To any writer who hasn’t read both these books, I say drop everything and order them today. They are essential reading to developing a voice, a style.

Mark, in the two brief paragraphs that I gave to the subject of voice in this post, I was trying more to make a point than instruct. But I’m glad you bring this up. And if I might make an analogy, your Constructivists versus Strunkers is not unlike the difference between the Lee Strasberg Method actors, who draw on their life and recollections of emotions to create their characters, and anyone who really learned to “act,” whether classically trained or one who just strove to learn everything he or she could about the craft and hone his/her skills. Both camps have produced good actors although I sometimes wonder if the best Method players haven’t evolved into classical actors as they learned.

Thanks for raising this point, Mark. Now I’m going over to read your article. Thanks for the link.

I think Julie’s story really shows how taking an interesting “spin” on your own life makes for interesting memoir. When writer’s first start wanting to write “their story” they may be overwhelmed with a life-time, when they really should just focus on a life-theme.