| What's a memoir and how is it different from an | | | | You should brainstorm on the most memorable |
| autobiography? The first difference has to do | | | | aspects of the person's life and the ones you can |
| with the length. While a bio will tell the tale from | | | | readily write about. By doing this, you're basically |
| conception to death (or the current point in that | | | | etching out "talking points" which can easily be |
| person's life), a memoir is much more focused on | | | | filled in later. This makes quick work of a point in |
| a certain "point" of a person's life. Memoirs are far | | | | time in a person's life, whereas following from |
| less structured and less encompassing than formal | | | | birth could drag you down. |
| autobiographic literary works. Due to their relative | | | | Another one of the great tips on writing a |
| ease of writing - as far as research and | | | | memoir has to do with the relationship you have |
| chronological structure is concerned - millions of | | | | with this person. If you know the person (or if it's |
| people write memoirs every year, either about | | | | you you're writing about) don't feel as if it has to |
| themselves or someone else. | | | | be glamorous. A memoir should be truthful and |
| There's still nothing "easy" about writing a memoir, | | | | unbiased. This is perhaps the best of all tips on |
| and many people seek out tips on writing a | | | | writing a memoir, simply due to the writer's |
| memoir every day. Writing is sometimes | | | | responsibility to paint the correct picture - not the |
| considered a born-with talent, but that's simply | | | | best looking one. |
| not the case. Ordinance and a sense of the job at | | | | You should write an outline or a rough draft. Too |
| hand can help anyone become a memoir writer. | | | | often people think that dressing it up on the first |
| Tips on Writing a Memoir | | | | go 'round will make quick work of the memoir. |
| The first in the series of tips on writing a memoir | | | | They ignore this and other tips on writing a |
| has to do with your mindset. You've probably | | | | memoir, and proceed to flesh out edited, |
| heard it before, but it shouldn't be undersold. No | | | | grammatically correct, and fluffy copy on their |
| matter what, you need to stay completely | | | | first setting. It's always best to draft before you |
| focused. This focus shouldn't involve any sort of | | | | craft. |
| deadline, however, as that can lead to frustration, | | | | The last in the tips to writing a memoir has to do |
| writer's block, and a host of other problems. | | | | with time. You should never cram. In fact, it's |
| Instead, close yourself off when writing and stay | | | | best to take a page per day approach. Write a |
| focused on your task. | | | | finished page per day after you have it drafted |
| The next tip has to do with the memoir's | | | | and formatted. This will keep you from becoming |
| structure. Although the finished product is going to | | | | burned out and keep ideas fresh. |
| be in chronological order, never write it that way. | | | | |