Write It All Down By Cathy Rentzenbrink
Before I start this reflection on Write It All Down by Cathy Rentzenbrink, I should make a full disclosure. I am a huge fan of Cathy’s work and as such I found myself impatiently waiting for the release of this book. In a bold move (very unlike me), I approached the publishers – Bluebird Books For Life – and asked them if I could get my greedy little mitts on a proof copy of Write It All Down. Luckily for me they kindly agreed.
As I’ve mentioned in a previous post I had previously been accepted onto Cathy Rentzenbrink’s -' ‘Writing a Memoir’ course in London. I was hugely excited at the prospect of mixing with similar minded people; I was looking forward to learning about the craft of writing from Cathy and my fellow students and I was also looking forward to escaping the rock for some time in London. Then the pandemic hit, and the course was very sensibly cancelled.
Muddling My Way Through A Memoir
In the meantime, I decided to muddle my way through with trying to write a memoir of my life detailing what happened between 2018 and 2020. I was very clear in my head that I didn’t want it to be a misery memoir. I wanted to show that cancer isn’t all doom and gloom; there is still so much hope and humour to be found. A more Bridget Jones’s Diary (I know it’s fictional but that was the feel) type attempt. Honest, frank but without the dating or dieting and a little more chemo. I started writing it and sent it off to some publishers (in a rash moment of madness). It even got as far as acquisitions with one publisher, and I’m told there was a lot of discussion and that it was very close to being accepted. Argh. But it was considered too big a risk. I completely get that. A chatty cancer memoir is rather niche. Talking about illness is also seen as something that is rather taboo. But I was still thinking that this was something that could help others. A reassuring, real-life, hopefully funny with some useful information too. It’s what I wanted when I was diagnosed. So I sent it to another publisher and they came back to me within 24 hours and said they were interested and could I send them more. That’s when I lost my confidence. I was now questioning whether I wanted this out in the real world. I was already feeling vulnerable and wasn’t sure it was the right time. I also had some niggling doubts about the manuscript and wanted to tweak it. Plus, who would really want to read my words?
I went back to my manuscript, tweaked it some more, edited it, added to it, and finished it in December 2020 and I put it away with the idea of coming back to it in January. In a way I felt it had served its purpose. It had proved cathartic. It had allowed me to navigate the complex feelings I had surrounding cancer and the guilt I felt for what I’d put my family through. Then 2021 hit and I was told my cancer was back, but in my ovaries this time and as such that manuscript has still sat there untouched. Write It All Down has, however, given me the confidence to start thinking about revisiting that manuscript. I certainly need to add to it, at least!
How Write It All Down Has Helped Me
I have read many, many books about the art of writing and there are lots of good ones out there. But what I’ve found is that they are mostly very mechanical. They lack the warmth and the encouragement. They read like a science experiment, just very formulaic and that jars with me. Write It All Down is the book I’ve been waiting for! Cathy seems to understand our fears, I guess because she’s felt those fears too. She knows about vulnerability. Cathy shares her own personal story with regards to writing and it makes for a very intimate read, it makes you immediately trust Cathy. This is a book that will help you and make you want to get your life down on the page. It’s like having a reassuring friend sat at your elbow; the friend who banishes all those self-doubts away. Cathy makes you believe that you can do it. She makes you excited for the whole writing process.
Write It All Down will help you recognise all the barriers that stop you from writing. Turning the pages of Cathy’s book and reading her words will make you feel brave and fearless. It will make you delve into yourself, and it will show you how transformative getting your words down on paper can be. Honestly, I’ve highlighted so much of this book and scribbled ‘YES’ so many times in the margins. This is a book that will galvanise you and have you reaching for your pen or laptop. As well as being a brilliantly reassuring read, this is also a book full of practical activities. Tasks that will help you when you are struggling to get the words down, activities that will help you find your voice, settle on your theme etc. In fact, many of the activities and advice in this book I have also applied to my other writing.
I would go as far to say that this is the best book I own about the craft of writing. It’s just a wonderful invite to share your life on paper. So, what’s stopping me? I think it might be time for me to get out my manuscript again. Will you join me?
Write It All Down By Cathy Rentzenbrink is released on the 6th January 2022.