topics for a memoir essay

63 Best Memoir Writing Prompts To Stoke Your Ideas

You’re writing a memoir. But you’re not sure what questions or life lessons you want to focus on.

Even if only family members and friends will read the finished book, you want to make it worth their time.

This isn’t just a whimsical collection of anecdotes from your life.

You want to convey something to your readers that will stay with them.

And maybe you want your memoir’s impact to serve as your legacy — a testament to how you made a small (or large) difference.

The collection of memoir questions in this post can help you create a legacy worth sharing.

So, if you don’t already have enough ideas for a memoir, read on.

A Strong Theme

Overcoming obstacles, emotional storytelling, satisfying ending, examples of good starting sentences for a memoir , 63 memoir writing prompts , what are the primary parts of a memoir.

Though similar to autobiographies, memoirs are less chronological and more impressionable – less historical and more relatable.

Resultantly, they’re structured differently.

With that in mind, let’s look at five elements that tie a memoir together, rendering it more enjoyable.

Biographies are histories that may not hew to a cohesive theme. But memoirs focus on inspiring and enlightening experiences and events.

As such, books in the genre promote a theme or idea that binds the highlighted happenings to an overarching reflection point or lesson.

Many people are super at sniffing out insincerity, and most folks prefer candidness.

So while exact dates and logistical facts may be off in a memoir, being raw and real with emotions, revelations, and relational impacts is vital. To put it colloquially: The best personal accounts let it all hang out.

People prefer inspiring stories. They want to read about people overcoming obstacles, standing as testaments to the tenacious nature of the human spirit. Why?

Because it engenders hope. If this person was able to achieve “x,” there’s a possibility I could, too. Furthermore, people find it comforting that they’re not the only ones who’ve faced seemingly insurmountable impediments.

Readers crave emotion. And for many of the stoic masses, books, plays, television shows, and films are their primary sources of sentimentality.

Historically, the best-performing memoirs are built on emotional frameworks that resonate with readers. The goal is to touch hearts, not just heads.

In a not-so-small way, memoirs are like romance books: Readers want a “happy” ending. So close strongly. Ensure the finale touches on the book’s central themes and emotional highlights.

End it with a smile and note of encouragement, leaving the audience satisfied and optimistic.

Use the following questions as memoir writing exercises . Choose those that immediately evoke memories that have stayed with you over the years.

Group them by theme — family, career, beliefs, etc. — and address at least one question a day.

For each question, write freely for around 300 to 400 words. You can always edit it later to tighten it up or add more content.

1. What is your earliest memory?

2. What have your parents told you about your birth that was unusual?

3. How well did you get along with your siblings, if you have any?

4. Which parent were you closest to growing up and why?

5. What parent or parental figure had the biggest influence on you growing up?

6. What is your happiest childhood memory?

7. What is your saddest or most painful childhood memory?

8. Did you have good parents? How did they show their love for you?

9. What words of theirs from your childhood do you remember most, and why?

10. What do you remember most about your parents’ relationship?

11. Were your parents together, or did they live apart? Did they get along?

12. How has your relationship with your parents affected your own love relationships?

13. Who or what did you want to be when you grew up?

14. What shows or movies influenced you most during your childhood?

15. What were your favorite books to read, and how did they influence you?

16. If you grew up in a religious household, how did you see “God”?

17. How did you think “God” saw you? Who influenced those beliefs?

18. Describe your spiritual journey from adolescence to the present?

19. Who was your first best friend? How did you become friends?

20. Who was your favorite teacher in elementary school, and why?

21. Did you fit in with any social group or clique in school? Describe your social life?

22. What were your biggest learning challenges in school (academic or social)?

23. Who was your first crush, and what drew you to them? How long did it last?

24. What was your favorite subject in school, and what did you love about it?

25. What do you wish you would have learned more about growing up?

26. What did you learn about yourself in high school? What was your biggest mistake?

27. What seemed normal to you growing up that now strikes you as messed up?

28. How old were you when you first moved away from home?

29. Who gave you your first kiss? And what do you remember most about it?

30. Who was your first love ? What do you remember most about them?

31. Was there ever a time in your life when you realized you weren’t straight?

32. Describe a memorable argument you had with one of your parents? How did it end?

33. Have you lost a parent? How did it happen, and how did their death affect you?

34. What was your first real job? What do you remember most about it?

35. How did you spend the money you earned with that job?

36. At what moment in your life did you feel most loved?

37. At what moment in your life did you feel most alone?

38. What do you remember most about your high school graduation? Did it matter?

39. What’s something you’ve done that you never thought you would do?

40. What has been the greatest challenge of your life up to this point?

41. What did you learn in college that has had a powerful influence on you?

42. How has your family’s financial situation growing up influenced you?

43. How has someone’s harsh criticism of you led you to an important realization?

44. Do you consider yourself a “good person”? Why or why not?

45. Who was the first person who considered you worth standing up for?

46. If you have children, whom did you trust with them when they were babies?

47. Did you have pets growing up? Did you feel close or attached to any of them?

Final Thoughts

These memoir topics should get ideas flooding into your mind. All you have to do, then, is let them out onto the page. The more you write, the easier it will be to choose the primary focus for your memoir. And the more fun you’ll have writing it.

That’s not to say it’ll be easy to create a powerful memoir. It won’t be. But the more clarity you have about its overall mission, the more easily the words will flow.

Enjoy these memoir writing exercises. And apply the same clarity of focus during the editing process. Your readers will thank you.

Topics for Memoirs: 50+ Ideas and Prompts to Get You Started

The memoir is a popular type of nonfiction writing that's often associated with celebrities, business leaders, and politicians. However, you don't need to be any of the above to write a good memoir.

Most people develop, over the course of their life, interesting experiences, expertise, or hardships that could interest others. But how do you know you have a good idea for a memoir? Better yet, how can you come up with a good memoir idea ?

Well, read on to find out as we discuss topics for memoirs.

What sets memoirs apart from other nonfiction.
Tips for writing a compelling memoir.
Memoir writing prompts.

