So, You Want to Write Your Memoir?
Here are 4 Tips to Get Started.
Writing a memoir is so much more complicated than writing fiction. Putting yourself out there as a writer can be challenging for a writer of any genre, but it so much harder when it’s a story of your life. While fiction stems from your imagination, a memoir is deeper. Sometimes, it involves dredging up a difficult past or story that’s hard for you to discuss, but it can be very therapeutic.
I always say you have to be truly brave to tell your story, and I have immense respect for anyone who does.
That said, if you’ve never written a memoir before or any writing at all, you naturally wouldn’t know where to start. Writing a memoir is about so much more than having a great story to tell; that’s the first and essential part, but it’s not all of it. I’ve listed four tips to help you get started. Let’s dig in:
Focus on the Theme
The point of a memoir is to pass a message or teach, and every detail in your memoir should emphasize the message you are trying to pass. That’s why it’s essential to figure out your theme before moving forward with your memoir. That way, there’s no room for trivial or unnecessary information. People will not care what you ate or how you ate it unless it’s integral to your story. If you bore your reader, he/she will move on to the next non-boring memoir. To keep them engrossed, you have to stick to the central theme. To make sure you don’t deviate from your theme, write it down and refer to it as you write each chapter; that way, you’ll always stay on point.
Specify Your Target Audience
Your memoir is not for everyone, so figure out the people you want to talk to and talk to them. It could be young women trying to figure out their twenties or single fathers navigating fatherhood. If you try to talk to everyone, be rest assured that you are talking to no one. Specifying your target audience helps you take a more personal and knowledgeable tone. It also makes you relatable, and it will help your reader quickly connect to you.
Be Considerate
Unlike fiction, the characters in your book are very real. So, consider that before you write about them. Let them know you are writing a memoir with them in it and get them to sign a release if possible. Also, don’t use your memoir as a tool to be vengeful, be as honest as you need to be without sounding vindictive.
Tone is very important in a memoir, and what you say or how you say it is a crucial part of connecting to your reader.
But that doesn’t mean you should be afraid to really tell your story or show a person for who they really are. A person who wants to get offended will get offended. It’s not your job to hold their hand; it’s your job to tell your story. It’s, however, essential to give them a heads-up before you do.
It’s About One Moment
Not your entire life; leave that for your autobiography. Focus on that one moment in your life and build your story around it. Tell us why it mattered and show us what we need to learn from it. Don’t start from the very beginning of your life, not unless that’s the time frame your memoir revolves around.
That’s it. If you need help writing, plotting your memoir, or getting the theme and target audience down, book a free consult!
