and very excited to see where this journey take me. Thank you for being such great inspiration to follow our dreams in life, it is great individuals like you who are a catalyst in making the world a more fulfilling and positive place.
To everyone who left comments, I thank you for your words as well. Your support and belief in others to accomplish their goals and dreams makes the world a better place, a community of friends. I whole-heartedly thank you.
Savita–your words and advice are remarkable. I cannot express my gratitude enough–your answer has steered me in a new direction for my writing opening with it so many ideas for me to explore. In essence you have motivated me to write more freely, to let the “emotional truth” as you call it prevail in my work, which I know will make my writing a richer experience for the reader. You have an exceptional gift with words and an incredible ability to make an impact on people’s lives, particularly my own. Thank you!
Run Cindy,run.
I think that’s a rather negative statement coming from such a “great” man, Mr. “Alexander.” And who are you to tell someone to keep it to themselves?
At any rate, dear Cindy, some of the finest books I have ever read tread that fine line between fiction and memoir, and really, from the reader’s perspective, it is rather irrelevant what percentage of the story is actual fact and what percentage fiction. What matters is the heart of the story. As well, there is something that writers do, which is called “fictionalizing” the truth to make the story even more “true.” In other words, you start writing, based on an actual event or life-situation and, just going with the flow, suddenly you begin the blow-up the story into something bigger than life. And this isn’t a matter of merely changing the names of people and places, etc., it is more a matter of saying to yourself, in your mind as your writing: Okay, maybe it didn’t happen exactly like this, BUT…it could have, in fact, it should have. This is what is known as getting at the “emotional truth” of the story. Details and facts, in the hands of the writer, become mutable – it is perfectly okay to alter the tale in order to tell it the way it should be told – in the manner that conveys the greatest and most precise emotional impact.
I say write the story exactly how you “feel” it – follow your impulses, feel free to play with it, enjoy it, like the act of molding clay. Don’t worry too much, or even at all, whether you are writing fiction or memoir – just write, and let your publishers decide with what labels and under what genre to market the book.
Now, on the other hand, if you are concerned with how only SOME of your readers are going to react, namely those who actually inhabit this small town of 1,500 people (incidentally, my town has the same population), then this is a different issue. What we are talking about here then is “personal risk” on the part of the writer – you – how much risk you are willing to assume in writing your story. Sometimes, in this respect, it can be helpful to actually name this risk(s). Make out an actual list. For example: “I am afraid to tell about the incident at the Christmas party at my mother’s house, particularly to reveal the dialogue that took place between myself and my sister, because I fear that when my mother reads this, she will be deeply wounded for the rest of her life.” That’s just an example, but there are lots of different kinds of “personal risk” that the writer can incur in the process of “telling it like it is.” You might be afraid of offending or hurting, even losing, certain family members or friends. You might also be afraid of what people will think of you when they see the real you (the part within each of us that lies buried beneath the social facade or mask we use on a daily basis.) Anyway, think about this. Name these risks in as much detail as possible and then consider whether or not they do seem worth taking. You may be surprised. Many monsters shrink when we fling open the door and invite them out of the closet in which we have so long kept them hit.
Gotta run now.
Very best of luck to you.
Don’t quit, and don’t listen to the Mr. Alexanders of the world.
Savita
i believe that if u believe and take a risk and write and explore urself to the world,,,,, u can do A LOT… u have to believe in urself and be vvvery happy in ur way (path), we dont alwys become THE BEST SELLERS BOOK WRITERS, but we can still be writers and society can enjoy our story!!!!
DO IT START ……..
good luck to u!
orly
From the small seeds of writing, great things can grow.
If everyone wrote his or her personal story, then there would not be any heroes for the people to worship. So, dont write my dear friend…keep it for urself.
Dear Paulo!
I really happy, that I can write to you. I love all your books, and speacially your quotes about life. Your books is very interesting and I with my friends always waiting for a new one. I want to say THANKS, because all your books it’s the best stories, that I have ever written! And I want to ask you: what book will be the next? And when?
Sincerely yours Nataly.
Tell your story Cindy… this feeds the Universe with nourishment for generations to come… we are all living our stories…
Love, Paul
just to say that i loved both question and answer and couldn’t agree more.
Best regards, aline.
My dear Paulo Coelho and Cindy Swain, as a …. reader my opinion is that it is not the plot or the story we want to say that really matters, but ‘the way’ it is told! It is the ‘gift’, as in every art, the ability to perceive and express harmony and beauty. To be a poet.
LOVE,
Thelma
Join the words in the reality then bring them towards the fiction to make the reader dream and return in certain real facts to feed the words of a reality to be presented in the dream of the words (because it is that the reader needs: evasion and report in his reality)
Cindy swain : you are , because you live …
Love .
Sido
joindre les mots dans la réalité puis les amener vers la fiction pour faire rêver le lecteur et revenir dans certains faits réels afin de nourrir les mots d’une réalité à présenter dans le rêve des mots ( car c’est ce que le lecteur a besoin : évasion et rapport à sa réalité )