My Students’ Favorite Tips
These ideas go beyond the basics (like using vivid language and being honest) to help you improve your memory and your writing.
The more you write, the more you write.
This truism is particularly apt for memoir because the more you develop your ideas, the more you can remember. If you push yourself to include more precise details, play with pov, develop characterization, etc. you’ll give yourself more opportunities to inhabit a memory and may recall more than you thought you could.
Shift your point of view to look at memories from new angles.
Try writing about a memory from the perspective of the past you—the one who was living it—and then write about the same memory a second time from the perspective of the present you—the one looking back. Concentrating on your perspective will make you aware of how changing emotional, temporal, and intellectual distances affect your story. Shifting pov can also help you capture new details and think differently about an event. Note: If you find this exercise tricky, try using present tense when writing from the perspective of your past self and third-person when writing from the perspective of your present self.
Old photos aren’t the only way to stimulate your memory.
Try seeking out sensory-rich locations from your past—or ones similar to the originals—such as a library, a hospital, a school bus, the backstage of a theater, or a gym. Evoke sense memories by cooking a dish your grandmother made, buying the perfume your best friend wore, finding childhood toys for sale online, or visiting a garden with the vegetables your father grew.
Return to your past via pop culture.
The internet lets you access the pop culture of the past. Searching by a given year for popular songs, fashion trends, prime time TV schedules, cult movies, best-selling books, alt-periodicals, commercials, newspaper headlines, college fads, vintage toys, forgotten world events, and more. The info, photos, recordings, and videos can open up your memory and help you situate your story in what was going at the time.
Make a plan for finishing
At our last class session, my students write an action plan for finishing the draft of their memoir so they can maintain the energy and progress they’ve made. They consider issues like when and where they’ll write, how they’ll get support and feedback, where writing their memoir fits in with other priorities, and how much emotional and intellectual effort they’ll need. If you consider the obstacles and assets beforehand, you’ll be in a better position to get your draft done.