Have You Been to Rehab?
By Catherine McKenzie | February 10, 2012 |
Therese here. Today’s guest is author Catherine McKenzie. Catherine’s debut, Spin, which was an acclaimed novel in Canada, has just been released in the U.S. What’s it about?
Katie Sandford has just gotten an interview at her favourite music magazine, The Line. It’s the chance of a lifetime. So what does she do? Goes out to celebrate — and shows up still drunk at the interview. No surprise, she doesn’t get the job, but the folks at The Line think she might be perfect for another assignment for their sister gossip rag. All Katie has to do is follow It Girl Amber Sheppard into rehab. If she can get the inside scoop (and complete the 30-day program without getting kicked out), they’ll reconsider her for the job at The Line.
Katie takes the job. But things get complicated when real friendships develop, a cute celebrity handler named Henry gets involved, and Katie begins to realize she may be in rehab for a reason. Katie has to make a decision — is publishing the article worth everything she has to lose?
Catherine is not only a talented author, she also spearheaded an effort to shine a spotlight on books she feels didn’t see enough attention, by starting a Facebook group called I bet we can make these books best sellers, because in her words, “who says Oprah’s the only one who can get people reading?” I’m so pleased she’s here with us today to talk about writing what you know. Or don’t know.
Have you been to rehab?
When my first novel, Spin, was released in Canada two years ago and I began making the publicity rounds for it, I started getting asked some version of the same question over and over again. Spin is about a journalist who follows a celebrity into rehab, and what everyone wanted to know was: what had inspired this book? Had I, in fact, been to rehab?
I admit that I was shocked the first time I got asked this question. It was at a bookclub. I was the first to arrive (a perpetual problem) and the host was pouring herself a glass of wine. She started to offer me one, then hesitated. Did I drink or …?
Why was I surprised? Why hadn’t I seen this coming? Well, partly because it seemed a particularly personal question to ask, but also because my book was fiction. I mean, does Stephen King get asked if he’s spent time with The Tommyknockers?
So why, I was bold enough to ask back (after a couple of glasses of wine), had they asked that question? The answer that came back was always the same: some version of aren`t you supposed to write what you know?
Ah, that old adage that has somehow been turned into: aren`t you supposed to be writing about yourself?
Well, folks, I’m no expert but I beg to differ. You see, to me, writing about yourself is called memoir (or if you’re already famous, autobiography. What’s the difference anyway? I’ve never understood). A thinly disguised version of your life may be sold as fiction – legally it might even have to be called fiction – but it isn’t, really. At least, not what I think of as fiction.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I too have a novel that is a (partially) thinly disguised fictional account of some things that happened in my life. Current location: a deep dark drawer in my office. If I should die famous, perhaps some dedicated soul with spend their academic career trying to decipher what was real and what was fiction (hint to potential-future-academic: about half is total fiction, but honestly, don’t waste your time).
A writer friend of mine calls these kinds of novels “starter novels” and it’s a term that I think is entirely appropriate and have adopted. My starter novel certainly served a purpose. It taught me that I could write something that was 90,000 words long. It taught me that I could make things up (remember that 50%!). It taught me that to write a novel you have to learn how to write when you are not feeling inspired. Etc.
In the big picture, I essentially look at that novel as sorbet, a palate cleanser if you will. I needed to get myself out of the way (and down on paper) in order to be able to create imaginary people and situations. I started with me; I ended up with fiction.
Where am I going with this? Oh, right. Anyway, when I finished my starter novel, I had an idea for a novel that was completely fiction. I decided to write it. And while there are a few locations and events that are based on real life in it, I came to an understanding of what I think write what you know means. To me, it means taking the emotions you’ve felt through your real life experiences and transposing those onto your fictional characters. Something good has happened to my main character – how do I describe it? How do I feel when something good happens to me?
I think that this is how you write characters that seem true to life; not because they are based on real-life characters, but because their reactions to your imagined situations are true to life.
