Writing a Memoir: Ultimate Ways to Tell a Powerful Story
Writing a memoir can do many things to you. It means that you are going to be a published author at the same time it can also serve as something that you do to release stress. This is because writing down your experiences and feeling in life can really make you feel relaxed and have reduced anxiety. Writing helps you feel like you have shared your feelings with someone. When you read it, you can reflect on it and everything will feel new and fresh again. Writing memoirs will make you feel this way but at the same time will give you a chance to inspire others through your experiences. If you are deciding to write a book and have not decided which genre to write for, a memoir should be a great idea for you. This blog will help you as you journey your way to your writing process.
Starting your journey in writing a memoir by learning from others is also a great idea. You should check out this powerful memoir by RC Le Beau called Donut Hole. This will not only help you give you writing techniques but will also inspire you in so many ways.
Writing a memoir can be a tough challenge. You may think it is not because everything will be based on your life or others. However, you cannot simply write it directly. You need to know a couple of points for it to be effective and successful. Telling a compelling story will require you to also know and master a couple of elements. At first, you may think that it feels like the process is too much. But let this be your inspiration to continue, the feeling of seeing your name on a book cover is the most rewarding feeling you could ever get. If you want to know how you can do it, please see the following points below:
Draw on personal experiences but include not just your story.
As mentioned, your memoir will serve as a personal diary but written in a compelling way for other people to read. That is why you are allowed to draw on some of your inspiring personal experiences that you feel will help your readers in a way or two. You also have to remember that you also have to consider your readers. You may think that your story is inspiring enough, but it is not guaranteed that readers will be entertained and engaged while reading it, which serves as one of the readers’ major goals. This aspect should also become your goal. One way to make this possible is to include other people’s narratives. It can be loved ones or even those people you have come across. Just make sure that it will add more significance to your story.
Emphasize your message throughout the book.
If you already have an idea of what your book is about, you should also have come up with a theme. Your theme or message should be evident throughout the book. Think of your message as an opportunity for you to share something that you feel so strongly about. Thus, you want to maximize the chance to share it with your readers. You will never know whose life you are going to change because of your book. Thus, it is a great idea if you incorporate some essential life lessons that may allow your readers to reflect on.
Make sure to put valid and truthful information.
First, you want your readers to also get wisdom and knowledge that are based on real happenings. You do not want you, readers, to expect too much. You want to give them the right amount of it. Thus, making sure that you are putting the truthful context will be necessary. You also want to research some technical information and make sure that it is valid. Even though you’ll say that it is your story, you still don’t want your readers to assume faulty information. After all, your memoir is not your autobiography. An autobiography tells your whole life. A memoir should only focus on a certain moment or an era of your life.
Overall, the writing process of a memoir is much different than regular fiction writing. With this type, you will be using your emotions and feeling more. It will require you to let out everything that you are holding in that may be helpful to support your context. Hopefully, these points will help you as you go through the journey of writing.