Intro:
Do you want your story to be heard by the world? but it can be overwhelming to start writing a memoir. Every person has a story that can impact others but they never show it up.
But who stops you from doing that? You can write a memoir by just spending a few hours on your past event. Memoir is a catchy collection of your stories but they are different and easy from autobiographies.
Although, every person can write a memoir about something significant in his life. You just need the killer tips to start a memoir. So, get these tips to write a memoir today!
What is a Memoir?
A memoir is tale of memories that are written to depict a picture of the writer’s life story to impact readers. It can be written about a specific event in your life or a collection of moments you have in mind.
It includes themed events that had been important in the author’s life. Memoirs are written to give lessons or impact others. It is a reality-based storytelling that gives an impulse to readers. It is written in the form of fictional writing.
You can write a memoir on your own or you can get assistance from a memoir writing service.
What are the main types of memoirs?
Memoirs are written on different themes. It comprises of structure that suits the main object of the memoir. So, types of memoirs define the objective of writing them.
1. Personal Memoir
A memoir that is written about a personal event of the author. It can be an experience, event, or tragedy faced by the author. He writes the story around that personal experience and the results or lessons he got from the story. It is the most common type of memoir.
2. Professional Memoir
A memoir written about the professional experience of the author lies in the category. It can be a decision, career development, or hurdles faced to get a position.
For Example, an athlete would write about his journey to reach the Olympics. There would be efforts, failures, or circumstances that add value to the memoir.
3. Confessional Memoir
In this type, the writer tells something confessional. It can be a failure he had faced or a wrong decision he made in his life. The main objective is to write a memoir for confession. It can be a motivational or self-growth topic.
4. Travel Memoir
In a travel memoir, the memoir writer gives a picture of his journey to a location. It can be a story that fascinates the reader or something that gives knowledge. Travel memoirs are used to pen down the best travel experiences you ever had.
What should be the length of a memoir?
Memoirs can be written on different lengths and word counts. An Ideal memoir can be 50,000 to 60,000 long. It depends on the relevance and details of the content.
Memoir Writing Vs Autobiography Writing
Some people get confused before writing a memoir or they think that autobiography and memoir are the same. However, autobiographies and memoirs are different in content.
Autobiography writing is a self-written life story of the author. It is based on facts and the entire history of a person. It is a detailed document to represent someone’s course of life.
While the memoir is non-fabricated, based on the true events of a person. It represents a specific part of the writer’s life.
Memoirs can be written in any structure that suits the writing style while an autobiography is written in chronological order.
How to Start Writing a Memoir
Writing a memoir gets you to an entire list of queries that begin with how to start writing a memoir. But you can keep tracking your memoir writing if you follow the basic steps of it.
Make a memory list for writing a memoir
To start a memoir, you must have a good amount of data about your past events. You can start writing from the list of your memories.
So, make a wide list of memories you have in your mind. Jot down any detailed event, a good or bad experience that changed your life in some context.
You can prepare a list of memories above 100. After picking up one from the list, you can start writing a memoir around it.
Look into the most important events
Start diving into your past. Look at your transformation, and find reasons for a change inside you. You can identify the points where your journey turned into transformation.
Discuss with others
You can start a memoir by discussing the idea with others. You can talk to your childhood friend, your family member, or a colleague you have been in contact for years. It will give you a new perspective.
Start with the ending point of the Memoir
If you are confused about starting a memoir, you don’t need to be worried. You can write a memoir from the ending point. It can be a lesson or result that you got from an event. Write about it.
10 Tips for Writing a Sensational Memoir!
There are different steps for writing a memoir. Once you have a memory or event from your memory list, you can start planning and outlining your memoir. Although you need incredible tips to make your final draft heart-touching for readers.
Besides writing on your own, you can get the services of a memoir writer. Many agencies that lie under the writing and publishing services category also provide memoir writers.
1. Plan and Research
Firstly, plan a story you are going to write. You can recollect your memories and past events to get the best structure for writing a Memoir.
2. Make an Outline
To have a better start in creating hooks and a plot of a Memoir, you must make an outline. You can design an outline based on important events or you can add catchy information first to start to grab attention.
3. Collect and Check Facts
To ensure a good data collection always fact-check. You can ask your family or friends who have been there in that particular part of your life.
4. Add Relevant Details
Make sure to include relevant details of the events. You can add any emotional thing that gives readers a sense of connection. Always write a memoir in a way that relates to others.
5. Follow a theme
Memoirs are written to give a lesson or moral. You should have a theme or context in the memoir. You can create a theme based on the result of that memoir. Give a direction to readers that holds them till the end.
6. Prepare the final draft
After outlining, now you need a final draft of your memoir. Here are the important tips to pen down the draft.
- Write in order of Memoir Outline: You have your memoir outline that is structured with concentration. Keep it in mind and make a draft according to it. You will get a good memoir title by outlining the content.
- Complete the characters: Make a list of characters involved in your memory. Explain every character of your story. They make or break the crux of your memoir.
- Include details: Always catch the details of the story. You should focus on elements that depict real scenarios. It will make the memoir interesting.
- Proofread: After writing the content of your story, make sure to proofread it. It should be grammatically correct and coherent in reading.
- Get feedback: Get feedback from your family and friends. Give your memoir to read and get honest critiques.
7. Get your story finish
Most writers don’t finish after starting a memoir. You should practice a daily word count until you complete the final draft. If you stop the memoir writing for a while, you will lose the main theme or interest in it.
8. Be truthful
Memoirs are true stories of someone’s life. Always be truthful so that your memoir can reflect the essence of your experience.
9. Add a secondary story
While writing your memoir you can add the story of someone else’s experience. It can favor your memoir and give an interesting insight.
10. Develop a clear lesson
When you create an outline, make sure you have a clear lesson or moral of the memoir for your readers. Your readers can not conclude if your memoir lacks a lesson.
Ending Note
A memoir is a specific course of events in your life. However, you can write a memoir to define various events or experiences in a storytelling format. It can be lengthy or concise based on the need. This guide will help you to write a memoir for yourself.
