Lesson 1 Introduction
What is Memoir? A memoir is a special kind of autobiography, usually involving a public portion of the author’s life as it relates to a person, historic event, or thing. The text is about the personal knowledge and/or experiences of the author.
Examples of MemoirsElie Wiesel’s Night relates true stories of fellow concentration camp sufferers during the Holocaust of WWII based on the author’s shared experiences with them. He limits our glimpses of his own ordeals, including them reluctantly as a vehicle to chronicle the others’ suffering, perhaps due to survivor’s guilt.
Irene Spencer’s Shattered Dreams: My Life as a Polygamists’s Wife is about polygamy from the author’s personal experience of it. Now in a monogamous marriage, which was beyond the topic of this memoir, Spencer did not give us the details of her life outside of polygamy. Jung Chang’s Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China is the author’s memoir recounting the terrible events in twentieth century China by telling us how she, her mother, and her grandmother survived them. It does not include anything about Chang’s life since 1978, when she moved to England. |
|
Lesson 2 Some Basic Literary Terms You Need to Know
Conflict
Setting Plot Theme Tone Mood Simile Metaphor Foreshadowing Terms |
DefenitionConflict is a struggle between opposing forces, such as two people fighting or the problem in the story.
The time and place of the action in a literary work is called the setting. The plot is the sequence of events, or what happens, in a story. The theme is the central message of a literary work. It is a generalization about human being or about life. A writer's attitude toward his or her subject is called the tone. Mood is the feeling created in the reader by the literary work. A simile is a figure of speech in which two things are compared without the use of "like" or "as". Example: On the football team, the defensive line was as solid as a concrete wall. A metaphor is a figure of speech in which two things are compared without the use of "like" or "as." Example: On the football team, the defensive line was a concrete wall. Foreshadowing is the use of clues that suggest or predict what will occur later in the story. |
Lesson 3 Writing Your Own Memoir
1. Memory is Unpredictable
You never know when or how your memories will emerge. You may remember the strangest details -- like the smell of your grandmother's kitchen -- but not remember other important facts -- like your grandmother's maiden name. That's ok. The answers may come in dreams, chance conversations, photos or letters. Trust that the right memories will emerge. 2. Bad Guys are Good Guys, Too If you are writing about someone who did you wrong, try to find the good in the other person. What redeeming qualities did he or she have? Why did that person behave the way he or she did? What pain did that person experience that made him or her behave that way? The more you can present understanding and even compassion for your "bad guys," the more interesting and compelling your memoir will be. 3. You Can Change Everything Later Don't worry about naming people, offending them or being sued. Don't worry about getting things wrong. You can change everything later -- names, dates, times, places, details, even the story itself. You can run it by a lawyer, literary agent or publisher later.When you are writing, your goal is simply to get everything down first. 4. Emotional Truth is More Important than Factual Truth Was he born at 2pm or 4pm? What exactly was the name of that florist? Which country was that neighbor from? These are all salient details that you might want to know while writing your memoir. But if you don't remember, that's ok.More important was, how did you feel when your son was born? How elated were you when you received those flowers? How did you feel when that neighbor gave your family the basket of food that Christmas after you had lost your job and didn't have money to buy food? 5. Writing is Rewriting Writing never comes out perfect the first time. Good writing means rewriting. Give yourself the time and space to rewrite material, until you have something that is an authentic expression of your life, voice and wisdom. 6. Get Support Find a writing teacher, coach, buddy or ghostwriter to spot you. A coach can guide and advise you, especially when you are not sure how to proceed. More importantly, a coach keeps you accountable to your own dreams. 7. Hold On To Your Vision When you are stuck or discouraged, remember why you are doing this. Is it to leave a legacy? To share your wisdom?Think about how happy or touched others will feel after reading your memoir. Think about how your story will make a difference in their lives. Think about how satisfied you will feel completing it.Hold on to your vision of completing your memoir. |
Lesson 4 Two Useful Ways for Writing or Analyze A Memoir
1. Brainstorming
Brainstorming is especially useful when you just start planning a memoir. It helps you to recall memories about defining moments and helps you to decided what to write and how to describe the story in the way you expect. The following questions are for you to consider filling up when doing brainstorming:
|
2. Plot Diagram
Plot diagram can be used to both planning or analyzing a memoir. By writing down what happens in the corresponding place in the diagram, you can always get a clearer idea of which step the story has been going through and what is the importance of each action: why is it necessary? You can save the following diagram and print it out, using it and filling it up every time you read or write a memoir.
