7 minute Write about one person in your family, then describe your relationship, also choose an event that has changed both of your lives.

Professor Minnis San Joaquin Delta College How to Write a Memoir Professor Minnis San Joaquin Delta College

What is a Memoir? A narrative about your personal experiences You can write a memoir about: A specific event that happened to you A specific aspect of your life (relationships with family members, travels, struggles to overcome something) A particular time period of your life The impact on your own life from an outside event

First Steps to Writing a Memoir Specific memory Description of an event from the past First person Told from one persons point of view Based on that persons view of the truth Reveals the writers meaning Shows what writer has learned from experience More about your experience than the actual event You will first have to come up with a specific memory about the topic (a conversation you have had with your parents about your future) You will then come up with a specific description about that memory (where did it take place, what were you wearing, what started the conversation, how did it end?) Must be written from a first person point of view (first person is I so you tell the story from your perspective) Reveal the truth in the way you see it. Reveal your feelings about the situation and how it has affected you Explain what you have learned through this experience. How have you grown or changed since the event happened? How did the event change you?

Steps to a Successful Memoir Brainstorm Write all you remember as quickly as you can Draft Take your brainstorm and put it into sentences Review Figure out what works and what doesn’t Peer editing to figure out what to add and delete Revise Create a finished draft Polish Check for spelling and grammar mistakes Publish Print and submit for a grade

Brainstorming Keep things “loose” Quick phrases Include senses and details What you were wearing What the weather was like Where you were located What you were doing Keep writing phrases not a story Transitions and descriptions will come later

Memoir Order Remember from Chapter 4, your memoir has a simple format, but you MUST follow this paragraph order… Introduction: Sets the Scene Description of Complication Evaluation of the Complication Conclusion: What the Writer Learned Resolution of the Complication

Descriptions and Transitions After you have determined what you will write about, how you will introduce it and what the moral of the story is, you can begin to piece it all together. Include: sensory information Specific details Thoughts/feelings you had Anything you remember that will add to the readers understanding of the story

Hooking Introduction Like all writings, a strong introduction is key to the success of your writing. Choose strong descriptive words to help provide the greatest effect to grab your reader. Example: “One rainy day I went to the mall.” Example with strong descriptions: “I splashed across the parking lot, yanked open the tall glass door, and dripping wet, stepped into the mall.”

Ending Options: Memory- “I’ll never forget…” Feeling- “I can still feel…” Hope/Wish- “I hope…” or “I wish…” Decision- “From that day on…” Ask yourself, “What is the point?”

Memoir Due Dates and Instructions… You will post your memoir-800 word or 1 ½ pages on the group publishing site- Figment- http://figment.com/groups/14068-English-1A You will copy/paste your memoir onto the group publishing site by 2/8/13-next Friday You will also create a cover and title for you memoir You will respond to three other students (OR 1 student/2 writers) by 2/13/13 in a 2-3 sentence response on; sentence structure, content, description or memoir basics that we have discussed. You will lastly edit/correct/update your publishing submission by 2/15/13 and turn in a hard copy during class.