Having written three memoirs, and with a future fiction novel well underway, the question of what to call myself crossed my mind...
Am I a WRITER? this would seem a logical description seeing as I wrote these books. But think deeper - the term WRITER suggests physically writing by hand, pen (or pencil) on paper - I tend to use a computer, so WRITER might not be appropriate.
Also, when I hear the term WRITER, I associate it with someone who writes things other than books, such as articles, blogs etc.
So, if not a writer, then am I an AUTHOR? The term AUTHOR is defined as the originator/composer of any literary work (as opposed to a compiler, editor, translator etc.). This would seem to fit. Plus, authors are regarded as writers (effectively a sub-group of a writer).
Could I be classed as a NOVELIST? This term suggests someone who has written a novel. But would you describe a memoir as a novel? Some traditionalists might suggest that a memoir is a class of book in its own right, and that a novel is a totally different species. When my forthcoming fiction novel is published, then NOVELIST might be a good description.
Working along the same lines, might the term MEMOIRIST be most accurate at the moment? After all, I have three memoirs published.
You might think of words such as WORDSMITH, PEN-MAN, or even SCRIBE, but, to me, all of these titles suggest someone more interested in the putting together of "flowery" language, the art of literature as opposed to the art of telling a story. For example, Shakespeare might fall into this category, and I would in no way compare my writing to that.
To me, my writing is not so much about the words that are used, it is more about what they describe, the content, the story.
From here, it is a small step to think of myself as a STORYTELLER, or to be more accurate, a LITTERARY STORYTELLER, one who uses words and writing to tell a tale. I write the way I speak, telling a story through description using modern language. After all, my three memoirs tell the story of my life, in my own words, as if I was speaking to the reader/listener in person.
Maybe this is the better title for me at the moment.
No matter what we call ourselves, no matter what title we give; I am ultimately telling a story (be that my life story or a made-up story from my imagination). In my own mind, I am a STORYTELLER first, an AUTHOR/NOVELIST second, but ultimately, a WRITER...
The Memoir Series consists of three titles:
"Beyond the Waves: My Royal Navy Adventures"
"Single-Crewed: My Life as a Police Officer"
"Gone Diving: My Adventures Above and Below the Waves"
All three are available in paperback and Kindle formats from your local AMAZON outlet or from https://ajheasman.wixsite.com/author
FREE to read if you are a subscriber to Kindle Unlimited or Amazon Prime.
