My audience

Am I writing this memoir for unknown readers, my whanau or just myself?

My mother wrote an amazing memoir in her eighties and we helped her print off enough copies for her to give to all the members of the family. It is a treasure. But I find that in my head I am writing for a wider audience than just family. I suppose that’s because all my past writing – novels, radio scripts, newspaper articles, plays – have been aimed at people like you – unknown readers.

For that reason I have to be more careful when writing about people out there who may still be alive (not many) or their families (myriad). And yet it makes it more interesting to mention names. I know some people will buy a memoir and then simply look up the index, then read only the sections where they feature.

If my memoir is published there will be no index. You will have to read the whole thing to find out if you’re in it.