Important Tips For Writing A Memoir

April 26, 2012
by Jillian Roth

Considering that memoirs continue to be popular items in many bookstores, it\’s no surprise that so many writers think about writing a memoir. These writings, however, can present some difficulties for both amateur and experienced writers alike. By using these strategies, these writers will find that the effort need not be as difficult as they imagine.

Writers must remember that there is a difference between memoirs and life stories. Autobiographies cover the entirety of a person\’s life, but memoirs are more limited in scope. As a result, it is important to select a specific event of interest and save other life events for later writings.

Memoirs are not something that can be completed in a day. However, no writer should allow himself to drag the process out over many years either. The best strategy is to set a goal of penning anywhere from a few hundred words to several thousand each and every day. This can help the project remain on track over time.

Forget about a dry chronological recounting of the event. Readers want drama, and the best way to do that is to mix up the order of things by starting with something of interest. If the reader\’s interest is not there as he reads the first chapter, odds are that he won\’t continue to read the rest of the material.

It is critical that stories be shown instead of being told. Writers must learn to utilize every physical sense as they write, since this will help to create a world that the reader wants to visit. Descriptive language should create a sense of smell, taste, touch, sound, and feel.

Writers must also persist in their efforts. Many writers encounter roadblocks along the way to completing their books, and some simply give up as a result of these challenges. Writers who continue to write on a committed and daily basis always have an easier time writing a memoir.

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