Michael J. Fox Memoir Always Looking Up: Writing with Purpose

June 2, 2009 at 1:28 pm jdimos Leave a comment

Everyone knows Michael J. Fox, and you’ve probably heard about the recent release of his newest memoir Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist. Actor turned activist turned author, Fox has stolen the hearts of television, movie and literature fans around the world, in no small part because of his passion and optimism to share his experiences as well as his positive spin on his illness.

That said, writers must always have passion! Without the ambition and drive to capture your stories and interpretation of life, you’ll never be able to instill your message or stir emotions in your readers.

Consider Fox’s devotion to revealing his message. While balancing his family life and his activism at The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, he managed to dictate and help edit a book that had inspired (and continues to inspire) optimism in millions of people, whether they agree with his political views concerning stem cell research or not.

Writers are constantly faced with challenges; some deal with writer’s block; others map out crucial scenes over and over again until perfect; and still others pace the length of their office just like Fox, physically fighting to communicate his idealism and hope for the future. Watch the below Borders video in which Fox talks about his writing method and the challenges he faced writing Always Looking Up.

Whether the obstacles in the path of your writing career are large or small, remember that your passion for writing and your interesting experiences will fuel the completion of your manuscript. Though you may waver on occasion and neglect your writing schedule, never forget that you started writing for a reason, maybe personal, political or creative. Seeing your sentences move from chapters to a full manuscript to a publication that’s read by your target audience will definitely be a rewarding testament to your artistic achievement.

The Point: Like Fox, writers have unique insights and inspiring stories, and though you may struggle distilling your thoughts and experiences into a manuscript, ultimately the reward of sharing your story will be measured in the hope and revelation it instills in readers.

Entry filed under: Behind the Scenes, In the News, Interviews. Tags: Always Looking Up, challenges, Incurable Optimist, interview, literature, manuscript, Memoir, Michael J. Fox, Parkinson's, passion, readers, story, The Michael J. Fox Foundation, writers, Writing.

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