Do you want to share your life story with the world, but not sure where to start? At Staging Post, we have seen many authors publish their memoirs successfully. However, many first-time writers don’t know how to go about writing their life story. We have compiled a list of ten tips to help you get started on your memoir writing journey.
Our top ten tips:
- Structure your manuscript around a central theme or event. Well-written memoirs have a narrow focus around a theme or event that played an instrumental part in shaping the author’s life. What did you learn from the event and why do you want others to read about it?
- Think about your target audience. Is there a specific audience for the lesson your memoir is trying to convey? It is important to have an idea of who will be most likely to read your book, as not everyone will relate to your story. This will help guide your writing (and later on, your marketing efforts).
- Keep it concise. It is important not to Include too much information or detail as this can overwhelm your reader and can detract from the message you are trying to get across. You don’t have to add every single detail of your life, so focus on those that relate most to your central theme or event.
- Outline your story. Once you have decided on your central theme or event, structure your story around this. One of the best ways to do this is to order your memoir chronologically. Jot down specific points on a timeline and flesh them out.
- Make it personal! You are sharing your life experiences, and your writing must not only include what happened, but also how you felt when it did. You need to create an emotional journey for your readers to follow along or they may lose interest.
- Be honest and authentic. This is important for establishing a personal relationship with your readers. Don’t exaggerate or embellish certain events, rather be as truthful as you can. Be careful when writing about others, as negative comments can become problematic. If you have legal concerns, such as defamation, change names and other details.
- Use descriptive language for events and characters in your memoir. Paint a picture for your readers as this will keep them engaged and will help them connect on an emotional level with your story.
- Show, don’t tell, how events in your life have helped you grow and become who you are today. What did you learn? Can your readers also learn from what you have shared?
- Pace your story. Memoirs are considered narrative non-fiction and the story should flow easily. This relates to point 3 on this list. A good way to test your pace is to read it out loud.
- Reflect, edit and revise your manuscript. As with any writing, always revise and edit your first draft as this will enable you to refine your language, structure and overall storytelling. You could enlist the help of a beta reader or editor. Outside feedback is extremely using when refining your manuscript. For more information on editing, check out this article: https://makeabook.co.za/how-to-choose-the-right-type-of-editing-for-your-book/.
If you are looking for inspiration, there are a lot of wonderfully written memoirs out there. Here is a list of memoirs to get your hands on: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/06/26/books/best-memoirs.html.
Sources consulted:
Jenkins, J. 2020. ‘How to Write Your Memoir: A 5-Step Guide’. https://jerryjenkins.com/how-to-write-a-memoir/, accessed 28 June 2023.
NY Book Editors. 2020. ‘How to Write a Memoir That People Care About’. https://nybookeditors.com/2016/03/how-to-write-a-memoir-that-people-care-about/, accessed 29 June 2023.
Warner, B. 2022. ‘How to Write a Memoir: 7 Ways to Tell a Powerful Story’. The Write Life, https://thewritelife.com/how-to-write-a-memoir/, accessed 28 June 2023.
Zining, M. 2021. ‘How to Write a Memoir: Examples and a Step-by-Step Guide’. https://writers.com/how-to-write-a-memoir, accessed 28 June 2023.