|
(Source: http://www.akitarescueoftulsa.com/plot-diagram/)
Now, you have known how does a plot diagram look like. Let's see an example of the plot diagram for a memoir--
|
Extra Resources for your further learning :-)
![]()
![]()
|
![]()
![]()
|
Self- Evaluation for Memoir Unit
Now you have finished this unit of Memoir study! Let's review what we have learn in this section and what you should be capable to do:
Lesson 1
You should have a clear understanding of the concept of memoir: What is this kind of literature usually for? Is it fiction or nonfiction? What kind of events or people does the authors write about? What are the characteristics of a memoir? How is it similar or different from a biography, a personal narrative, or a auto biography?
Lesson 2
You should be familiar with the following literary devices and be capable to use them in your own memoir: conflict, setting ,plot, theme, foreshadowing, tone, mood, simile, and metaphor.
Lesson 3
You should be able to write your own memoir with the tips I provide. It;s OK that you cannot write fluently at first, but practicing will improve your skills. Just keep going!
Lesson 4
You should be able to use the two strategy when your are writing or reading a memoir. What are they suitable or respectively? What are the elements you should consider when writing a memoir? What parts does a plot diagram include?
If your can meet every requirement above, then congratulations! You have finish the basic study on memoir unit! If you are not, please go back to the lessons that you are not familiar with and review the knowledge you missed. I hope you enjoyed your learning and have really learned something useful. Let's move on to the next section!
Now you have finished this unit of Memoir study! Let's review what we have learn in this section and what you should be capable to do:
Lesson 1
You should have a clear understanding of the concept of memoir: What is this kind of literature usually for? Is it fiction or nonfiction? What kind of events or people does the authors write about? What are the characteristics of a memoir? How is it similar or different from a biography, a personal narrative, or a auto biography?
Lesson 2
You should be familiar with the following literary devices and be capable to use them in your own memoir: conflict, setting ,plot, theme, foreshadowing, tone, mood, simile, and metaphor.
Lesson 3
You should be able to write your own memoir with the tips I provide. It;s OK that you cannot write fluently at first, but practicing will improve your skills. Just keep going!
Lesson 4
You should be able to use the two strategy when your are writing or reading a memoir. What are they suitable or respectively? What are the elements you should consider when writing a memoir? What parts does a plot diagram include?
If your can meet every requirement above, then congratulations! You have finish the basic study on memoir unit! If you are not, please go back to the lessons that you are not familiar with and review the knowledge you missed. I hope you enjoyed your learning and have really learned something useful. Let's move on to the next section!
Reference
Doyen, Babara. "What is a Memoir? What Makes a Memoir different from an Autobiography or Biography?" Literary
Agent. <http://www.barbaradoyen.com/writing-nonfiction/what-is-a-memoir-what-makes-a-memoir-different-from-an-
autobiography-or-biography>.
"12 Tips on Writing Memoirs." Authorbridgemedia.com. <http://www.ghostwriter-needed.com/tips-on-writing-memoirs.html>.
Doyen, Babara. "What is a Memoir? What Makes a Memoir different from an Autobiography or Biography?" Literary
Agent. <http://www.barbaradoyen.com/writing-nonfiction/what-is-a-memoir-what-makes-a-memoir-different-from-an-
autobiography-or-biography>.
"12 Tips on Writing Memoirs." Authorbridgemedia.com. <http://www.ghostwriter-needed.com/tips-on-writing-memoirs.html>.