Rob Henderson was born to a drug-addicted mother, never met his father, and bounced around the foster care system. He spent years bottling up the pain. Then, he captured it in a memoir. Here's what the book taught him about writing: 1. Write from your scars, not your wounds. 2. Scars are sources of pain that've healed. They're traumas you've worked through and painful experiences you've made peace with. 3. Wounds are fresh sources of pain. They still hurt. Just the thought of them can lead to bitterness or resentment. But a memoir isn't the place to settle a grudge or lash out at somebody. 4. If you're writing a memoir and the story makes you look good, think twice about keeping it. 5. Memoir readers are inherently skeptical of writers who twist stories to make themselves look better than they actually are. 6. Orwell said: "Autobiography is only to be trusted when it reveals something disgraceful. A man who gives a good account of himself is probably lying." Readers feel this intuitively. As a writer, you have to guard against it. 7. A memoir isn't a heap of anecdotes or a hodgepodge of stories. It should center around a specific theme. 8. The theme shapes your personality in the story. The question isn't: "Who are you?" The question is: "Who are you in this story?" 9. You can write from the Voice of Innocence or the Voice of Experience. 10. When you write from the Voice of Innocence, you're telling the story from your perspective at that specific age. You're an innocent person who is totally blind to why things are happening and how it fits into the grand narrative of your life. 11. When you write from the Voice of Experience, you're looking back in hindsight with the benefit of perspective. 12. Beware of data and statistics. Too many of them will rip the reader from the story, and ruin the immersive experience you're creating for them. But good storytelling keeps them spellbound. 13. To write a memoir is to disclose information about the people who are closest to you. Surprisingly, the details you think will upset the people you write about probably won't, and the things you think are innocuous will get under people's skin. 14. The more vulnerable you feel while writing a story and the more trepidation you have about publishing it, the more you should probably keep it in your memoir. 15. At times in the writing process, Rob worried there wouldn't be an audience for his memoir - were his stories too niche? But Rob did the only thing any writer can do: he told his story with uncommon honesty.
Thanks so much David for having Rob on the show. He is one of my favorite Substack writers and I thoroughly enjoyed his memoir, "Troubled". I listened to it through Audible and he narrates it himself. He offered me what I cherish most in memoirs: A candid look into circumstances of life I will never experience myself, coupled with a host of very valuable life lessons and helpful guides to understand our world better. I believe that his concept of luxury beliefs and his focus on stability and love within the family are very valuable contributions to the current public discourse.
Thanks Rob and David. This episode helps immensely in my memoir drafting. Writing about the about the most painful memories from my two comas and the experience of having a tracheotomy was a cathartic experience.
@@DavidPerellChannel btw - Word of encouragement to you David Perell.... I'm not even a writer and I really appreciate your interviews. Your curiosity is obviously genuine and I think you're authenticity is a differentiator. Keep doing what you're doing 👍
![[Part 1] ทารกน้อยถูกทิ้ง👶 หญิงชราเก็บขวดขายเลี้ยงดูเขาจนโต #โลกการละคร](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/nPTDvFCExks/mqdefault.jpg)
Rob Henderson was born to a drug-addicted mother, never met his father, and bounced around the foster care system. He spent years bottling up the pain. Then, he captured it in a memoir.
Here's what the book taught him about writing:
1. Write from your scars, not your wounds.
2. Scars are sources of pain that've healed. They're traumas you've worked through and painful experiences you've made peace with.
3. Wounds are fresh sources of pain. They still hurt. Just the thought of them can lead to bitterness or resentment. But a memoir isn't the place to settle a grudge or lash out at somebody.
4. If you're writing a memoir and the story makes you look good, think twice about keeping it.
5. Memoir readers are inherently skeptical of writers who twist stories to make themselves look better than they actually are.
6. Orwell said: "Autobiography is only to be trusted when it reveals something disgraceful. A man who gives a good account of himself is probably lying." Readers feel this intuitively. As a writer, you have to guard against it.
7. A memoir isn't a heap of anecdotes or a hodgepodge of stories. It should center around a specific theme.
8. The theme shapes your personality in the story. The question isn't: "Who are you?" The question is: "Who are you in this story?"
9. You can write from the Voice of Innocence or the Voice of Experience.
10. When you write from the Voice of Innocence, you're telling the story from your perspective at that specific age. You're an innocent person who is totally blind to why things are happening and how it fits into the grand narrative of your life.
11. When you write from the Voice of Experience, you're looking back in hindsight with the benefit of perspective.
12. Beware of data and statistics. Too many of them will rip the reader from the story, and ruin the immersive experience you're creating for them. But good storytelling keeps them spellbound.
13. To write a memoir is to disclose information about the people who are closest to you. Surprisingly, the details you think will upset the people you write about probably won't, and the things you think are innocuous will get under people's skin.
14. The more vulnerable you feel while writing a story and the more trepidation you have about publishing it, the more you should probably keep it in your memoir.
15. At times in the writing process, Rob worried there wouldn't be an audience for his memoir - were his stories too niche? But Rob did the only thing any writer can do: he told his story with uncommon honesty.
Rob Henderson is the goat.
Thanks so much David for having Rob on the show. He is one of my favorite Substack writers and I thoroughly enjoyed his memoir, "Troubled". I listened to it through Audible and he narrates it himself. He offered me what I cherish most in memoirs: A candid look into circumstances of life I will never experience myself, coupled with a host of very valuable life lessons and helpful guides to understand our world better. I believe that his concept of luxury beliefs and his focus on stability and love within the family are very valuable contributions to the current public discourse.
So timely. This will be a treat.
Enjoy!
Really resonates with Rob, and very informative. Bought his book- first memoir other than Steven King’s.
Another fantastic episode. Thanks David! :)
Love it!
Thank you for this David! I just started writing personal essays and I feel like I manifested this!
Hahaha… happy to hear it
Thanks Rob and David. This episode helps immensely in my memoir drafting. Writing about the about the most painful memories from my two comas and the experience of having a tracheotomy was a cathartic experience.
Thanks as always dude. Still never missed one episode. Best podcast ever!
Perfect timing. I'm just finishing his book today! Probably my favorite book that I've read this year so far. Highly recommend.
Oh yeah that’s killer timing indeed. You’re definitely gonna like this episode then.
@@DavidPerellChannel btw - Word of encouragement to you David Perell.... I'm not even a writer and I really appreciate your interviews.
Your curiosity is obviously genuine and I think you're authenticity is a differentiator. Keep doing what you're doing 👍
Great idea! Great questions! Rob is phenomenal!
I hope you get to JK Rowling one day!!
Growing up in similar neighbourhoods as Rob
Real ones know you get into fights to build bonds with other guys
David Thanks for the BEST 💎(My favourite podcast)......We got ryan holiday's episode,Now when can we have ROBERT GREENE??😅
Rob is great!
Yes, indeed