The Liars We Are
A story of me…
We can become caricatures of ourselves through our efforts to pin ourselves down.
I’ve been thinking about the way I create my writer’s bios and interview answers. They gradually draft themselves into a format and perspective that I can then repeat. Over time, this repetition has the potential to solidify my views rather than allow them to shift and develop.
I’m being honest when I write about myself and my process. I do focus on certain things though, and I increasingly lean into that version, fine-tuning the ‘story of me’. It occurred to me recently how easily it could become a curated narrative that starts to stretch the boundaries of even creative non-fiction.
I’m concerned about whether I’ll notice if a version of myself becomes untrue, or if the story will continue regardless, become a believable fiction, an easy shorthand that will satisfy readers and allow me to focus on my work.
What if, rather than shaping the story of me, I start to be shaped by that very story? What if I become a character instead of a person? What if I turn up to events and listen to myself speak and wonder why it no longer feels true? What if I become… a liar?
The problem is that a shifting perspective often unnerves people because they don’t know what to expect. It makes us look inconsistent. So, it’s understandable that we might want to ‘place’ ourselves in the writing world, to try and make sure people know exactly who we are. But we need to recognise when that changes.
Of course, there are aspects of our personality and values that are unchanging, but many things in life are more fluid. We don’t need to lock ourselves down to one version, even if that version feels safe and cosy.
Note to Hannah: Don’t become shackled by A Story of Me.
· Short Story Collection, ‘Something Very Human’
· Website
Some aspects of 'A Story of Me' could be aspirational and worth living up to!