When writing a memoir for yourself, you still must examine your goals. Set aside some time to decide why you are writing. You may be trying to understand a relationship or an experience. Some try to capture the process of a private transition in life. Others search for understanding or seek recovery. There is no wrong reason to write a memoir. The only mistake is not identifying why you are writing.
For many, writing is way to make sense out of the chaos of life, a way to find emotional healing. It keeps them from sliding off the edge into irrational thoughts. Storytelling is the human activity of searching for meaning and reasons for why things happen. Some find the activity of putting words on paper calming. The act brings truth and clarity to their thoughts. Few will admit the deep-seated need to uncover personal truth. A personal memoir is a powerful way to examine the fabric of your life and put it on the page in a manner that provides true perspective.
Once you have decided why you are writing a memoir and wholly identified your purpose, it’s also important to define your style. Don’t worry about finding a voice; write the way you think. A memoir is a narrative, a story of your life, but you can use any technique to create it. You may want to add depth to your memoir with photographs, journal entries or article clippings. A patchwork of memorabilia will bring out the depths of your personal thoughts and feelings.
Aside from embellishing your thoughts and memories with memorabilia, you may choose to write in a variety of different formats. To get a sense of what will suit you, read memoirs and see what others have done. Write notes about what you did and didn’t like about a particular format. Now it’s time to choose a format. You might choose to write a journal-form novel or a novel-in-verse. Perhaps an epistolary novel will best suit your purpose. You have a wide range of book formats from which to choose. Let your creative self free and follow the format that best fits you.
Finally, you might also want to consider getting a little more education in terms of memoir writing. Try a book or a fee-based audio course like the ones offered by expert memoir teacher Natalie Goldberg on her website: The Art of Writing Memoir. Lay the groundwork and you will find the release you need in your memoir. You will write the story that you must in order to reveal your truth.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Thank you for sharing.