Writing your Memoir

Writing your memoir can be a wonderful exercise in self-discovery and family history. Here are “Notes to Self” that can make this experience enriching for you and enjoyable for others.

1          Tell the Whole Truth:  It’s human nature, especially when putting a life story into book form, to skew events. No one wants to take themselves to task, or see their words or actions through the eyes of those they have wounded. Yet, honestly, that is the best and finest course when recording your memoir. What wisdom do we gain from Swiss cheese memories? What insights enrich our readers if the stories we tell are more fiction than fact? So, meditate. Really think about your history and how you affected others, as well as what motivated you and what you learned. The result will be writing that moves a reader’s heart, not with awe, but with honesty.

2          Read Between the Lines:  Tremendous meaning can come to us as we recall our lives and choices. Wisdom, humility, a broader understanding of self and others, all these things are as close as putting pen to paper. We learn by doing. Writing a memoir filled with genuine feelings (including the feelings of others) is the harvest of a lifetime. So, sit down and write. What is communicated between the lines may be the most enriching part of all.

3          Try Something Funny: All this looking deep within can uncover gems of humor that are priceless, especially when the laugh is on you. I don’t mean cruel or disparaging jokes or remarks. Pointing a finger of scorn loses its charm after the Third Grade. But, when I tell a joke on myself, usually with a wink and a laugh, suddenly walls come down and everyone chuckles. Look for clean, happy, fun moments when you can share your awkward humanness. Starting the laughter lightens the load for others, as well as for yourself.