What is a Memoir?
Open With a Hook
Structure it Like a Novel
Read Many Memoirs
Inspirational Memoir Ideas
Confessional Memoir Ideas
Comedic Memoir Ideas
Nostalgia Memoir Ideas
Travel Memoir Ideas
Other Memoir Writing Prompts
Position Your Memoir for Success

Before we go any further, let's get on the same page. A memoir is an exploration of a certain topic or subject with which the author has experience. This sets the memoir apart from the autobiography , which is typically a look at the author's entire life (or at least the interesting parts). A memoir, on the other hand, only explores certain aspects of the author's life that have to do with the topic or theme at hand.

Memoirs also read like fiction books. There's a cast of characters, and the protagonist is almost always the author. They have a similar tone and style to fiction books, as well, which is one reason people read them. In fact, some memoirs have been known to skirt the line between truth and fiction ( A Million Little Pieces , anyone?).

That said, you should strive for truth in your memoir. But you'll also probably leave some stuff out by necessity. In other words, you don't need to tell all about the boring stuff.

How to Write a Good Memoir

Memoir writing doesn't have to be hard. In fact, some writers may find it easier than writing a story about fictional characters. After all, the memoir will be about your own life and experiences. Here are a few tips to help you get started.

Grabbing the reader from the beginning is essential for any memoir (or novel, for that matter). There are a number of ways to do this, and the type of story you plan to write will often dictate how it’s done. You can start with humor, action, conflict, or strong emotions. Don’t be afraid to combine more than one of these factors.

But no matter how you start the book, you’ll want to ensure you write from the heart and stick to the truth as you remember it. If you write with emotion and keep it compelling, the reader will be happy to go on the journey with you for the rest of the memoir.

Thinking of the structure of your memoir as that of a novel is a great way to craft a compelling narrative. Try your best to have the reader identify with you early on, while also setting up the central conflict of the story.

Each scene should advance the story, add character development or depth, or support the overarching theme of your memoir. All the better if a scene does more than one of these things!

As is the case with writing any other type of book, you'll want to be very familiar with other people's memoirs. You can't expect to know what readers expect from a good memoir if you don't read them yourself. Luckily, there are a ton of different memoir subgenres you can dive into. Some are funny, some are heart-wrenching, and some are informative. Here are some suggestions for excellent memoirs to check out.

Augusten Burroughs has written several successful memoirs. The most notable of these is Running With Scissors , which was even made into a movie. But he has written other memoirs, including Dry and A Wolf at the Table .

David Sedaris is another well-known writer in the memoir genre. Unlike Burroughs, Sedaris typically releases books that comprise a collection of essays on a certain topic. The personal essays in his books are memoirs of a kind.

Alison Bechdel is a cartoonist who has written what is known as graphic memoirs. Similar to a graphic novel, her book Fun Home is a memoir in illustrated form.

Some other memoirs you may have heard of include:

Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt
Becoming by Michelle Obama
The Liars' Club by Mary Karr
Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
Educated by Tara Westover
A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway

For more practical advice, check out the essay How to Write a Memoir by famed nonfiction writer William Zinsser.

Memoir Writing Prompts

Now that we've covered some broad-strokes writing tips for memoirs, let's dive into some memoir ideas. I've split the following prompts into some overarching memoir categories, but this is not to say that you need to keep any given idea in that category. You can take any prompt that strikes your fancy and apply a different theme to it.

By definition, your memoir will be very personal. It will be uniquely yours, but if done well, it will also give other people entertainment, insight, and value. After all, a memoir is just a long personal essay. Keep this in mind as you read the following ideas.

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If you have stories that can touch and inspire, then this may be the theme for you. Overcoming challenges makes for great reading.

1. Think of the hardest thing you've ever had to do in your life. How did you overcome the challenge? Did you do it by yourself or with the help of friends, family members, a spouse, your kids, etc.?

2. Have you ever had a profound religious or spiritual experience? If so, what prompted it?

3. Have you ever had to deal with a life-or-death situation? Did you keep your cool when others were panicking? What did you learn and how did your life change after the situation was over and you had time to reflect?

4. If you were able to go back in time and talk to your younger self, what would you say?

5. What is the single most important life experience you've had? Why?

6. Write about the one thing that makes you different from everyone else. How has this difference affected your life, and where would you be if you weren't different?

7. Love is something everyone can relate to. Describe meeting your partner or your trials and tribulations in the world of finding and losing love.

8. Have you lived through any specific historical event? If so, how did it change your life or affect your view of the world and the human race?

9. Have you devoted your life to a specific field of expertise? With all your knowledge of your specific industry, start a personal narrative that explores how your expertise has influenced your life.

10. Recount the greatest adventure of your entire life in detail. Why was it so great, and how did it change the course of your life?

Confessional memoirs intrigue readers because the authors share their dirty little secrets. However, most of the time, there's a light at the end of the tunnel.

11. If you've ever dealt with addiction of any kind, a personal memoir could help other people who are dealing with something similar.

12. Most industries have a dark underside that doesn't often make the news. If you've been in a position to see this underside, it could make for a good memoir.

13. If you've done something interesting — like working with the homeless or at-risk teens — then your experiences could make for a good confessional memoir. Of course, you'd need to get permission to write about specific people first.

14. People who have lived a life of crime are in a unique position to write a compelling memoir. True crime is a popular concept across all media, and a true crime memoir could certainly do well. (Of course, I'm not suggesting you commit any crimes just so you can write about them.)

15. Is there something you've had to deal with, such as a mental or physical illness? Writing about it could be a way to help others with their own struggles.

16. Traumatic encounters can also make for impactful memoirs. Of course, writing about any kind of trauma can be difficult, but if you feel up to it, you may consider this kind of memoir.

17. Growing up is hard. If you had a particularly tough or unique time while shedding your childhood and donning adulthood, it could be of interest to future generations.

18. People are often interested in those who have different experiences from them. Whether you're an African American growing up in the United States or a disabled person navigating through life, try to pinpoint what makes you unique and discuss how it has impacted your life.

19. Confessional memoirs don't need to be as dramatic as crime or trauma. They can be as simple as mistakes you've learned from. Consider writing about a time when you made a mistake or did something that you are not proud of. Reflect on what led up to the event, how it affected those around you, and how you learned from it.

