Blog Posts
How to write a memoir in the shadow of The Salt Path
(with memoirist Samantha Stacey)
Hello and welcome to this week’s blog.
There has been a lot of talk/controversy recently regarding the international bestselling book The Salt Path by Raynor Winn. This is not the first memoir to court such attention. For example, back in 2003 James Frey released his brutally honest account of his own drug addiction and alcoholism. It was a book championed by Oprah Winfrey, no less, and remained top of the New York Times bestseller list for 15 weeks. Sadly, it transpired that whole chunks of the book had been made up and was more fiction than non-fiction.
As a storyteller myself, I am not best qualified to discuss the pros and cons of writing a memoir. With that in mind I asked memoirist Samantha Jayne Hunt Stacey from the Hog’s Back Writers Group for her view on how best to write a memoir.
A Path Less Salty - the interview
"There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you." Maya Angelou
Mark: It would be remiss of me not to at least address some of the issues with The Salt Path book itself. So, what did you make of it?
Sammy: First off. I’ve got to come clean. I’ve never read The Salt Path!
Mark: No? Why?
Sammy: Well, I had heard about it of course. A good friend, Carolyn Drever, who is a nature writer, recommended it to me. I listened to an interview, and it didn’t hook me. It did the opposite. It gave me the heebie-jeebies!
Mark: That’s quite a reaction. What do you think was behind that?
Sammy: I couldn’t relate to it in the slightest. I couldn’t imagine reacting to being homeless and ill by going for a long hike. It didn’t make any sense to me.
But I mentioned it to my hubby. He read it and loved it. He thought it was beautifully written - connecting with nature was something he could strongly relate to. He found the emotional aspect of their story, their homelessness and illness compelling, and part of the book’s appeal. He felt angry on their behalf. He read the second book too and was part way through the third when the news broke.
Mark: How did he react to the controversy?
Sammy: He was both surprised and very disappointed. He felt that Raynor had written a book that was honest, heartfelt and emotionally engaging, especially when writing about her husband’s illness and her fear of losing him. He found it difficult to believe she was making it up. And yet the Observer article seemed well researched.
For him the appeal of the book rests on the story being true. He certainly wouldn’t enjoy something if he felt he was being taken for a ride by the author. The book was clearly marketed as a true story not as fiction.
He thought the initial statement Raynor Winn made was weak. The detailed rebuttal notably didn't deny some of the allegations but tried to vaguely wave them away as mistakes. The author justified leaving it out by saying it happened before the events of the book, and that the actual events in the book were true. My husband felt inclined to give her the benefit of the doubt on this point but felt that the true backstory changes the whole context of the book, so that it wasn't really telling the true story. But the things she wrote about connecting with nature are still true. She was also making important points about the impact of homelessness and how the scale of it is too often minimised and ignored. It's a pity that the row about the book has overshadowed that message.
Mark: You mentioned that a nature writer friend had recommended the book, how did she react? For example, would it impact her writing genre?
Sammy: She didn’t think it would have much impact on the genre as people are used to the media and publishing being inventive with the truth. She felt that many readers had noticed the vagueness surrounding the account of the financial situation in The Salt Path, and it was interesting that the details had eventually been investigated. She pointed out how the initial success of Raynor Winn made publishing houses more willing to consider representing a wider demographic. This has led to more people of colour and working-class writers entering the genre, breaking up the elite a little, and giving readers more choice.
Mark: I wonder how, in general terms, does the discussion affect you, as a memoirist?
Sammy: We have to remember there have been cases where memoirs or diaries have turned out to be less true than the readers were led to believe. People have been discussing where the line is for a long time and how flexible one can be. But I do hope that fallout of the Salt Path will lead to greater reliability and honesty in the genre.
Mark: What does this mean for you and other memoir writers?
Sammy: Let’s be honest here, in order to ‘dramatize’ a story there must be room for some poetic licence. Perhaps we need to combine events, create dialogue or tweak the timeline. But there is a huge difference between oiling the story to make it smoother and adding fabrication. For example, when we watch a historic film, we are ready to accept that it may not be 100% accurate. However, a documentary covering the same subject would need to be more truthful to the actual events, the people involved and places it happened.
We see a whole range of ways of dealing with this. ‘Based on a true story.’ ‘Inspired by a true story.’ There are disclaimers and explanations. We may even create a character to help convey the story better etc. These are sometimes necessary, especially with historic stories. But with memoirs we expect the truth. Not necessarily the whole truth - it is not an autobiography. Only the rich and famous have enough interest in them to write about their entire life. Memoir is a slice of life, a short time period or theme. It doesn’t try to tell everything - it doesn’t need to. You want to write something that is honest and engaging for the reader.
Mark: So, is it worth writing a memoir?
Sammy: Yes, absolutely. I teach memoir writing workshops. I encourage everyone to write about their life, for their own satisfaction and as a gift to loved ones. It’s for personal growth and a great legacy. It can be as short or long as you like. Write a page one afternoon and add to it when you feel like it.
Mark: And what about trying to get published?
Sammy: If you feel you have a story that would be of interest to more than just the people who know you. It has to have some universal appeal. Memoirs aren’t just a collection of random memories or recounting all the things one has done or been through. What is your theme? What is your story arc? Who are your audience? Self-publishing is popular with memoirists. Traditional publishing can work for some.
Mark: Is there still a market for memoir, after all this?
Sammy: Yes. A true story well told is increasingly popular. Non-fiction that reads like fiction is a growing sector of the industry. Look at the top sellers. We read to know we are not alone. How better to connect than with non-fiction?
