What is a Survivor?

When I hear the word “survivor”, I think about someone who lived through unthinkable and extraordinary circumstances, such as slavery, the Holocaust, or 9/11. I certainly do think of myself when I hear the word, yet I received the label a number of years ago after undergoing treatments for a serious health diagnosis. While frightening initially, in retrospect, the treatments were tolerable, and my story had a happy ending. Certainly, my health "scare" ordeal paled in comparison to other difficult things that I have endured in my life and lived to tell about; nevertheless, I will always be regarded as a survivor because of the health issue. I have never been comfortable with this identity, and I think we use the term too loosely.

Editorial Topic

As a third year, part-time OU student, I have only one gripe with this university: the Dean’s List requirements. My GPA should certainly earn me a place on the distinguished list; nevertheless, because I take fewer than 12 credit hours per semester, I do not qualify, and chances are, I never will!

As a “return to learn” (a/k/a “older”) student, I represent a small minority at OU. My full-time job and family obligations leaves little time for school, yet I strive to squeeze in one class each semester. I’m making the grades, and most importantly, I’m a paying customer here!

When I called OU administration a couple years ago to inquire about this requisite, no one seemed to know why the rule exists; however, numerous universities share the 12 credit hour requirement. My mission is to find out why and develop a good argument for change or at least compose a compelling editorial.

The Power of Persuasion

Any persuasion strategy has the power to convince me depending upon how the writer uses the technique. Citing reputable sources, stating compelling facts and stats, using comparisons, and appealing to my emotions all have the ability to pursuade me when used individually or in combination. The key perhaps is not the strategy itself, but the way in which the writer uses it.

I look for a writer to strike a chord with me somehow or present information from an angle I never considered, an "Aha" moment. I believe that most talented and effective writers rely on a variety of persuasion strategies to appeal to a diverse pool of readers, knowing that a single technique does not necessarily influence all readers alike.

Confessions from a Putter-Inner

So far I still need to slash 117 words from my final memoir if I am to adhere to the revision formula in Stephen King’s On Writing:

2nd Draft = 1st Draft – 10%.

Despite having cut entire paragraphs from my first draft, I nevertheless continue to slip in new words that seem to breed new sentences, and before I know it, the new stuff exceeds the amount deleted. Maybe I am trying to incorporate too many of my reviewer’s suggestions; perhaps I am simply a verbose and puffy writer. Whatever the case, the math is going in the wrong direction.

I loved the revision process King illustrated in his book; his “undressed” and “clothed” examples made editing appear so simple. However, in reality, revising, particularly pressing the delete key, is harder when the words are your own “little darlings.”

The Golden Rule

My first impression when I learned I had to critique someone else’s memoir was that I had no business doing so. Likewise, I somewhat resented the idea that my classmates had to analyze mine. In my mind, the professor was the only one who had the proper credentials to help make me a better writer. However, after reading James Drisko’s article, and finishing my own reviews of two peers’ memoirs, I realized that one does not necessarily have to be a professor or have years of experience as an editor to provide good feedback. As mere readers, we are all eligible for the job and can answer the questions any writer has: was my story entertaining, did you connect with it, why did it work, why didn’t it, etc., etc.? To me, the more perspectives and opinions I can get to improve my work and become a stronger writer, the better.

I admired Drisko's approach to delivering constructive feedback to writers. In essence, he practices The Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. I strived to keep this perspective in mind when reviewing my classmate’s papers. I also enjoyed learning about “The Sandwich Approach,” a technique that begins by providing the writer with strong comments, weaving in areas for improvement, then concluding with more remarks that are positive. Drisko’s advice provided me with good direction on how to offer constructive feedback, which, I hope, ultimately benefitted the memoir writers.

The Road to Hell is Paved with Adverbs

Stephen King's On Writing offered a lot of good advice, and a couple of things he emphasized will likely influence my style and approach to writing. For example, after reading King’s contempt for them, I will never look at adverbs the same way.

I always thought adverbs were a necessary element to good writing. King pointed out; however, the often-ridiculous context writers use them in and their overuse in general. In his initial adverb example, “He closed the door firmly,” I could not find fault. I liked the use of “firmly” and thought it had a rightful place in the sentence. Yet after King encouraged us to focus on developing stronger context to set the tone rather than taking the easy, lazy, or fearful way out by excessive use of adverbs, I recognized the redundancy and weakness of “firmly.”

King quelled another misconception I had about writing: an obligation to use fancy vocabulary as much as possible to impress readers while, at the same time, help them to enrich their own vocabulary. While he did advocate putting vocabulary on the top shelf of our toolbox, he nevertheless discouraged us from using fifty-dollar words when less expensive, simpler ones would do and illustrated that one does not have to use complicated language to have a powerful impact.

Although I may still use an occasional adverb or periodically sprinkle elaborate words into my writing, thanks to King's advice, I will practice caution when doing so.

Memoir-Bashing

How many times have I heard someone say, “I could write a book,” when referring to his or her life experiences? While few of us are destined to become best-selling novelists of the Stephen King caliber or proud recipients of a Pulitzer Prize for brilliant literary achievements like Toni Morrison, writing a memoir, on the other hand, just may be within our reach. Somehow, writing about our own life does not seem as far-fetched or unattainable as publishing other scholarly works, particularly if one does not write for a living. Memoir writing is therefore accessible to everyone regardless of experience level, and that is its biggest allure.

Unlike some of the opinions expressed in Ben Yagoda’s article “A Brief History of Memoir-Bashing,” I do not believe that if people write about themselves they are egotists or self-indulgent. Memoirs document our one-of-a-kind journeys. Whether they reveal personal struggles or share humoristic takes on life, memoirs are not only valuable legacies for future generations but also entertainment for readers. We all have stories to tell; likewise, most of us are intrigued hearing about others’ life experiences. Does that mean we are addicted to exposure or voyeuristic as alleged in Yagoda’s article? Perhaps, but I believe it is human nature to be curious about other people’s lives, and memoirs certainly satisfy our insatiable appetites.