20. Like mistakes, secrets and your reasons for keeping them can also make for a good memoir topic. Write about a secret that you have kept for a long time. Consider the reasons why you felt the need to keep it hidden. How has it affected your life, and what have you learned from the experience of keeping it hidden?

While confessional memoirs are often serious reads in which the author bares their soul, comedic memoirs often deal with similar issues but with a very different tone. Readers seek these out to laugh and revel in the lives of others.

21. Were you a class clown in middle school, high school, or college? Did you get up to silly hijinks that landed you in the principal's office? If so, a humorous tell-all could be the creative writing project of your dreams.

22. Everyone's family is pretty strange. But some are certainly stranger than others. If you can look back on your formative years and laugh, you might just have the right attitude for a comedic memoir.

23. Some of the best memoirs are about family members. Maybe you had a brother or a sister who was zany or simply uniquely funny in their own quiet way. Writing a memoir about how your close family member kept the dark times light and the light times infused with laughter is a fun undertaking.

24. Sometimes it takes a while to “grow up” and start adulting. And there are certainly potholes along the way. If you have some cringe-worthy stories from living, loving, and learning, then your embarrassment could mean hours of entertainment for your readers.

25. Trying and failing at something can provide some of the best life lessons of all. Maybe you went to LA to become an actor, or you tried your hand at sports with hilarious results. By making light of your failures, you can help people not take their own so seriously.

26. Kids say the darndest things. No, I'm not talking about the show, but it's a good example of the kind of memoir you could write if you have raised or been around kids in any capacity. Not only are they funny, but they can teach us how to retain some magic in our own lives.

27. Humor is certainly a coping mechanism. And while there's a fine line between poking fun and making fun, there's some room in the comedic memoir genre for discussing things like your relationship to food, entertainment, and even exercise. These are the things of life, and with a little creative writing, they can make for fun reading.

28. Do you work in an industry dominated by the opposite sex? Or in an elite industry where only a few “make it”? Exploring anecdotes from your unique point of view can make for awkward, embarrassing, and funny writing.

29. Everyone has experienced some hard times in their life, but not everyone can see those things in a positive light. Using humor, write about the hardest moments you've lived through, giving them a comedic twist from your perspective today.

30. Was there ever a time in your life when a kind word or a silly joke brought you out of a dark place? Write about the power of kindness and laughter in your life.

Nostalgia memoirs are attractive to readers because they often remind them of their own childhood or experiences. Other readers may pick them up to see what the world was like in a certain time and place.

31. Growing up in small-town America — with white picket fences and a mailman who stops to chat — is a rarity these days. If you had this kind of upbringing, your experiences could transport readers back in time for an entertaining and inspiring journey.

32. We relate to the world through stories. And the ones we enjoyed as children often hold a special place in our hearts. If you can relate movies, shows, or books you enjoyed growing up to the person you've become today, it could make for a great memoir.

33. Music is the soundtrack to our lives. And a memoir that ties popular and classic songs to important events in your life has the potential to be a bestseller!

34. Did you attend Woodstock? Were you there for the Million Man March? Events like these — even those as recent as 1995 — can make for great memoirs. Life was different then, and much has changed. But our love for a good story hasn't.

35. Write about a significant event or period of your life, and reflect on how your perspective and feelings about it have changed over time. What do you miss most about that time, and what do you appreciate about your current stage of life?

People like traveling almost as much as they like stories. And these kinds of memoirs combine both. It's a way for readers to experience other parts of the world vicariously through the author's eyes.

36. A year-long trek across Europe. Riding a bike across America in a year. Living in hostels for a year. If you've ever done anything like this, get to writing!

37. Have you ever been injured or stranded in a foreign country? If so, you could write a thrilling memoir that details your experiences, the people you met, and how you managed to get back home.

38. Snow storms, flash floods, or broken limbs. A lot can go wrong out in the wilderness. If you've ever had a close call or a harrowing experience like this, a piece of narrative writing detailing it could be in order.

39. You can learn a lot about the world and about people by traveling. Experiences, both good and bad, can be interesting to the average memoir reader. And any life lessons you've learned along the way will certainly add depth to your memoir.

40. If you've ever been to Antarctica or the Sahara, Everest or Kilimanjaro, your experiences could make for great reading!

Many published memoirs are a collection of essays that are all related by theme. So these are the nonfiction equivalent of short story collections. Don't feel like you need to write one long story for your memoir. You can write several stories on different topics and then publish them as a collection. The following writing prompts can help you do just that.

41. Write about an epic journey you took.

42. Write about the time you realized what was really important in life.

43. Explore the topic of love — both platonic and romantic — and how it has influenced your life.

44. What is the one life lesson you wish you had learned earlier? Why?

45. Write about the person who has had the greatest impact on your life.

46. Explore discipline and how your life would be without it.

47. Talk about big changes in life — from childhood to adulthood or middle age to old age — and impart lessons to those who will be going through the same thing.

48. If you've ever been through a divorce, explore its impact on your life.

49. Talk about your hobby and how it has had a positive (or negative) effect on your life.

50. Explore ways you've tried to help others during your life.

When you have your memoir written and ready to publish, you’ll need to think about positioning it for success on the biggest online bookseller out there: Amazon. And the easiest way to do this is with Publisher Rocket .

You can think of the information you get from Publisher Rocket as the foundation for your writing career . You get insights directly from Amazon on:

Keywords – Metadata to position your memoir on Amazon.
Competition – Allowing you to see what other memoirs are selling well and how stiff the competition is.
Categories – Allowing you to position your memoir in the right categories and subcategories to increase your chances of success.
Amazon Ads – Helping you quickly configure a list of profitable keywords for running ads to your published memoir.

I hope these memoir writing prompts help get your creativity flowing. Don’t forget to check out Publisher Rocket here to use data to sell your finished book!

Increase Your Book Marketing

See the Publisher Rocket effect, when you use the right keywords and categories to help get your book seen more on Amazon.

