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I based my political memoir on my posts on my City Council Facebook page. A year later, I had a book.
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Anyone who engages on social media knows that a candid Facebook post is a double-edged sword. What you write is preserved forever and what you write is preserved forever. In other words, you need to handle it well right off the bat so that, instead of living to regret it, you can mine it for your memoir, like I did.
Someone asked me the other day if I kept a journal so I could write my political memoir
Soapbox: How I landed & lost a columnist gig, fought a prison and got elected. I replied, "Yes, on Facebook." You see, I hardly wrote in my journal while the events in my memoir were going on. Because goll, no time. But on a nearly daily basis, I posted my impressions on a grassroots political Facebook page called "No Prison in Tooele County" and my City Council page.
I run several FB pages. I run a political page (campaigning for City Council that morphed to serving on City Council), a fitness page (Desk Job Detox), and an author page (Jewel Allen - Journalist & Author). Whether or not those experiences merit a book someday, I have at least saved my memories and can go back and mine them for material.
By the way, even though I say I "journalled"
Soapbox on Facebook, I wrote my posts differently than an average journal entry. I tend to be a sloppy journal writer, when I know someone is not going to read it. Some days -- raise your hands if you are guilty of this -- I have the energy to write, "Busy day. I am ready for bed. Good night." Not a very reliable source for a memoir.
Here are some things that helped elevate my Facebook-journal writing into a resource for my memoir:
1. Create a Facebook page dedicated to your topic. A blog is okay, too. I have both, but I don't post on my blog as much. In this day and age of social media, a blog feels static. It's like throwing a party (blog) and everyone is at the neighbor's (Facebook). One way to blend the two (and capture the non-FB users) is to blog your post, then put a link on a Facebook page. Personally, as a Facebook user, I don't like multiple steps to access a post. If the text is copied onto a Facebook post, I am more likely to read it.
2. Commit to writing as close to daily as possible. If something happens that you learned from, or laughed or cried over, write it. In the heat of the moment. While the feelings and impressions are fresh. Be unflinchingly honest. You owe it to you, your reader, and it will most likely translate into better writing.
3. Feel the fear and conquer it. Sure, it's scary to basically post a raw, unedited version of events. Especially when you are dealing with sensitive issues. That fear means that you have something important to say. Embrace it. You can always delete the post later.
4. Well, sort of. If someone sees the post, they could screenshot it before you delete it. And even if they didn't, the damage is done. So, yes, be mindful of what you put out there. Don't write anything that you wouldn't want your subject to read later and get mad over. Don't libel or slander someone. If in doubt, keep it out. You can start with baby-steps by writing in a Word document that you know you can copy from before you put it on Facebook.
5. Writing a post nearly daily will train you as a writer to pay attention to details. It's great for characterization. I like noting physical details of people, how they walked. It's a carry over from my fiction writing. The medium also forces you to not carry on and on in a boring fashion. Get in, get out was my motto.
6. Type your journal. I used to write long-hand in pretty journals. Not anymore. My fingers can't keep up with my brain, so I have finally resorted to typing each journal entry in a separate Word document. I print each out afterwards in case my laptop gets stolen (one of my biggest fears). Then I put it in a binder. Here's a bonus benefit: often, I write in detail, then copy passages to put on my Facebook page.
7. Keep writing even if you only hear crickets chirp. There were nights when I wrote clear into the wee hours of the morning, if only to remember those details. Because the next day, your memory is not going to get sharper, and you will have to double-down on not just one but two posts. And then hardly anyone "liked" my post. Was it really worth it to write so that my husband and best friend could "like" it? I decided a book later that, yes, it was worth it.
8. The advantage of writing at the end of the day: you get sassier and have more of an attitude. Sometimes, you can be funnier. If you feel like murdering someone, then by all means step away from the computer. But give late-night writing a try sometime. It will bring you back to those all-nighters as a teen or new adult when you laughed your head off with your friends just being silly.
9. Hey, it's free psychotherapy. Sometimes, I don't know what I will write until I write it down. And often, I surprise myself with the conclusion. By journaling, I have discovered patterns, lessons, ideas and empathy for others. I understand myself and others better.
10. Finally, if you keep at it, pretty soon, you will build an audience who will ultimately rely on you as a writer. Your readership might start small, but if you are patient and authentic enough, readers will come. Not all will announce their presence. I've had people tell me, "I read your post about such-and-such," or, "You write great posts that inspire me to run."
Not all memoir topics translate well to the public process of Facebook journaling a memoir. Some topics are far too sensitive and raw to post it for all to see in unedited form. You have to decide if it's worth it to you. But if you are like me, and you need a little extra push to drafting that memoir, it's a fabulous technique.
Jewel Allen is an award-winning journalist, author and ghostwriter. She is the author of the young adult paranormal mystery Ghost Moon Night, and the political memoir Soapbox. Visit her at www.JewelAllen.com.
