TIPS for Writing Memoirs
by Josh Wilder
A Memoir is a recollection or record of events written by a person who has intimate knowledge of the events and they are usually based upon personal observations. While the concept of writing about one’s own life seems easy enough, here are some tips to make the process run more smoothly.
First off, it is important to start off by simply writing whatever comes to mind, then editing the information later on. When remembering special events or feelings you had in the past, simply go back to the moment and engulf yourself in it. By doing this you will get the most accurate and descriptive recounts. After you have attempted to free write these memories for a while, then go back and edit the text. Trying to edit while you go along can actually interrupt your thought process and cause you to forget what you were writing or your train of thought.
Next, always make sure you are writing in the first person. This may seem obvious to some, but it’s still crucial to writing quality memoirs. Since the memoirs are about you, it’s important to use words such as my, me, I etc. Stay in the first person to keep a consistency.
Don’t be afraid to tell the good and the bad in your memoir. Nobody has had a life full of only good events. If you try to write a memoir that only mentions positive events, it will turn out to be dull and the reader will most likely be unable to relate to it. Show the reader some adversity you have faced in life and then how you have overcome it; it will give the reader something to be both interested in and inspired by.
Finally, be yourself. If you try to give the reader an honest, in-depth look into your past, it will come out to be truthful and readable. Most audiences can see through lies or exaggerations, so give your reader the truth and they will give you good reviews.
Thanks again and good luck!!

Sources:
Memoir Writing E-Zine