fear

[TheSkronkDonkey]

Originally Posted by marlowe

Well what you say here shows you already have a good feel for what you might do and IMO it fits. My thoughts: Yes, it's narrative, it's in the genre 'narrative nonfiction' or 'creative nonfiction', or to use a more old fashioned term 'memoir'. 'Narrative' is important: it should have a beginning, a middle, and an end; ie. arrival in Indonesia, encounters with transgender folk, revelation (where that journey has brought you to now).

Yes! The structure can even be Campbellian. That is:

DEPARTURE (Beginning)

INITIATION (Middle)

RETURN (End)

Joseph Campbell was really writing about the emancipating function of mythology and the way it seemed to fit within this basic structure. It's more mental / spiritual than physical / literal, too -- i.e. you don't necessarily have to physically depart (though travel and displacement are recurrent metaphors in mythology) but you instead depart from your old beliefs and limitations as an individual, becoming more aware of the "larger world" (a Star Wars quote) around you, going through trials (and error ) in one's initiation and returning or reconciling with one's old self with the "boon" (a Campbell quote) of new knowledge and understanding, garnered directly through experience.

If the book was written in THAT manner, then it might read as a powerful statement about the liberating function of life for those bold enough to embrace it. In this respect, it would also RAISE AWARENESS in others as to their own dogmas and prejudices and ENCOURAGE them to move beyond their fears. I'm sure Hank already has this intuitive awareness and would accordingly make an excellent storyteller. If you've really got a story to tell, the book should almost write itself.

Anyway, there have been some really insightful and articulate replies in this thread, all coming from unique angles. This is the sort of thread that validates the "Shemale-Chat" forum and the board's continued importance beyond titillation.