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Especially powerful as an aid to new writers or those trying to organize a first memoir, author Roberta Temes, Ph.D. gives you a daily structure to capture your story. How to Write a Memoir in 30 Days includes assignments that build from day to day, turning a daunting task into a series of productive essays that build your story as you progress. With this method, writers can improve in several ways: by practice the daily writing habit, adding strengthen to your plot, and organizing details along the way.
Temes doesn’t overlook a single detail, even coaching writers on pacing and dialog. Of particular help to new writers, Temes discusses a common problem seen in memoir: the tendency to overuse clichés. You’ll learn to avoid tired phrases such as “afraid of my own shadow” and “out like a light.”
The author explains the difference between memoir and autobiography, and with the book’s 30 day method, the reader can quickly grasp the style and methods that produce essays to build a true memoir, rich with emotional reminiscence.
How to Write a Memoir in 30 Days concludes with discussion of various paths to publishing and reminders of basic grammar and punctuation. Surely your final memoir will be well edited but pay attention to her practical guide to better writing, and your work will be polished from first draft to final draft. This book gives memoir writers a great start on mining the details of their lives and finding an organizational style for a personal memoir.