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Legacy Projects

30+ Memoir Topic Ideas + Tips for Choosing One

Updated 06/13/2024

Published 06/26/2020

Sam Tetrault, BA in English

Contributing writer

Discover the best memoir topic ideas, including ideas for college students, older adults, and others.

Cake values integrity and transparency. We follow a strict editorial process to provide you with the best content possible. We also may earn commission from purchases made through affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more in our affiliate disclosure .

A memoir is a personal account of your life, an experience, or anything that shapes you into the person you are today. There are a lot of examples of some of the best memoirs out there, but have you ever considered writing your own?

There are no rules when it comes to writing your own memoir. You can choose any topic you’d like, and there are no restrictions on how you write your life story . This is a great writing exercise for students, older adults, and everyone in between.

By taking the time to write about an experience that matters to you, you also do a lot of self-reflection. This could shine a light on how you want to be remembered, your legacy, and any changes you’d like to make in your life.

There are so many important things you’ll recognize only once you begin writing. Instead of waiting for inspiration to strike, here are 30+ memoir topic ideas and tips for choosing the right one for you.

If you're interested in unique ways to continue the legacy of a loved one, you can consider a custom urn from a store like Foreverence or even have a memorial diamond made from ashes with a company like Eterneva .

Jump ahead to these sections:

Personal memoir topic ideas, tips for choosing the best memoir topic, tips for starting your memoir.

A personal memoir is something that’s meaningful for you. This could be an interesting event, a life-changing moment, or even just a bit of internal reflection. Again, there are no rules. Let these ideas be your guide.

Ideas for middle school and high school students

A memoir is an excellent writing exercise for students in middle school and high school. Though these students might not have a lot of life experience, they still have unique perspectives on the world. Capturing these ideas in writing is worth its weight in gold.

1. A major life event

We all experience major life events, even as children. What major life event defines your life, and how can you grow from it? It could be a transition from middle school to high school, a parent’s divorce, or even a vacation. These are the memories that define who we are.

2. Your favorite place

Where do you find the most comfort? Is it at home in your bedroom or outside somewhere special? Why does this space have so much meaning for you, and how do you spend your time here? Share an experience you’ve had here.

3. Your best day

Best days might not come around all that often, but they sure are memorable when they do. Share one of the best days you’ve ever had, who you were with, and what you did. What made this moment so special?

4. Favorite food

Food is one of the things that bind people together. What food speaks the most to you, and why does it have such an important place in your heart? What does food mean within your family?

5. Favorite teacher

Teachers impact the way we think, and their role transcends the classroom. Who was your most memorable teacher? What stood out about them, and how do you work hard to make them proud?

6. Favorite book

Everyone has a book they’ve read that stuck with them. Humans share who they are through stories. Like the memoir itself, this book plays a role in who you’ve become. What book is your favorite, and what does it mean to you?

7. Most prized possession

This topic is like show-and-tell in written form. What item do you hold in the highest esteem? Is it a beloved shirt or a prize from a sporting event? Where do you keep this item, what does it look like, and what place does it hold in your heart?

8. Your favorite class or subject

No matter your feelings about school, there are bound to be some classes or subjects that stood out to you. What inspired you about these lessons? What have you learned, and how will you use these teachings moving forward?

Who are your closest friends? When did you become friends, and what keeps you close? Exploring these relationships in a memoir is a wonderful tribute to those who matter the most.

10. Favorite holiday

Holidays have a lot of meaning around the world. Which holidays matter the most to you? What do these say about your family, culture, and personality? What is your favorite way to celebrate?

Ideas for college students

College students are at a defining moment in their lives. They have a lot of responsibility, but they’re not quite on their own in the “real world” just yet. This is the perfect transition point for some reflection through a memoir.

11. Major or focus

In college, most students define a major or area of study. What major did you choose, and what significance does this have for you? Where do you see yourself in a few years using this major?

12. First love or friendship

We’ll never forget our earliest relationships. Share a time when you fell in love or had a close friendship. What did this relationship mean to you? How did you feel in the moment, and how do you feel now?

13. Obituary

While this might sound odd, a common writing exercise is to write your own obituary. An obituary or death announcement is a way to share your legacy on the world. Though you hope to have many happy years ahead, what do you want to include in your obituary ?

What is your most memorable travel experience? From spring break with friends to family holidays in nearby cities, the places we experience often define us. What have you learned from your journeys both near and far?

15. Hometown

If you’re no longer in your hometown, reflect on what this means to you. Was your hometown somewhere to escape from or to? How has moving away for college affected your relationship with this place?

Describe an experience of loss. Whether you lost someone you love, a pet, or even just a favorite sweater, we all experience these feelings in our own ways. What does loss mean to you?

17. Grandparents

Talking to our grandparents is one of the best ways to bridge gaps between generations. Talk to your grandparents about their experience in college or at your age. How does this compare to your own experience?

18. First job

What was your first job like? When did you receive your first paycheck, and what did this experience mean to you? If you’ve never worked a “real” job, what do you imagine it will be like? Describe a volunteer, academic, or professional experience.

19. Future you

Write a memoir from the perspective of your future self. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? 20 years? How will this version of yourself look different? What will they have accomplished?

20. Failure

Though difficult to write about, it’s important to reflect on our weaknesses just as much as our strengths. Have you ever failed in your life? How did you move on from this, and what did you learn along the way?

Ideas for older adults

As someone with more life experience, there’s a lot of room to reflect as an older adult. Here are some ideas to get those creative juices flowing as you drift down memory lane.

How exactly do you want to be remembered by friends and family? What have you accomplished that you’re most proud of, and how will this affect your legacy?

What is your favorite hobby? Describe your experience learning this hobby and becoming a part of the culture. How does it affect your day-to-day life?

23. Life’s passion

While most people have a variety of passions, try to define a single, key passion that defines your life. Limiting it to one helps you focus on what matters most.

24. Historical event

Have you witnessed any historical events? Things like national disasters, wars, rights movements, and so on are all once-in-a-lifetime experiences. How did they affect you, and what is your perspective on these happenings?

25. Paradigm shift

Was there ever a moment where your point of view changed drastically? Did it stem from someone, something, or a single experience? Describe this moment.

