| p>You may assume you can depend on your | | | | confuse other people's accounts with your own |
| memory when you write your life stories--but | | | | experience of an event. It is also possible, |
| memory isn't always as reliable as you want it to | | | | because of your age or your needs at the time, |
| be! | | | | that you had a partial or biased view of all that |
| 1) Memory can fail you. You simply may not be | | | | happened and why. |
| able to recall the information you need to write | | | | Interviews and research will stimulate, supplement |
| about another person--or yourself--with accuracy | | | | and correct your memory. These activities will |
| and detail. | | | | support and add to the facts and impressions you |
| 2) Memory can mislead you. It can blur the | | | | remember. They may also force you to |
| negative role you may have played and cast | | | | reconsider what is true. |
| another's positive role in the shadows. Memory | | | | Interviews are basically guided conversations as |
| does tend to be flattering to the rememberer. | | | | you sit with people and talk to them. Research is |
| Conversely, it may elevate your having been | | | | information acquired from non-human sources. |
| "bad" to "really bad" when you were merely | | | | Both interviews and research will help fill out your |
| thoughtless or small in your actions. | | | | stories and supplement your memory. A key |
| 3) Memory can simply be wrong. Time has ways | | | | interview or bit of research may even help you |
| of altering a memory. You may forget that you | | | | recall more memories. |
| didn't know the facts at the time. You may | | | | Good luck writing your memoir! |