Writer’s Workshop: Memoirs

Goal of a Memoir

When writers want to make a memoir, they need to look for life topics

Life Topics need to have an “AH-HA” moment… in other words, there needs to be some learning that took place

The reader should be able to identify what the writer learned

Brainstorming Topics

Think about life topics that matter to you (what is important to you?)

Remember, you want a seed story, NOT a watermelon story

List memorable moments or life topics Imagine situations or places and sketch

those ideas on paper

Write Small

The bigger the topic, the smaller you should write

“The bigger the meaning, the smaller you write” Richard Price, poet

Think about Eleven

Gaining depth to your writing

Sometimes writers look at seemingly unconnected topics and ask, “How might these connect with each other?”

Oftentimes, there are underlying issues or truths beneath the seemingly separate bits.

What feelings do I want this story to show?

What feelings or thoughts do I want at the start?

How does that feeling change in the middle? What does that feeling become at the end of

my story? What overall mood do you want your story to

convey?

Tips to Remember

Lead: Grabs the reader’s attention (setting the scene, dialogue or action)

Body: Rising action, climax, falling action (think of the story mountain)

Conclusion: Ties up loose ends