Sabtu, 27 April 2013

How To Write A Memoir

By Janelle Burnett


Understanding how to write a memoir begins by appreciating basic facts like the purpose of writing, what to include and exclude as well as your target audience. You may be required to give some hurtful truths that will upset family and friends. It is important to find comfort in the content you choose regardless of how uneasy it makes you feel.

It is common knowledge that memoirs tell the story of your past and its influence to your present. You are therefore required to remember a lot and be open to disclose more than normal. You will be under constant pressure to forget some parts and emphasize on others. A good memory will be a valuable asset.

So much happens in the life of an individual on daily basis. Sorting out what is to go in the book and what is to be left out is important. It takes a great deal of exercises to master content and its presentation. You may begin by selecting a period of ten years in your life and writing two pages about it. Ensure that none of the sentences is more than three words.

The exercise of writing three-word long sentences presents a reality that you cannot say everything in one book. A basic principle in writing is the courage to appreciate the fact that not everything is important. Review your two page sentences and identify the one that catches your attention the most. That is the point to begin.

There are many instances that can be used as the foundation for your writing. A normal occurrence that brought out the extra ordinary person in you, how you reacted or understood such a scenario are some of the tips. There could be something that changed your thinking or approach in life. These are just a few of the options.

There is a context and time beyond the writer. Memoirs are a story of how he or she interacted with prevailing conditions and what effect they had on him or her. This context is historical, geographic or social economic. Capturing such aspects grounds the writing in time and space. The genre of writing is nonfictional and must therefore be devoid of cosmetic representations and half truths.

Facts make writing of memoirs different form fictional work. You are therefore required to have a calm approach when writing. There must be a logical sequence of events that can be traced in real life. Presentation of facts attracts readers to flip pages because they will discover another level of truth. You must have come to terms with this truth for it to be believable.

Other exercise that will support your work include writing about something you cannot deny, outrageous things you have done, characteristics that give you pride and are inherited among others. There are things you failed to do and feel that you owe someone an apology. Other scenarios could be the one point you felt great or undeserved compassion, a humiliating exposure or that turning point in life.

Only by sorting content, identifying an audience and picking an appropriate style of writing can one be considered to know how to write a memoir. There is room for writers to twist facts as long as it does not lender other truths unbelievable. The style of delivery is determined by the motivation behind the exercise and your judgment of readership.




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