26. Trip abroad

If you’ve traveled abroad, write about your experience in a new place and surrounded by an unfamiliar culture. What do you remember the most? What lessons did you take with you back home?

What is your relationship with change? Is it something you welcome with open arms or run from? Evaluate how your relationship with change has adapted over time.

28. Built a home

What does “home” mean to you? Is it the place you grew up or somewhere you built for yourself? Define what home means to you and how you’ve built your own home life.

While your career isn’t everything, it does say something about you and the life you lead. How has your career affected your life, and what doors has it opened or closed?

30. Life story

Finally, consider sharing your entire life story. If you’re not sure where to start, try the beginning. Each of us has a story to tell, no matter how big or small.

There are no one-size-fits-all questions for sparking your memoir topic. Follow these tips below to find the right fit for you.

Writing time and experience

Before you begin, consider how much time you have to dedicate to writing. While writing your life story might be a great goal, this should only be attempted if you have the time to follow through. Otherwise, choose something with shorter writing requirements like sharing an experience.

Brainstorm before you begin

If you’re not sure where to start, simply start brainstorming or journaling. Often you’ll find the answer in what you write here. What are you drawn to most naturally? Where do your thoughts focus the most? This is where your story lies.

Choose multiple topics

There are no rules that you only have to stick to one memoir topic. You could write a series of essays that discuss many of the topics above. There is no need to worry about them fitting together perfectly. Life isn’t a highlight’s reel. It’s raw and imperfect, and that’s okay.

Sometimes, the hardest part about starting a memoir is just that: getting started. While you need to have a solid overarching story, you also need to make a strong impression on readers early on. Like all forms of writing and craftsmanship, this process can be intimidating.

The good news is it’s okay to be messy, to make mistakes, and to figure it out as you go. For inspiration, follow these tips for starting your memoir.

Start with action

While it’s tempting to start your memoir off with backstory or context, this doesn’t necessarily draw readers into the story. Instead, begin in the middle of the action. There will always be time for context and further explanations later.

Engage your audience in the work from the first moment, grabbing the reader’s attention. Whether you begin at an important decision-making moment, on a trip abroad, or wrapped in a moment of passion, make every inch of the page count.

Treat your reader like a friend

Spilling your truth on the page is no easy feat. Because a memoir is your own story, it’s normal to feel anxiety about letting these feelings out from deep inside. One helpful tip for starting your memoir is to treat the reader like a trusted friend.

This is someone you confide in regularly, and you know you can trust them. They won’t meet you with judgment or confusion. They’re just present in the moment, listening to what you have to share. When you place your trust in the reader, they feel that trust as well.

Borrow from fiction writers

While you don’t want to borrow elements of stories, borrow writing techniques from your favorite fiction writers. Who said nonfiction had to read like a textbook? The best memoirs all tell a story creatively, relying on traditional fiction techniques to paint the narrative.

Just like with fiction, create a structure for your story. This includes a strong opening, middle, climax, and resolution. Even a truthful memoir needs a clear course for readers to follow. Take inspiration from other memoirs, fictional stories, and the tales that inspire you. What can you learn from other authors?

Write for yourself

Most importantly, write for yourself. Writing your own memoir can be a healing process. When you write your own stories, even if they’re never shared, you let go of this weight inside ourselves.

While you shouldn’t look exclusively inward, don’t focus so much on the reader that you lose sight of yourself. Invite your reader into these real-life moments. Let them exist inside them for a little while, even if it’s only on borrowed time.

Above all, write the story you have to tell. Everyone has something inside of them that wants to be let out. Your memoir is an opportunity to share that truth with a blank page, even if this is something you don’t share with others.

Start Writing Your Memoir

There’s nothing holding you back from writing your memoir. As long as you’re willing to put the words to paper, you can get started today. You don’t need any formal training or writing experience to get started. Memoirs are written by people from all backgrounds and walks of life.

You don’t need to worry about your story being “good enough” or “exciting enough.” A true story is a worthy story, no matter how it’s told. Let these 30+ topics above be your guide. From there, the page is yours to explore.

Categories:

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50+ High School Bucket List Ideas for Before You Graduate

How to Write + Publish Your Life Story: Step-By-Step

List of 40 Essential Things to Learn Before You Die

🖋 50 Impactful Memoir Writing Prompts to Get You Writing TODAY

If you’re thinking about writing your memoir but facing a blank page, I have a few great memoir writing prompts that will get you writing TODAY . Let’s do this! ⚡️

Writer’s Block? Nah!

Creative writing prompts are useful tools for unlocking memories so you can get your life stories onto the page. I have a deep respect for the creative process, and I’m a fan of creative writing prompts because they work. They’re a diving board into your memories, helping to unlock past experiences you may have forgotten. If you struggle with writer’s block, memoir prompts are more like the well-meaning swim coach that gives you a purposeful nudge, right into the water. Once you’re in, you’re in! 🏊🏻‍♀️

Writing is an intuitive process, and this is especially true for memoir . It can be helpful to think about specific memories or moments in your life that were particularly meaningful to you. Other times, it can be helpful to focus on a specific theme or area of your life that you would like to explore in your writing. Don’t be surprised if you end up pivoting in a different direction, too. If you stay open, the story you are meant to write will reveal itself to you (this might sound silly, but it’s been true for me and all the books I’ve written ).

Creative writing prompts can be a warm-up to the actual writing, or the writing itself. You can decide the shape of your memoir once you know what you’re writing about and have generated enough material that can serve as the foundation of your memoir. You can smooth your prose and make everything cohere into a memoir everyone will want to read. 🤗

But right now? Get writing.

Using Creative Writing Prompts

Creative writing prompts and writing exercises that help you write your memoir by providing structure and ideas to get you started. They offer simple but thoughtful questions to help you excavate the stories that are wanting to be discovered. ⛏

Prompts can be as simple as asking you to describe a significant event in your life, or they can be open-ended, like asking you to write about a specific theme or feeling. Sometimes you’ll end up writing about something completely different than the memoir prompt, and that’s okay. Trust wherever it takes you.

