Today guest blogger and memoir writing teacher, Dorothy Skarles, is doing double-duty. First she provides a list of ideas to help jump-start your memoir. Then she incorporates one of these ideas with her own life experience to offer an example of how it’s done. Welcome Dorothy.
Generating Ideas for Your Memoir
To get to the heart of what you want to say in your memoir and express your own unique vision, start by brainstorming and letting your ideas flow onto the paper.
Some subjects to consider:
- How you’ve saved stacks of old newspapers, bottles, old clothes, or baseball cards.
- How books, dirty clothes, candy wrappers, and the cat are always on the floor or under your feet.
- How you feel about lies.
- A time you were in or out of control.
- A supportive mate.
- Why you never went to work in the field your parents wanted you to (or why you did).
- Why you never dated or married (or why you should have).
- What you liked best about high school or college.
- How he or she is often a latecomer or no-show.
- Overcoming hurtles or fears.
As an example of overcoming hurtles or fears, here’s a memoir piece I wrote about Christmas and widowhood.
Keep Christmas Up for Another Year
December is when we think of gifts–what to shop for, whom to shop for, and what kind of presents to give and receive. The entire month is for joy.
Instead, my reaction is a to-do list to lighten the hurtle of getting past the second year of bereavement.
The first year, there were so many things I didn’t accomplish, personal things like taking down the Christmas decorations and getting rid of my husband’s clothes.
Now, with 2010 almost ending and 2011 right around the corner, I have decided to pick one thing that I absolutely hate doing–give my husband’s clothes away.
I will donate them to the Salvation Army, a giving tradition that will perhaps help some other man’s Christmas holiday.
One of my sisters-in-law says it took her six years and moving to another state to get rid of all her husband’s clothes.
My other-sister-in-law said it took her seven to go through her husband’s business files and get rid of important papers that were no longer needed.
Both women said, “Recovery will come in days ahead,” and I took this to mean that I could keep my Christmas decorations up for another year.”
In that way, I will receive the gift of time.
2011 will be the year I tackle this other dreaded hurtle and finally say goodbye to my loved one.
Dorothy Skarles taught memoir writing at Lodi Adult School until her retirement. She is author of two novels:
And one non-fiction book:
Learning To Write the Easy Way.
Published by Twilight Times Books.
As always, thanks for stopping by,
It's Christmas keep your decorations up. There will come that day, when you'll know it's time. You'll wake up in the morning, and just know today is the day, for them to come down, and things to be donated. That's what happened with my friend when her husband passed. It's been five years, and she's just now, donating things and cleaning out the closet. It's all about time.
Thanks Lee, time does get away from you. You think you have a lot of time and suddenly its gone and you still haven't done anything. I do wonder sometimes how long it is going to take me to clean out those closets.
Awww. . .I'm so sorry you have to tackle the holidays with such a dreaded list. Just think about how much those clothes will help out someone who needs to be warm and clothed. Your husband is still giving, even after death.
Yes, he is Tony. When we were in business, he would give anyone help who came in and said, "they needed a job," We had more good workers, when he helped them. Thanks for making a comment. Someone out there has a very nice suit now.