1. CHARACTERISTICS OF MEMOIR
NOTES ENTRY #2.1

2. CHARACTERISTIC #1
Tells the story of a memory; a description of an event from the past

3. CHARACTERISTIC #2
Written in the first person; told from one person’s point of view

4. CHARACTERISTIC #3
Based on the truth, meaning it’s a real event from a person’s life, but the telling is understood to be subjective and focused on the feelings of the writer

5. CHARACTERISTIC #4
Written as literary non-fiction, with lots of rich, descriptive details and concrete examples. Clear authorial voice and style is present; this is not dry, fact-based writing

6. CHARACTERISTIC #5
The story has meaning; it shows what the author learned from the experience about both the world and him/herself. Self- reflection present throughout

7. CHARACTERISTIC #6
The story is focused on one event (or one closely connected series of events); this is more like a short story about one point in the writer’s life, not like a novel about his/her entire life

8. CHARACTERISTIC #7
Ultimately, memoir writing is more about the author’s experience and new knowledge/self-awareness than about the event itself