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NYC VOICES: How long did the process of writing the memoir take?
CB: Five and a half years. I started in February of 2001 and just recently finished my last edit.
NYC VOICES: Why did you write the memoir?
CB: I have recovered successfully from schizophrenia and I wanted to show people how I was able to do that. I’ve known since I was seven that I wanted to be a writer. I’ve always loved to write. It is one of my great enjoyments. Also, I decided to publish my memoir because I feel there are not enough books about mental illness that are success stories. We need to see people doing well, to counter stigma.
NYC VOICES: What advice would you give writers in general?
CB: Write often. Maybe not every day, but even five minutes a day is a good start. Once you get going, you could join a writing workshop where people with similar goals meet. I also advise writers to read anything: fiction, non-fiction, short stories, poetry, a variety of genres. There are also some good author websites to browse.
NYC VOICES: What advice do you have for memoir writers in particular?
CB: Get it all out. Write anything. Do what I call “pre-writing”: get out the emotional content of your history, which is like therapy. And don’t edit anything until you are finished with the first 50 pages. After the first 50 to 100 pages, go back and revise, making sure your work has dramatic elements, such as rising conflict, vivid imagery, active voice and dialogue. If you intend to sell the memoir to a publisher, it must have a unique angle. Lots of people have had experiences with psychiatric hospitals and illnesses, but you need to ask yourself, “What’s dramatically different about my story?”
NYC VOICES: Fill us in a little about your own personal experiences in writing the memoir.
CB: Sure. In the beginning, I catalogued the scenes, so the narrative was rather wooden and flat. I had to cut out 300 pages. Over five years, with feedback from other writers, I edited and revised it completely. I found it necessary to do the pre-write I mentioned before to find the diamonds in my experience from my coals. I’m pleased with its final form because I worked hard to whip it into shape. I’m proud of my memoir, and if I don’t find a mainstream publisher, I’ll self-publish through iUniverse. The two prominent players in the “print-on-demand” market are Xlibris and iUniverse. Today someone can self-publish for as little as $500.00.
NYC VOICES: What are your future writing plans or goals?
CB: I intend on writing a second book. The first ends at age 31. The second will be from then on to my early 40s. Also, I’d like to write a self-help book on living well with schizophrenia. I also want to turn my memoir into a screenplay.
NYC VOICES: Let’s talk about the website.
CB: I had a web designer create www.christinabruni.com to promote my book, and give web links to articles I’ve published in New York City Voices and Schizophrenia Digest. The site contains an excerpt from “Left of the Dial” and includes a link to my online LiveJournal.
NYC VOICES: What exactly is LiveJournal?
CB: LiveJournal is an online writing forum, like a blog. A person can create his or her own blog by going to a website like blogspot.com or livejournal.com. The setup is usually free. It costs about $20 per year to link your LiveJournal to your website.
NYC VOICES: How much does starting up a website cost?
CB: For a beginner, it shouldn’t cost more than $500 to $750. Web hosting can be provided by companies such as www.register.com and, if you want no frills, www.tripod.com. If you want to try to “write code” yourself to create the website, pick up an instruction book. It shouldn’t cost you more than $160 a year for web hosting services.
NYC VOICES: Finally, what will you be adding to your website in the future?
CB: I’ll feature more practical and self-help articles. I expect to create a gallery of photos from my live performances at poetry readings in the city.