Writing Your Memoir: The Steps

What are the steps of writing a memoir?

1 Make a list of the first 125 memories in your life that come to mind.

2 Write a full account of each of the 125 memories. Do a SOC, a mining your memories exercise, and memory snapshots of each of the 125 memories. 

3 As you list and write about each of your 125 memories, other memories will come to mind. Make sure to jot those down on a Future Journaling List so they are not forgotten. They will be covered in another memoir that you will write later. 

4 Once you get all 125 memories journaled out and at least 1 page of journaling each, it's time to look at your old journal entries if you have them. Journal about what your recollection today is different, and the same, as when you wrote about it originally. If you did not keep past journals, skip this step.

5 Look at your journaling and see if any patterns emerge. Whatever patterns you see, or whatever seems to fit together is what you will write about in your first memoir. You may use only a handful of the 125 memories, or you may use a majority. See what feels right to you and what makes the most sense.

6 Start to write your memoir. Remember that a memoir does not go in chronological order. 

7 Finish your rough draft.

8 Edit your first draft.

9 Edit your second draft.

10 Edit your third draft.

11 Publish it. 

Stacy Duplease
Journalkeeper & Author

* My Storykeeper Odyssey in 2013: Journaling & Memoir

* The Journaling & Storykeeping Encyclopedia of 2013