The more writing you do, the more memories will get unlocked. Not only that, but a little bit of writing each day adds up to a lot of writing if you just keep going . And as an added bonus, you’ll be developing your writing skills with each prompt you write. 🏋🏻‍♀️

Memoirs are a great way to share your life story with the world. These prompts will help you get the most out of your writing and get your creative juices flowing.

Why Memoir Writing Matters

Memoir writing as a creative process that serves the writer and ultimately the reader. 🤓

For the writer, writing our personal narratives is a way to remember and process our own life experiences, to help us understand the significant events of our lives that helped shaped who we are. Writing these stories down can be a source of comfort and healing, providing a space to reflect on our past and make sense of our present. They offer a creative outlet for exploring our thoughts, feelings, and memories, and are a great way to connect with our past selves.

For the reader , memoirs can be a source of inspiration for others, offering a glimpse into someone else’s life and providing hope, motivation, and insight. I’ve always viewed memoir as proof that we’re not alone, that others have been through similar experiences and can relate to us. Great stories help us appreciate what we have in the present moment, and offer compassion for ourselves and others.

What are Some Good Memoir Topics to Write About?

Unless you already know what you want to write about in a memoir, and it can be difficult to know where to start. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Some good topics include your childhood, your family and friends, your education and career, your hobbies and interests, and any significant life events. These topics can also be used as creative writing prompts to help you get started on writing your memoir, even if you plan to focus on something different.

Most memoirs have a specific theme, which can help you frame your writing and your manuscript. Learn more about themes (vs topics) here , and download a printable list of themes that you can use while writing and revising your work.

Memoir Prompt Writing Tips

Before you begin, here are a few things to keep in mind.

Be honest and raw

Be honest with yourself and your writing. Don’t worry about putting on a show or looking perfect. Don’t start changing family members’ names because you’re worried they’ll get mad. Remember that no one is going to see your work at this stage unless you show it to them.

Experienced memoir writers know it takes many drafts to get to a polished manuscript, but you have to start at the beginning, and beginnings are usually pretty messy. Give yourself permission to write without any inhibitions — no censoring of your words or thoughts. Just get it down, and then decide what to do with it once you’re finished. If you really hate it or feel horribly embarrassed, you can always toss it out. But you probably won’t. 😉

Write by hand

When it comes to writing prompts, I’m a strong proponent of writing by hand. Before you panic, you’ll only be doing this for ten minutes (see below), and there’s a connection that’s made between the brain and the page when you write by hand. I do most of my writing on my computer — I’m a fast typist and a fast thinker, so I prefer to have my fingers on the keyboard … except when I’m responding to a prompt. Something important happens when we write by hand, and it gets missed when we’re on the computer or on our phones.

If you’re not convinced, try it for one week and see what happens.

Establish a daily writing practice

When you decide you’re going to write, a daily practice helps keep you on track. Have a writing process in place ensures that you get the writing done, and with each day that passes, you become a better writer.

Some memoir writers swear by Julia Cameron’s morning pages , which I love but don’t always have the time to do. My recommendation is to set the bar low — begin with writing ten minutes a day. Choose a prompt, set the timer, and keep your hand moving (thank you, Natalie Goldberg ). When the timer goes off, stop. You can spend another 10 minutes revising and reshaping the work, or you can put it aside to rest.

If you do this daily, you’ll have 365 individual vignettes by the end of the year (366 if it’s a leap year). Whether you choose to use them in your memoir is up to you, but these are excellent starting points and you’ll usually find some gems in there, which you can submit individually to literary magazines or string together into a collection of personal essays or narratives. If micro memoirs are your thing, I have some proposed writing schedules here that might help.

The most important thing is to write, and write daily. 📆

Tell a story and give us details

Every memoir tells a specific story the writers wants to share. Memoirs are not a recounting of every fact or statistic of your entire life like an autobiography or biography, but a glimpse into a particular moment.

I like to use the example of a photograph — sometimes what is outside the frame is just as important as what’s inside the frame. Use sensory details to bring us in the moment with you. What’s happening?

When you’re ready, and once you’ve selected the pieces you want to spend time on, you can revise your work. This will give you a chance to do a deeper dive into whatever it is that want to say, and shape the work for a reader. But again, you don’t have to worry about that now, just be assured that you can “fix” whatever you need to fix, later. 👩🏻‍🔧

Mem oir Writing Prompts & Ideas

Let’s get started! Use the following memoir prompts to get your creativity flowing. These open-ended prompts are very flexible so choose at random, switch them up, make them yours. Use them as a starting point, trust the process, and GO. 🏃🏻‍♀️

The Alphabet Autobiography (similar to the abecedarian poetic form). You’ll write one sentence of line for each letter of the alphabet, from A to Z. Start with the letter A, and think about something (or someone) in your life that begins with A. It doesn’t have to “important” — don’t overthink it. Go with whatever comes up first, and keep going until you reach the end of the alphabet.
Write about a family heirloom.
What were the cartoon characters of your childhood, and which one did you identify with?
Write about your first best friend.
Not everyone has owned a pet, but we all have animal companions in some form. Think stuffed animal, class pet, a totem animal. Write about the first one that comes to mind.
Write about a favorite teacher.
What’s the first thing you did this morning?
Have you ever had a near-death experience?
Write about your first love.
What was the most embarrassing thing that happened to you in high school?
What is the best memory you have of a place you traveled to?
When was the last time you saw a relative you don’t know very well? Tell us what you think about them. How are they related to you?
Tell us about your favorite article of clothing. Where did you get it, why do you love it, what does it say about you?
What was the first thing you ever bought yourself?
What is your favorite gift you’ve ever given (or received)?
Who do you love to spend time with? Why?
Think of a time you lied.
Think of a time when you stole something.
Think of a time when you laughed so hard, you cried.
Think of a time when you felt triumphant.
Think of a time when you were completely and utterly in love.
What was the worst day of your life?
What’s your favorite season? Why?
What’s your favorite holiday? Why?
When were you the happiest you’ve ever been?
When you were the saddest you’ve ever been?
What is one of your most vivid memories of your parents?
When was the last time you felt jealous?
Write about a random act of kindness someone did for you.
What is your favorite smell?
Write about your name. What does it mean? Do you have a nickname? Does it suit you?
What is something no one knows about you?
Tell us a recipe that you make by heart. How did you learn it? How often do you make it?
Did you have a comfort object growing up? What was it, and when did you need it?
Write about a recurring dream.
When you look in the mirror, what feature do you notice first? Write about that.
What was the first place you ever traveled to?
How has your worldview changed since you were a child?
What was your first car?
When was the last time you went swimming?
What’s a job you would love to do?
How many siblings do you have, and what are their names?
Tell us about your favorite kind of sandwich.
Write about your scars.
What’s your go-to cocktail?
How many times have you moved in your life?
Describe the house you grew up in.
How many tattoos and piercings do you have, and why did you get them?
Write about the last time you were in nature, and what happened.
Write about a camping trip.

