A memoir for me is somehow like"My autography". From my point of view, a memoir can be a focused part of my life, or one type of experience that I’ve had in your life, or a turning point in my life -- all of those kinds of things. In other words, I don’t really have to account for all of my life. It is not an overwhelming thing to do. I don’t really have to account for everything that has happened to me.
A memoir really is an opportunity to reflect -- to look inside yourself and to say, "It’s not just all these external things that have happened to me. It’s really, how has something changed me? Why am I the person I am today? What were the big turning points in my life? What has caused me to have the outlook I have?"
I think there is really a distinction between autobiography and memoir. To begin working with little vignettes, I can think about that “Oh, I was thinking -- oh, that was really important.” Then I could just write about that. I don’t have to worry about having a full outline on day one. I feel like when we’re dealing with memories—memories are really special, and people may always be able to apply the logic and say, “Oh, but today I have to write about A.” And maybe that isn’t what you really want to write about.
A memoir really is an opportunity to reflect -- to look inside yourself and to say, "It’s not just all these external things that have happened to me. It’s really, how has something changed me? Why am I the person I am today? What were the big turning points in my life? What has caused me to have the outlook I have?"
I think there is really a distinction between autobiography and memoir. To begin working with little vignettes, I can think about that “Oh, I was thinking -- oh, that was really important.” Then I could just write about that. I don’t have to worry about having a full outline on day one. I feel like when we’re dealing with memories—memories are really special, and people may always be able to apply the logic and say, “Oh, but today I have to write about A.” And maybe that isn’t what you really want to write about.