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Feb 23, 2022 · Method 1. Telling Your Life Story Effectively. 1. Do your research. To tell your life story effectively, start by doing your research so you can get the details of the story right. You may interview family members, friends, and other people who were present during certain periods of your life.
Oct 27, 2024 · To write a good memoir, you’ll need to figure out which parts of your life are most important to the story your telling, organize them, and then write them in a structured way that is entertaining and egaging to readers from start to finish, just like you would a novel.
- Overview
- Preparing to Write
- Structuring Your Story
- Writing the Story
People choose to write about their lives for a variety of reasons, including a desire to leave a memoir for their children and future generations, to create a record for themselves so they can be reminded of their youthful adventures when they're old and forgetful, and to offer something of value to the rest of the world. Writing a memoir is a very...
In a memoir, you are the main character of your own life story. Many memoirists use the facts of their life story to create an engaging tale for the reader. Because you are relying on your own memories as source material for the story, you may end up describing things differently than others might remember it. The key is to write down things as you remember it, in the most honest way possible. Keep in mind memoirs are different from autobiographies in that memoirs should only cover certain key aspects of your life, not your life from birth until the present day.
Most memoirists struggle to begin their life story and are not sure where to start. Depending on your life story, you may reach out to other family members for details on a childhood memory or event. But it’s important that you also focus on your personal experiences and your recollection of a childhood memory or moment, even if it may be flawed. Often, the best memoirs are about the process of remembering an event, or are about processing a moment in the past that felt important.
Identify your narrator’s desire line.
In your memoir, your narrator is you. You will use the first person, “I”, to lead the reader through your story. But it’s important to focus your memoir on specific need or desire. Your want will drive the food forward and make your story worth reading. Think about your desire line, or what motivates your narrator to tell her story. Your narrator will then struggle to achieve her desire line through telling her story and reaching a realization about a pivotal moment in her story.
Try to sum up what your narrator wants in one sentence. For example: I wanted to understand my mother’s decision to move our family to America. Or, I wanted to become healthier after a brief brush with death. Or, I wanted to explore my experiences as an air force pilot in World War II.
Be specific in your desire line and avoid vague statements. Your desire line may change as you write your memoir. But its good to have a clear desire in mind before you start writing.
This will help you determine how long it is going to take you to write a draft of the book. If you are working under a deadline, you may make your schedule more tight than if you have the luxury of more time to write.
Try to organize your schedule around word count or page count. So, if you normally write about 750 words an hour, factor this in on your schedule. Or if you feel you may actually write two pages an hour, use this as an estimate in your schedule.
Determine how long it will take you on average to compose a set number of words, or number of pages, per a day. If you are working towards a final word count goal, like 50,000 words or 200 pages, focus on how many hours per a week it will take you to reach this goal.
Write a rough first draft.
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Jun 10, 2021 · Tell your story in a way that will allow your reader to emotionally relate to your story and to identify with you, the protagonist. Start writing your life story by breaking it down into stepping stones & turning points. Writing your entire life story can feel daunting, but it doesn’t have to be.
Learning how to write your life story will help you to write engaging autobiography. Read insights from acclaimed memoirists and biographers.
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Apr 28, 2022 · Here's their step-by-step guide on how to tell a story, from an idea to delivery: 1. Understand that a story is more than a scene or an anecdote. Does the story you want to tell have a...