Funny side-related story: I admit that there are two people in Spin that are based on real people I briefly met. The dialogue attributed to them is pretty much exactly what they said (at least, as far as I remember it. There may have been a few drinks involved. Maybe that’s why people keep asking me if I’ve been to rehab?). When I’ve identified these characters as being “real” people (and even sometimes when I haven’t), I’m often met with the following reaction: oh, those were the only two people in the book who I didn’t think were real!
So, either I suck at transposing real people onto the page or there’s a writing lesson in there somewhere. You decide.
At the end of the day (overused expression) you have to write what you feel compelled to write. But I think you should challenge yourself. Just because writing about your own life is in many ways easier (no pesky plot to think up, for one) doesn’t mean that it will be the best thing you write. In fact, in most cases, I bet it isn’t.
And no, I’ve never been to rehab. Not even a little bit.
Thanks so much, Catherine, for a great post. Readers, you can learn more about Catherine at her website, or follow her on Twitter. Write on.
Photo courtesy Flickr’s Darwin Bell
A graduate of McGill University in History and Law, Catherine McKenzie practices law in Montreal, where she was born and raised. An avid skier and runner, Catherine is the author of 11 bestselling novels, including HIDDEN, THE GOOD LIAR, I’LL NEVER TELL and YOU CAN’T CATCH ME. Her most recent novel, SIX WEEKS TO LIVE, releases in Canada April 20 and the US May 4, 2021.
My current WIP is about an emotionless marriage. When I was explaining parts of it to my husband he said “Great. Everyone will think that’s how our marriage is.”
I guess we just have to prepare ourselves for the questions because they will come, no matter that it’s fiction.
Congrats on novel coming out! expect that question a lot – Catherine
Haha, yuuuuup. I often write about mother-daughter relationships, and about romantic love, and thus people often assume I’m writing about my own mom or boyfriend. Worse, my dad once asked, somewhat nervous/hurt, “Is there a reason the father is dead?” (!!)
I think these misconceptions and assumptions are inevitable, and the best way to handle them is with patience and grace. Heck, as a reader myself, I sometimes wonder how much is real vs. fiction in a book, so I can’t blame others for doing the same.
I enjoyed this article because it is what I expect will soon face me when my book is launched. I believe in writing about familiar emotions rather than familiar plot lines, and hope that the authenticity of my characters’ motives shines through.
Catherine, thanks for this post. I love the concept of the starter novel. I have two on floppy disks somewhere that I hope never see the light of day. Your premise sounds intriguing. It reminded me of Star Island, by Carl Hiaasen. The main character is hired to pose as a double for a musical artist while she is in rehab (supposedly based on Brittany Spears). It’s laugh-out-loud funny, like all of Hiaasen’s novels.
You’re right about people’s assumptions. My friends think the main character in my novel is based on me, but none of the stuff that happens to him ever happened to me. I do think every writer brings her insights and attitudes to their characters, eihter consciously or unconsciously. Thanks for a great post.
Thanks! And and gree with you wholeheartedly.
I thought I’d be able to steer clear of this kind of thing, as I write historical fantasy. Surely no one would think I had been the subject of a seeress’ prophecy, or that my wife was inclined to scalping her battle victims. But I still get readers trying to ferret out what I’ve hidden about myself and my relationships in the work.
One of my very dear friends was the first to read. When he’d finished, and before I had a chance to speak to him, he saw my wife. His first comment was, “None of these characters is based on anyone we know.” She said he sounded awed by the fact, and as if it’d taken him the whole book to figure it out. He meant it as high praise.
Fun post! Spin sounds like a great read. I wish you great success with your US release, Catherine!
Thank you! And very funny.
Boy, do I relate to this. I wrote a story about a guy who flunked out of college and was invited to go to New Orleans with a college friend who moonlighted as a stripper. I was that guy. But, I didn’t go. It had always intrigued (or haunted) me as to what MIGHT have happened. So I wrote ‘Escape to New Orleans’ to find out. Great cathartic.
