Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing
The secret to writing a good memoir, with Wendy Dale
Jan 23, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Wendy Dale, author of 'The Memoir Engineering System,' dives into the art of memoir writing. She distinguishes memoirs from autobiographies, emphasizing strong narrative structure. Wendy shares tips on crafting vivid scenes and how to create coherence in your story through outlining. She also tackles the emotional hurdles of writing about sensitive topics, advocating for honesty and care in storytelling. Whether you’re writing memoirs or fiction, her insights are invaluable for any writer.
19:35
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Quick takeaways
- Memoirs focus on specific events and narrative connections, unlike autobiographies, making them accessible to anyone who wants to share their story.
- Creating a detailed outline is essential for memoir writers as it helps structure the narrative and maintain reader engagement through interconnected events.
Deep dives
Understanding Memoir vs. Autobiography
Memoirs and autobiographies differ significantly in their focus and the type of stories they tell. An autobiography typically requires a well-known individual with an extraordinary life to recount, often leading to an extensive chronological narrative. In contrast, memoirs can be written by anyone, focusing on specific periods or events in a person's life, often without the need for those events to be extraordinary. The essence of a memoir lies in its plot, which connects personal experiences in a way that engages the reader, rather than merely recounting a series of memories.
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