Memoir Writing Cont. Tues 2/24

Part I—Tips for Improving Your Memoir Writing

Read this article and answer the questions:

1. What does framing your memoir mean?
2. What does it mean to keep it relevant?
3. How are details important?
4. Why is dialogue important?
5. What can you do with the order? What do you have to be careful not to do?

Part II--Your Life Inventory for Story Ideas

(1 1/2- 2 pages—This is a BIG writing assignment—take your time and write as detailed as possible.)

Setting (time and place) & Mood

1. Describe a few settings that were important parts of your life (ex: childhood homes, school, vacation spots) or make a list.
2. Write down a memory where setting (time or place) was important.
3. Describe either a setting that has a strong positive feeling (mood) or a negative feeling (mood).

Plot

4. Try to summarize the “story” of your life from birth to now.
5. Identify what motivates you (ex: staying healthy, getting into a good college, finding a good job, enjoying life etc.) or tell a story of when you were searching/looking for something.

Conflict

6. Describe some of your conflicts (human vs. human, human vs. nature, human vs. self, etc.) or write a story about one or more conflicts in your life.

Theme

7. Describe a time when there was a possible message or meaning behind an experience that you had.

Characters

8. Describe or write a story about a protagonist (main character/hero) in your life? (Could be you.)
9. Describe or tell a story about an antagonist (enemy) in your life.
10. Describe some very interesting characters from your life.
11. Write about yourself from someone else’s eyes.

Tone

12. Write about your life using at least two different tones: angry, happy, bored, scared, demanding, sarcastic, cruel, etc.

Resolution

13. Write about a time when something was resolved or had a distinct conclusion (ex: like winning a game, finding new love after a long search, etc.)

Part III-Reflection (1/2 page)

Sherman Alexie used his own life experiences to tell his fictional stories. Reflect on your own life and the story potential.

1. Are your own life stories interesting to you? Explain.
2. Are you interested in writing real stories about yourself and the people you know or do you prefer fictionalizing your stories? Explain.
3. Do you feel you’ve had enough life experiences to use for stories? Explain.
4. Did you discover or rediscover any stories about yourself today? Explain.

EXTRA CREDIT

Interesting Personality Test (free and pretty quick to do—links to detailed personality type, career matches, etc.)—Click here for Personality Test Link.

For credit, write down your type and a brief summary of the type.

**Homework: Due on Thursday Block (Per. 3 only) 2 pages of your “school stories” written as non-fiction or fiction—typed and double spaced. Ready for Peer Edit Workshop.