Many authors write memoirs for friends and family. When writing for family and friends, you must consider expanding the scope of your memoir. Adding details of family history can enrich a memoir for family and friends. Think about writing a memoir that serves a dual purpose: a personal memoir and a history for your family for generations to share. You could expand your story even more by dipping into the lives of your ancestors. This expansion may push your work into a hybrid of autobiography and memoir, but if your goal is to preserve family history, this kind of hybrid works really well.
Writing a memoir will take considerable time and you may wish to set simple goals, such as writing one anecdote a day or perhaps an entire chapter. If you only write when the mood hits you, you will probably not succeed. Stir up your memories, if possible, by revisiting places where your story took place. Our memories are fickle. Take time to interview friends and family members to gather extra details. Don’t be shy. Reach out to uncles and aunts, cousins, friends you haven’t spoken to in decades. Keep good notes, paying special attention to more than just the physical details but include notes about your emotional state as well.
As you gather family information, look for themes to serve as threads to hold your story together. Common literary themes include man against nature, man against society, and the quirks of human relationships. Does your family have any shared traditions or beliefs? Do you have a particular ethnic origin? Think about what sets your family apart. Has war, poverty, fortune or politics shaped you and your family? All of these details may seem overwhelming, but you won’t use all of them. This is the back story that will ground your memoir.
You are writing a story with a particular focus. Try not to write according to a time line. Set each memory apart. Give it a beginning, middle and an end. This way of writing will help you develop strong scenes for your book. As you put together your memoir, put aside the stories that stop the flow of your purpose. You may leave out an anecdote that you love because it doesn’t fit with the theme of your book. Tuck any unused stories away for other projects.
Choosing to write a memoir for friends and family is a worthy journey. Is there an episode in your life that must be shared? Is there some facet of your life that must be preserved for generations? Take this advice to heart and consider writing a memoir for your friends and family.