Transcribing recent interviews for the most powerful piece I’ve written for Home Cookin’- The Stories Behind The Food, my POV should be noted.
Storytellers relate anecdotes and recite tales and their narration makes the audience identify with scenarios and characters. Creativity, humor, timing and merciless editing (aka “killing your darlings”) are important skills to possess. AKA chronicler, fabulator, raconteur, griot, spinner of yarns or anecdotist.
I stopped writing “Home Cookin’- The Stories Behind The Food” a few years ago. I’d written 20 profiles, a seemingly respectable number that was already a couple hundred pages. After 100 unsolicited queries were unsuccessful, and then Covid – the manuscript wasn’t going anywhere so minimal effort was expended by moi.
There’s also been movement on some cyber stuff. A few podcast interviews are happening and another is a food shoot in NY for a possible internet show. Eat This Tv wants me to come to NY to tape a pilot. I’d have to get there on my own dime but they pay all production and I’d retain the rights. It’s worth a shot so will move forward with it.
As is wont to happen with Home Cookin’ profile subjects, after agreeing to participate some come on board almost possessed to share their stories and others, not so much.
They’re reluctant and in need of gentle reassurance as most know trauma recently, if not currently.
An open book with words still warm from reading. That’s the goal here. To publish a manuscript that takes you from page to heart and back. It’s more than writing though. In order for that happen besides luck, it’s understanding how it’s done by developing relationships and connections and marketing and all the other crap I’ve never cared about.