Mark: What is your top tip for would be memoirists?
Sammy: Write! Start with a vivid memory. Get it out of your body and onto the page. Read memoirs. Read books on a similar theme.
I teach memoir writing classes in person and online. There are books and courses out there. But for today, put pen to paper. You might surprise yourself.
Mark: How can someone remember it all? What do you do if you can’t remember everything?
Sammy: You don’t have to write everything. Books and films don’t show every detail. Pick out the scenes key to the emotional journey.
Get the first draft done. You can then fact check and research. Interview those involved, if you can. What documentation is available? Are there any photos, letters, diaries, or other memorabilia.
There are amazing resources online. There’s a Wikipedia page for each year. World news and events, sports, TV and film, even some weather can be cross-referenced. Google maps is fantastic to take a walk down memory lane. All these things help jog our memories and can help evoke the time.
The crafting, editing, polishing comes later – after all, none of this can happen until you’ve got a draft.
Mark: Any tips for those hoping to publish a memoir in the aftermath of the Salt Path?
Sammy: Be factually accurate. It has to be ‘true in essentials’. Memoirs are true stories that use the art of narrative fiction to make it enjoyable to the reader. Use your imagination and skill to write creatively but do not make things up - don’t change the tone. Story structure and fiction writing techniques can be useful to learn about but don’t feel beholden to them. Don’t bend your story out of its natural shape, even though publishers and readers may long for satisfaction.
Be mindful that opinion and interpretation are different from facts. When you use your creativity keep true to the mood of an event or conversation, even if you can’t remember everything verbatim. Ask the question, is there any evidence or strong likelihood that what you say happened, actually did happen, i.e. how probable was it? Acknowledge gaps and unknowns. Label inferences and guesses. Don’t leave out important things. Don’t be too tidy - real stories are messy even if may not satisfy a reader’s sense of story.
Mark: What if your interpretation of events is different from others?
Sammy: Write the first draft for you. But when you want to publish, you must consider those who are in the memoir. It may be wise to give them the chance to read the sections containing them before it goes to press, so that anything can be sorted out first.
Remember though that this is, after all, your memoir, others are free to write their own. Having a difference of opinion or interpretation is not the same as fabrication.
Mark: How do you put yourself on the page authentically?
Sammy: We used to talk about the hero of a story. Yes, you are the lead character in your tale. But we can’t be a hero. We need to be authentic. We need to be relatable.
If we reel off a diatribe of how awful life has been, how terribly others have treated us and how innocent and perfect we are, then that is for your therapist not the reader. Writing a memoir is therapeutic but it isn’t therapy. We need to have worked through our personal emotions and not have an axe to grind. If you have had a difficult time, show how you got through it. Be human. Show what these events mean to you and how you have changed. What is there for the reader? Why would they want to read it? What is in it for them?
Mark: Is all this necessary? Surely readers know it’s never going to be 100% true.
Sammy: I love how in the credits of Alan Bennet’s The Lady in the Van it states, ‘A true story’ and then slips in ‘almost’. As a novelist yourself you know there is an art to telling a good story - there is craft, shaping, timing involved. The reader, more than anything, doesn’t want to be bored, but they don’t want to be deceived either.
There is a spectrum. Documentary and reportage, travel writing and opinion pieces, memoir and autobiography, semi-autobiographical novels, and novels.
We want to be informed, educated and entertained. We do not want to be lied to.
Look at forewords, author’s notes, afterwords and acknowledgements: these are where writers explain their methods.
Mark: What if, ultimately, you feel you can’t be completely honest and ‘based on a true story,’ ‘Inspired by a true story’, disclaimers and explanations are not enough.
Sammy: Then it may be that memoir is not for you. But you may have the kernel of a novel. So many novels are inspired by real life, but fiction gives you freedom.
It does interest me that when someone writes a novel, readers are eager to know if any of it is true or based on a true story. And when someone tries to write a true story we are equally eager to pull it apart.
Mark: How have you managed all this in your memoir?
Sammy: The writing of my book has been quite a journey and it’s not over yet. I’ve learnt a lot. I’ve written and rewritten, got feedback and edited. My weakness is to be over-accurate and want to put in a lot of details that I remember or have researched that often need to be slimmed down for the benefit of the reader.
Mark: So tell us what is your memoir all about?
Sammy: My mother was adopted. She asked me to find out about her birth family. I discovered Mum had a twin sister! I managed to find her and reunite them. They got on the news and went viral. They are in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest separated twins to be reunited. I’ve nearly finished! Stay tuned! It’s called Intimate Strangers.
Mark: Thanks, Sammy. It’s been interesting to hear your thoughts.
Sammy: Thanks, Mark. It’s been a pleasure. One last thing…
Mark: Yes?
Sammy: I’ve added The Salt Path to my To Be Read Pile!
And Now the End Is Near - conclusion
“What would you write if you weren’t afraid?” Mary Karr, The Art of Memoir
I hope you guys enjoyed that interview with Sammy – remember to follow her on her socials to make sure that you get the updates as to when her book will be released. Personally, I found it fascinating and I hope you feel inspired to have a go at writing your own memoir.
As usual, I am more than happy to receive comments/feedback on this post or anything else on the world of writing and publishing.
Samantha Jayne Hunt Stacey https://www.facebook.com/sammythescribbler
Her memoir classes online are open to all. Email samanthajhstacey@gmail.com
Those interested in nature writing check out the Field Studies Council online courses
Dr Carolyn Drever https://littlebirdsaid.org/
(2025)
Derek M Cartwright