Tips for Crafting a Powerful Memoir

An aspiring author, Cheryl Lee Congdon has attended more than a dozen writing retreats as a way to refine and hone her craft. Cheryl L. Congdon has written memoirs about her experience growing up as a sighted child in a blind family.

Memoir-writing is a powerful way to capture an experience and preserve it for future generations. More than just telling a story, however, memoirs require thoughtful interpretation to create a narrative with impact. Here are a few tips for crafting a memoir:

1. Unlike a biography, a memoir deals with a narrow slice of the subject’s life. Clarify your focus to make sure you stay on topic.

2. Remember, it is not as much about your experience as the meaning you make of it. What did you learn from the events you are describing? Interpret your story to endow it with meaning.

3. Use fiction-writing techniques. Just because your story is factual does not mean you shouldn’t include vivid descriptions, colorful dialogue, and narrative devices.

4. Write your story, then edit. Editing as you go is a sure way to slow yourself down and make you doubt yourself. Write freely to build momentum, and wait until you have completed your story to go back and reread.