1. Memoir depend upon the ideas and images you carry within your memory Challenge: release those memories to get them on paper

2. Memoir One memory of significance told in detail, not many memories. A moment that marked someone’s life forever. Often a life-changing event or something that happened that someone never forgets. One story within someone’s life, not his or her whole life story. A window into life, a glimpse into someone’s emotional past. A snapshot in time, not the whole album.

3. Memoir aims to tell the story of one event or period in a person’s life told in 1 st person

4. A Memory… has three parts: 1.Facts 2.Skills 3.Emotional Responses

5. Questions for Memoirists

6. What Doesn’t Work there aren’t enough details: we can’t see things the pace is too fast: it moved too quickly between events without filling in the gaps it’s wishy-washy: it’s not written with authority… don’t know why this person/event is important don’t get to know any of the characters there is no closure: it just ends don’t know the point: what is this about??? the beginning is boring: doesn’t arouse the reader’s curiosity or invite him/her in it switches topics too quickly there is no dialogue

7. Qualities that Work Details: lots of specifics Keeps the audience’s interest: good introduction makes the reader want to know more Dialogue: conversation reveals characteristics and personalities Shows action instead of telling that the event happened Good ending: closure Has a point: We know the WHY… why this event is important Get to know characters: see who they are through actions and words Pace: can’t be too slow=boring; can’t be too fast=lose the reader Images Includes the special things: don’t need to tell everything

8. Qualities that are Needed

9. Necessary Qualities of Memoirs 1 st person singular – I (not we, one, or you) memoirist is the main character (someone to be with) thoughts/feelings, reactions/reflections are revealed enough context- background info – to understand events of the story – context is woven into story reader can envision the action reader can imagine the setting – when and where reader can imagine the relationships among characters

10. Necessary Qualities of Memoirs dialogue sounds natural to these people pace is slowed down so reader can “live in” the moment and character leave out unnecessary info. Lead: should invite reader into world of memory Conclusion: deliberate about writer’s decision about how to leave his or her readers written like a story- with truth and feeling Invent Details? What????? if it fits with memory/theme/purpose So What? a discovery of some significance in the memory reader should LEARN something about LIFE from reading about LIFE