Have you ever considered writing a nonfiction narrative to share your memory from a specific period? If yes, you are not the only person who is considering writing a memoir. Many want to share a part of their life with the world for their reasons.
Whether you want to write a memoir to preserve your family’s legacy or find your identity, it can be an enlightening experience. The excitement may want to make you pick up a pen and start writing right away, but it is not that simple.
Here are some effective tips that can help you write a brilliant memoir.
Table of Contents
1. Identify Your Own Story
Life can feel to pass by so quickly in the moment. However, you can understand how long you have come when you take a pause and look back. There have been so many ups and downs, surprises, and tragedies that have brought you where you stand today.
The first thing you learn when you look into how to write a memoir is that it has to be a nonfiction narrative on an event of your life from a certain period. You must identify that event and time period before you start thinking about and writing your memoir.
Take your time to think about your experience and events that you want to share in your memoir. Try to remember as many details as possible and make detailed notes on what you want to be recorded forever through your memoir.
2. Develop Your Writing Style
There is not just one way of writing a memoir. From descriptive passages to narrations and dialogue, there are so many writing styles that can help you tell your story. You must try out these different styles before you make up your mind on how you will proceed with your memoir.
The best part about writing a memoir is that there is no strict rule of sticking to one style throughout your memoir. You can use a mix of narrative, dialogue, and passages to create a memoir and connect with your potential readers.
3. Create an Outline
Once you have specified the plot of your memoir and know which writing style works best for you, the next important step is to create an outline. Jumping to writing your memoir directly from your memory is not a good idea. A clear outline can help you set your work to the next level.
As you start creating your outline, focus on ensuring a clear and logical structure. Add as many important details about the event, themes, and characters as possible. Each process can help you as you prepare to write your first draft.
4. Write Your First Draft
Your outline is your guide to navigating through the process of writing a memoir. Covering each part of the outline is like achieving a milestone and getting a step closer to your destination – a completed first draft for your memoir.
Remember that your outline is a guide, and you must never part from it during the writing process. Even if you realize that it needs revision during the writing process, take a break and revisit your outline to make the necessary changes. You can always start all over again.
Since you are writing your first draft, you do not have to strive for perfection. Give yourself room to make mistakes and learn from them. Your focus must be directed to getting your story down on paper once and for all.
5. Revise and Edit
Your first draft may not look anything close to what you may have envisioned, but it is a good place to begin. Now that the story you want to share with the world is down on paper, you can revise and edit it to refine it further. From here on, things will only improve for the best.
While you revise your first draft, focus on noting all possible ways to get rid of the basic errors, fix the flow, and ensure that your story is well-organized and easy to follow for your target audience. It can be a long process till you start seeing what you had envisioned.
It is important to keep in mind that revision and editing cannot be considered dealt with after just rereading your draft once. You will have to read your memoir’s draft several times to see major and minor problems and to fix them.
6. Use Sensory Details
Memoirs are often read by people who share the same interests and experiences as you. Your goal must be to immerse the reader in your life event and make them feel exactly what you felt through an experience in a certain period.
Descriptions of the scenes alone can never do justice to a good memoir. You need a lot more than that to engage the readers and make them feel the true extent of your personal experiences.
One of the best ways to bring your memoir to life is through sensory details. Write about the sights, sounds, smells, and textures of the places and events you are describing. These details can make your memoir a lot more engaging for potential readers.
7. Get Feedback
If you are lucky enough to be a part of a writing circle and are in touch with a writing mentor, you are some of the luckiest memoir writers. Being surrounded by literary fellows and experts means that you have access to constructive criticism and feedback.
Share your work with others and ask for feedback. Consider joining a writing group or workshop to get constructive criticism and support. The more your memoir is reviewed, the likelier it is to be improved. You can benefit a lot from suggestions and recommendations from your peers.
Of course, following suggestions or dismissing them is up to you to ensure a true and accurate account of your experiences. However, keeping an open mind and being accepting of input is always a good approach to growing personally and professionally.
