A Step-By-Step Guide To Writing Memoir

There are times when you want others to know about your different life phases. At that time, you might think of writing a memoir. But then there is an issue of where to start from. 

Writing a memoir might seem easy in the first place when compared with other non-fiction writings. As in memoirs, you don’t need to set any story plot, nor do you have to think about the characters. You are the main character, and it is easy for you to express your feelings. Still, this is challenging, as there are some hurdles you need to pass while narrating the truth. Let’s dive into some of these techniques to craft an outstanding memoir.  

Tips to start writing a memoir 

Your memoir must be engaging and real from start to end. If you are new to this writing, these steps will guide you on how to write a memoir.  

1. Grab the attention of the readers from the first word

The best memoir is one that keeps its audience engaged from the start. Start your paragraph with an engaging tone. This will help you keep your readers connected to your story from the first sentence to the last- creating a strong hook. 

Your opening will give your readers a snapshot of what they will learn through the story. 

2. Build a relationship of trust with the reader

A memoir is your personal non-fiction book that will cover all your details. You will be sharing the story with your readers who are new to you. Begin your story in such a tone that your readers know that you have never told anyone your story. Portray an image that the readers are your best friends with whom you share the story. This way you will build a strong connection with your readers. 

3. Add human touch

It is essential that you should use an approach that reflects the human elements. Begin the book from the first page in a way that you have incorporated your heart and soul into it. Use language that resonates with the readers on an emotional level. 

4. Incorporate humor  

Everyone’s life is full of brighter and darker sides, and there is no harm in narrating the darker side of your life in a memoir. You can make it engaging by adding humour to it. This will help your readers to stick to the book. While reading the story, they will reflect on it through positive feedback that will keep your book up on the bookshelf longer. Remember! You should know the limit of adding comedy so that people can enjoy it at the same time and not point to one person. 

5. Give it a  dramatic touch

Engage your readers in your memoir by adding dramatic situations. Just add a teaser of that event and cover it in detail later. This will help your readers decide if they can find your event interesting and if they should give it a deep read. Save up the details of the climax of the event for the last and concentrate on crafting powerful opening sentences. Always keep in mind that the height of dramas increases when there are twists and turns. 

6. Keep it relevant 

When you are writing a memoir, take this situation as you are sharing a life incident with your friend face to face. Then the question here might arise in your mind what makes an autobiography different from a memoir? An autobiography describes your complete life story, whereas memoirs are a slice of your life. In this slice of life, there are often some events that you think are not important to include, exclude them! If you find difficulty in making a selection of events you can always refer to services and say write my life story online and they will help you with relevant selection. It is important to add only relevant information that has strong connections with the story of the memoir.  

7. Write for readers but also yourself

Writing a memoir is a therapy. As you start unfolding your story, keep in mind that you are writing for someone else. It is essential to keep things relevant, but don’t forget to add the connecting details. For instance, in making your memoir relevant you might forget to add those small details that might help the readers to clearly understand what is going on in the story

8. Speak the truth

When you share your life story with the audience, you are promising them that whatever they are reading is true. There might be a situation in which either of your family members involved in your life story is a reader. Therefore, privacy must be maintained. For this, you can either allocate your characters pseudo names or some initials. 

9. Write in backwards direction

The last technique you can use in writing a memoir is using the backward technique. If you feel that you can write the middle of the story more perfectly before starting with the introduction, then choose this way. It is not essential to write in chronological order. You can start it in any way you want as the outcome will be a story that will reflect your life. While reading, the audience won’t be able to judge if the story is written in chronological order or not. 

FAQs

What is the format of a memoir?

There is no fixed format for writing a memoir. You can either present the events in the exact order in which they occurred. Or you can begin with the middle or the end of the story for variety. 

What three things must be found in a memoir? 

A memoir should include what they struggle with, what they are successful at, and what they wonder about. All these elements will make the story stand out.  

Now get out of the shell and write! 

When you are writing a memoir for the first time, it might be a daunting task. But you should keep in mind that anyone can learn the process of writing a memoir. Trust the values of your experiences. It is not about the stories you tell, but how you tell them. Most importantly, don’t give up!  

Following these guidelines, while writing a memoir, you will certainly grab your audience’s attention and leave them waiting anxiously for the next volume.