Memoir writing – it seems as if everybody’s doing it. Or thinking of doing it. There are as many reasons for writing a memoir as there are authors, but in this blog post I’m going to give you some compelling reasons for writing your memoir that you may not have considered.
Memoir Meaning
First, we need to get straight what a memoir is, because many people still interchange the words memoir and autobiography.
An autobiography is the story of your entire life, whereas a memoir is about a specific period of your life, which could cover months or years.
Sometimes a memoir incorporates a theme – for example, relationships you’ve had, travels you’ve been on, jobs you’ve had – which may cover the whole of your life.
But it’s not about your entire life, because you only write about the parts of your life that are relevant to that theme.
Here's more about memoir vs autobiography here.
Would Anyone Be Interested?
Let’s assume you have a story you want to write that fits the criteria of a memoir. You may be asking yourself, why should I write this? Would anybody be interested?
And the answer is Yes!
We’re all voyeurs at heart - we love to read the details of someone else’s life, particularly if it’s written in an engaging manner. There’s more on how to do this in the blog post I’ve linked to in the section above.
Readers can gain a lot from reading memoirs. Apart from the entertainment factor, there’s usually something they can learn from them – how to overcome particular challenges, pursue their dreams, deal with toxic relationships, flourish after a history of abuse.
Whatever the subject matter of your memoir, someone (or a lot of someones) will benefit from it.
And isn’t that the best reason of all?
Memoir Examples
Here are some examples of different types of memoirs. Yours may well fit into one of these categories.
The Experience Memoir
This is a memoir of an experience the author has had, which may have taken place over a short or long period of time, that has changed their life. Often it is about a struggle or challenge they overcame and how they did so.
The Event Memoir
This is a memoir that focuses on one particular event in the author’s life, and the impact that event had on them. Again, it may have taken place over a period of time – for example, a long journey.
The Childhood Memoir
This memoir, as is self-evident, is about the author’s childhood and how their experiences and the people they grew up with shaped them.
The Family Memoir
The difference between this and the childhood memoir is that the family memoir incorporates childhood and adult experiences, under the umbrella of a unifying theme.
Why Write A Memoir?
As mentioned previously, there are many reasons for writing a memoir, but there is one reason that trumps all:
Your life is unique. Nobody has experienced your life. Nobody has walked in your shoes.
We all can experience similar events, but the process of memoir writing is what brings your unique perspective to the fore, and this is what people love to read about.
If you're still not convinced that your personal memoir would be of interest to anybody, let's have a look at a few more examples and memoir categories.
Travel Memoirs
In this type of memoir, the author chronicle their travels to a particular country, travelling over a certain time span or according to a theme – for example, gastronomic tours.
A YEAR IN PROVENCE: BY PETER MAYLE
Peter Mayle realizes a long-cherished dream of moving from the UK to Provence in France with his wife, and living in a remote 200-year-old stone farmhouse. He recounts his year of adapting to life in this country and enjoying everything it offers; the good and the not-so-good.
This memoir was the forerunner of a very popular type of travel memoir, in which the author travels to and lives in another country to renovate an old house/pub/castle, start a job or relationship or undertake some other activity far removed from their normal life.DOWN UNDER: BY BILL BRYSON
Most of Bill Bryson’s travel books are memoirs, as they each encapsulate a different country, or group of countries, he has visited.
In this memoir, he relates his experiences travelling in Australia. I chose this book because it’s my home country. And would you believe it, I haven’t read it! A big oversight, which I am about to rectify. It’s always interesting to read an outsider’s view of your own country.Personal Development Memoirs
In this type of memoir, the author gives the reader insight and information about a particular aspect of personal development – for example, how to achieve happiness, control anxiety and fear, be more mindful – through the lens of their own experiences.
Business Memoirs
In a business memoir, the author focuses on their business or career. They chronicle their path to professional success, which can include overcoming obstacles and failures, changing direction and discovering their true path in life.
Memoir Writing Services
That gives you a basic rundown of memoir types, and some suggestions of memoirs to read. Reading well-written memoirs on a topic similar to the one you want to write about is a sure-fire way of picking up some valuable ideas and tips for your own.
The next step in the memoir writing process is to find a writing service that fits your requirements. This can be yourself obviously, but there may be many reasons why you'd prefer someone else to do it for you.
And that's where I come in. Many of my clients have written parts of their memoir, sometimes as whole chapters or as bits and pieces of their story idea.
The reason they approach me is because they know how they want their memoir to look and read, and they need some help to turn it into the final product they have visualized.
So if you’ve got a burning desire to write your memoir, but don’t have the time or energy to complete it or do the whole thing yourself, I’d love to chat with you about writing it for you. Click the big button below to leave your details and let's get your project started.