Writing a memoir is all about structuring the experiences in a structured and compelling manner, writing a life story in a way that retains the interest and attention of the reader throughout the memoir. Let’s learn how to write a memoir in simple steps.
1. Who is your target audience?
Before you jump on the bandwagon of writing a memoir, make sure you have a purpose and direction.
If you are telling your life story, everything about it—you are not writing a memoir; this will count as an autobiography.
Do you know the purpose of your memoir? If not, think about it.
Who is your target audience? Writing a memoir has some requirements; you must first sort out your target audience. Some authors write memoirs to pass their knowledge and to teach others how to process certain areas of life. Many memoirs are written as a legacy—a memorabilia for friends and family.
There are authors who have ambitions for literature, and they aim to publish their memoirs to reach a wider audience. You must have a target audience in mind; this way, you will write your memoir in a more polished, impactful, and accessible manner.
2. Learn about your target audience:
While writing a memoir, you may or may not have a target audience in mind. Well, figure out and learn about your target audience.
Suppose your memoir is about the challenges you have faced in your professional life, working as a manager in a male-dominated field, and you are targeting females; set an age group. An intellectual memoir is different from a memoir that encloses traveling experiences. Hence the target audience of both memoirs will be different.
3. Down the funnel:
When you think about writing a memoir, you feel like covering everything! The first, you slipped from a bike and broke your elbow to your rejection in an interview and everything in between.
But you cannot cover everything—this is not an autobiography.
Try to funnel down the experiences of your life. The narrower the focus, the better you will write your memoir that connects with the audience. In a memoir, you cannot offer the whole cake to your readers; instead, give them a slice to enjoy.
4. Elevators Pitch and logline:
Life’s experiences are not like a smooth road; it is more like a winding road with off-ramps and distractions. Well, in your memoir, you cannot go by the ups and downs of life.
The logline of your memoir must connect the readers, and you must encapsulate your purpose in a sentence or two. Consider it as an ‘Elevator Pitch.’
If you think that, your logline can interest a stranger on an elevator; you may continue with it. Do not rush, and take some time with your logline and write your memoir around it. Write the logline, reread it, shorten it, and keep reading and revising until you are fully satisfied with your pitch.
5. Pick up the key moments:
Now that you are on track, you know the main theme of your memoir, the purpose, and the audience is also clear. But, you need to pick the best cherries from the garden of your specific experience.
Okay, it is natural; you may have a lot to share. But you must expect something different from your readers; they will not be interested in everything you have written. Select the most meaningful moments, something that encourages the readers to read. Consider it a thin-page first book writing and publishing, and you must color the selected pages carefully.
6. Dialogues and Details are important:
You must craft your memoir engagingly and explore different story writing methods and techniques. Use details, actions, and dialogues.
- What was your action during a certain situation?
- How did you feel during the situation?
- What did you respond to?
- How did you feel when it was over?
- What was your key takeaway?
While recounting your memories, deeply immerse yourself in the moment and collect as many details as possible. If you have, review the photos and videos from that time. Talk with your family members and friends who witnessed that moment. Revisit the locations and places from that time.
Collect all the material, and organize your data in a timeline. A systematic research structure will help you take a great start on your memoir. Incorporating dialogue makes a memoir more real.
You cannot quote the exact dialogue only if your memory is that strong! Accurately capture the scene in your own words.
7. Be Honest with your character:
Honesty is the best policy!
Yes, you are the main character of your memoir, but that does not mean you have to show yourself as a hero. Your memoir must be relatable with the audience; it takes a lot of courage to open up in front of an audience, but do background work on yourself.
Infusing humanity does not mean you must portray yourself as ‘Raw.’ It means you must be clear about your physical appearance, cultural background, psychological traits, etc.
Define your character, and then lead the story about your experiences. Below are some questions that you need to ask yourself.
- How are you as a human?
- What led you to this journey?
- Which mentors helped you along the way?
- Did you unlearn anything?
- Have you evolved?
- What was your growth pattern during that time?
Asking yourself such a question will help you write a strong narrative.
Wrapping up:
Now that you know everything about writing a memoir and have all the relevant ingredients, you can start with your memoir. Make a timeline and select the relevant memories. Your memoir must be interesting; it should captivate your audience throughout. There must be a reason; you must give back something in your memoir to your audience.