More Great Resources

Experiment with micro memoirs and establish a simple writing practice to help you write regularly.
Read this post, 10 Tips on How to Write a Book About Your Life , for an overview of the writing process.
Read this post, Top 10 Must-Read Books on How to Write a Memoir , which features books by some great writers of the genre.
Want to know when I add more prompts? Join my newsletter ! 💌

127 Best Memoir Writing Prompts You’ll Love

Memoir writing requires dedication and talent to describe critical points of your life. See our memoir writing prompts to inspire you to make your own.

So you finally decided to put your life on paper. Writing a memoir and sharing it with others is a great way to immortalize your achievements, failures, and lessons.

However, you might find it hard to decide which areas of your life to focus on. Because a memoir requires themed occurrences, you can’t make it a compilation of narratives from the moment you were born. As memoir coach Marion Roach Smith told us in a podcast interview , your memoir must be honest and also impart something valuable to readers.

How To Use These Memoir Writing Prompts

The process, memoir writing prompts, what are good topics for a memoir.

Memoir writing is personal. It involves sensitive information such as personal and family history. So, be careful to only pick highlights in your life that you are comfortable sharing. At the same time, these key events should be those you think your readers will find interesting.

Memoirs don’t need to be chronological, nor should they read like an autobiography. These non-fiction pieces don’t need to include everything in your life. Memoirs can center on one colossal event and are primarily created to share lessons that inspire and encourage. Use the prompts below to get an idea of what to include in your memoir.

We’ve written extensively about writing prompts before. Here, you can read through our list of prompts and choose those closest to your experiences for a memoir. Pick as many as you want. Then, evaluate which ones you find most relatable. Continue this process of elimination until you have a foundation of what you want to include in your memoir.