It’s interesting how a topic like rehab becomes “something you know,” but a mystery with a serial killer is “Wow that’s incredible, how did you make that up.” I’m working on a memoir and sometimes when I share something, people will say, “Really? How could that happen?” Real life has many surprises and my standard response, “Truth is often stranger than fiction.”
Congratulations on your novel!
I’ve made peace with the idea that some people will always accuse writers of autobiography. If some vague acquaintance wants to think my life is as over the top as my fiction, why take that away?
Does this go to certain subjects being primed by routine gossip or the infotainment industry? For example, romance writers get asked about their “research” with lots of raised eyebrows.
The story itself sounds wonderful. Off to check it out.
So true, Catherine! Old friends or fam will read a work and try to pinpoint who it’s really about. Or that the heroine/protangonist is me. Now maybe traces of ourselves might seep into the work, but it’s fiction. Spin -sounds like a great read–good luck on your release!
“That old adage that has somehow been turned into: aren`t you supposed to be writing about yourself?”
Love this! It’s an adage that absolutely has to be cleared up for both readers and writers.
I also have to chime in and say that the one time I put a true event into a book, my agent made me take it out because it “wasn’t realistic enough and no one would believe it.”
Truth is stranger than fiction? Often times I think so.
That has actually happened to me twice! Obviously I don’t know how to write real people realistically.
I LOVE the concept of the starter novel. I finished my starter novel about 3 months ago and have it out to readers for feedback. It, too, is a fictionalized account of come circumstances from my own life, although mine is more than 50% fiction because I was afraid if I published I would get sued.
The farther I get away from it, the more I’m coming to think of it as a way of getting that story out of me to make room for other stories, and I have less and less of a desire to polish and publish it. When people question this, I’m going to tell them it was my starter novel.
This was really helpful for me and describes in essence the way I too learned to write fiction. I just wrote a short story about a woman who becomes addicted to sex and looses everything…so you can imagine the questions I get!
The first writing class I ever took I used a some real life happenings and dialogue and the feedback from the rest of the class was that people don’t act or talk like that and it wasn’t believable! I don’t think it’s about not being able to transpose real people to paper, I think readers often simply can’t relate to feelings they themselves haven’t experienced.
Congrats on the book. Can’t wait to read it!
One of the best interviews I’ve read. Love your voice & style. Now, off to buy the book!
Aww, thanks!!
Thanks for a very interesting, good post, Catherine! I understand where you’re coming from because in my novels I write about terribly dysfunctional families.
And, the thing is, I had the most normal childhood, watched over by two saintly parents – almost unbelievably ‘good.’
I think, now that I’ve got novel #6 coming out in the fall, that that’s precisely why I write about the things I do. Playing my favorite game – “What if?”
At my job, I tell ’em to write what they know–to start with. Then, when you’re comfortable, write what you don’t know. And then keep doing that, sprinkling in what you do know every now and then. But…some never get to that comfort level, so they only write what they know. “Write what you know” is definitely a mis-taught and misunderstood.
I had a starter novel, too. Though my definition of a starter novel is, “The novel you wrote first that doesn’t sell or attract representation.” I’m getting some short stories purchased and published now, so hopefully my current novel won’t be another starter novel.
Who wants more than one of those?
I’m definitely going to look at your FB site about authors whose books should be recognized. And thank you for the description about emotions. We don’t have to live through every situation in life but we do have to use our emotions to make the situation believable for our readers. It’s using that bucket of emotions we have that will make our characters spring to life.
Nice post.
Yikes. I write crime fiction. Sometimes dark, nasty crime fiction, about dark, nasty people with strange predilections. Maybe that’s why beta readers give me a funny look once they finish reading.
It’s called fiction for a reason, people.
Congrats on your novel. Terrific premise.
Thank you!
Truth may be stranger that fiction–this might have been invented to resolve any misunderstandings with fiction!