What’s the story behind your name?
Talk about your first love. It can be a person, a thing, or a feeling.
Identify your proudest moments. Give details on how you felt during those times.
What would you say to your older or younger self if you had the chance?
If you can delete a memory, what will it be? Why?
Recall a time when you’ve been in an accident.
What’s your earliest memory?
Talk about the worst day of your life.
Narrate an event you feel already happened, like a deja vu.
Describe your childhood room in detail.
Detail a situation when you feel betrayed. What did you do, and how did you handle it?
If you have traumas or illnesses, share how you got them and discuss your recovery story.
What were you afraid of when you were a child, and why? Are you still scared of it today?
Talk about an occasion when you were terrified to do something but still did it.
How did your first date go? What’s your ideal first date?
List three ways people always describe you. Why do you think they describe you as such?
Identify your worst insecurity and why you got it. What are the steps you’re taking to overcome it?
Write about winning something.
Talk about your first heartbreak. It can be about a past lover or a failed endeavor.
Who’s your favorite teacher? Why?
What’s your worst fear?
Describe the most beautiful art you’ve seen.
What are your quirks?
What are you most grateful for today? Why?
Have you ever had a spiritual or religious experience? Expound on it.
What are your most valuable possessions? Why?
List three of your worst phobias. Share your worst experience concerning these fears.
Talk about your hobbies and how you got them. If you have a hobby from childhood that you carried to your adult life, what are they?
Talk about the most memorable holiday you’ve had.
Share an experience where you feel the most embarrassed.
Recall a time when you met a terminally ill person. How did their life philosophy affect you?
What’s the worst mistake you’ve ever made? What did you do to mitigate or correct it?
Talk about any experience you have with the supernatural.
Talk about an unforgettable memory you had with your mom or dad.
Recount your experiences growing up with strict or devout parents.
Describe your worst physical pain and share the story behind it.
Describe your relationship with your siblings.
Recall a time when you had a meltdown. What were the events that led up to it?
Talk about the funniest incident you’ve witnessed.
Talk about a time when you were dirt poor – no money, no friends, and no motivation.
List five of your all-time favorite songs. What memories do you connect to these songs?
Talk about your first job. How did it go, and what did you learn from it?
Narrate how your graduation went. Include what you felt and who you celebrated it with you.
Describe the most beautiful wedding you’ve attended.
Talk about when your experiences with racism, sexism, and other types of discrimination.
Is there a period when you feel lost? Share what you felt and how you overcame it.
What’s the first school memory you can recall?
Talk about the time when you hated yourself the most.
Recount a time in your life that you consider a fresh start. Compare the person you were before and after this new beginning.
Talk about the happiest day of your life.
What’s the most shocking event you’ve experienced?
What part of schooling did you hate the most?
Talk about the origin of a lie you still present as truth today.
What is your dream job? Recount your experiences during the period when you strived to get that dream job.
Walk around your house and look for items that trigger your consciousness. Relay the memories connected to these items.
Recount the story of your birth. How did your parents or guardian describe it?
Think back to a time when you had to make an important decision. What did you pick, and how do you feel about it today?
Talk about your greatest regret.
Narrate an encounter where you were stereotyped based on your gender.
What skill are you most proud of, and how did you develop it?
Talk about your favorite childhood toy and share a prominent memory of it.
Is there a family secret you wish you didn’t know? What is it, and why?
If you’re a part of the LGBTQ+ community, share your journey to discovering and understanding your sexuality.
Look back to your past expectations of yourself. How different are they from your current goals?
If you have an experience with a grave disease, share your life before and after your diagnosis.
Recount your experiences and lessons as a first-time parent.
If you’re a war veteran, narrate your first-hand experiences during your service.
Speak about the meaningful experiences you’ve had in your job or career.
Talk about a time when you had to break the law to survive.
Recall a time when you were pushed to be the leader of a group or a project. How did it go?
Pick the largest scar on your body and share how you got it.
Talk about something you’ve gone through that you pretend never happened. Include how you finally faced and pulled through this tribulation.
If you have any tattoos, talk about their meaning/s.
Describe the moment you realized you’ve matured or grown up.
Describe what you expect your retirement to be like.
Talk about a book you deeply feel connected to.
Talk about your favorite photo of yourself and the story behind it.
Recount the day when you got your first car.
What did it feel like when you moved out of your family home?
Describe your childhood home and pick your favorite areas. Explain why.
Recall an incident when your feelings were hurt the most.
Talk about an experience that made you believe in extraterrestrial life.
What vegetable do you hate the most? Share a memory of when you realized you hate that food.
If you’ve had a poor relationship with food, share your struggles with eating, weight, and self-concept.
What do you do when you feel sad? How do you lift your mood?
Talk about how you met the best people you know today.
Do you have unique family traditions? What are they, and what do you feel about them?
Tell the story of how you met your current partner.
Talk about your different friend groups. What memories of them do you like the most?
Describe your parents’ dynamic. How did their relationship affect your perception of love and marriage?
Recount the most intense argument you’ve had with someone close to you. Include why the fight happened and how you solved it.
Identify your greatest personal challenge so far and elaborate on it.
Talk about a time when your family prepared for a death of a loved one.
Recount the period after losing a loved one. Talk about your grief, mourning, and how you coped with the death.
Talk about how you started and achieved success in your field. Add tips to help aspiring beginners of the craft.
If you’re from a broken marriage, share how the separation affected you growing up. Include your struggles with your identity, self-respect, etc.
Talk about a time when you were falsely accused of something.
Have you ever joined an organization? Share your most memorable experience with the group.
Share your experience with a natural calamity, such as an earthquake or a hurricane.
Talk about the first year of your marriage to your current partner. Include your realizations, compromises, and adjustments.
Discuss a relationship you’ve been in that made you a better person. For example, you can speak about a toxic or a healing relationship.
Talk about a rare habit one of your friends or relatives has that you find amusing.
Talk about a major change you had to go through in your life. How did you cope with it, and what did you learn?
Speak about a time when you were addicted to something.
Talk about a time you felt the closest to your mother or father.
Recount an incident that pushed you to cut ties with someone special to you.
Narrate the story of how a grandparent imparted a vital life lesson to you.
Talk about your celebrity idols and how they influenced your life.
Talk about your best friend and how the two of you became close.
Did you have a school bully? Recall the worst thing they did and how their actions impacted your school life.
Talk about a family feud. How did it start, and how did the dispute affect you?
Discuss a life-or-death situation you’ve been in. How dangerous was it, and how did you survive it?
Talk about your best traveling experience that changed your perception of life.
Talk about a time when you feel powerful or unstoppable.
Write about a bizarre encounter you’ve experienced.
Talk about your political beliefs and why you support these beliefs.
Write about a time when you felt a place is hunted. Share the details of your trip.
Try to describe your hometown in vivid detail. What’s one thing you remember the most about your hometown?
Write about a historical event that greatly affected your life. What is it, and how did it change your everyday living?
Pick one memory you strongly associate with each: spring, summer, autumn, and winter.
Think of a time when you had to choose between two good things. For example, love or career, then talk about your experience.
Recall the most memorable adventure you’ve had.
Talk about an instance when you saved someone.
Talk about your experience when you moved to another country.
Talk about the time when you met your childhood hero.
Recount what happened when you had your first child.
Think of your first major loss. Explain what it’s about

Childhood Memories : Remember when you climbed that giant oak tree in your backyard or had your first heartbreak in middle school? Your early years are a goldmine of raw, evocative memories. Delve deep, and you might be surprised at the rich tales you can tell. If it helps, read old journal entries .

Overcoming Adversities : Have you ever faced a daunting challenge? Perhaps you battled an illness or overcame financial hardship. These experiences shape who you are and resonate with readers who seek inspiration and hope in the face of their own struggles.

Travel Adventures : That backpacking trip across Europe, or the time you got lost in a bustling market in Bangkok? Travel stories transport readers to a different world, filled with sights, sounds, and cultural nuances.

Relationship Dynamics : Love, friendships, and even the intricacies of family dynamics can make for poignant memoir material. Dive into the beauty, the pain, and the lessons learned from the people who’ve come in and out of your life.

Professional Life : If you’ve built a unique career or made significant shifts in your profession, these experiences might intrigue those looking to understand the ins and outs of a particular field or those seeking motivation to change their own career paths, like a writing job .

Personal Transformations : Did you embark on a journey of self-discovery, perhaps through spirituality, weight loss, or even a simple hobby that grew into a passion? Sharing such personal evolutions can be deeply moving.

Historical or Cultural Insights : If you’ve lived through significant historical events or come from a rich cultural background, offer readers a window into that world. Paint them a picture of a time or place they might never personally experience.

Life in the Shadows : Maybe you’ve had experiences on the fringes of society or in lesser-known subcultures, for example triathlon training. Shedding light on these areas can be both enlightening and captivating.

Educational Pursuits : Remember when you returned to school or pursued an unconventional educational path? There’s always someone out there wondering if it’s too late or if they’re on the right path.

Mundane Magic : Sometimes, the simple, everyday moments hold the most beauty. The smell of your grandmother’s kitchen, the laughter shared over a family dinner, or the quiet moments alone with your thoughts. Celebrate the ordinary; it often holds extraordinary stories.

If you’re still stuck, get the best memoir-writing apps to assist you.

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59 Memoir Ideas

On this page you’ll find memoir ideas and topics, along with links to even more memoir writing prompts.

56 Memoir Topics

Which of these have been important in your life?

1) being a parent

2) your parent

3) your grandparent

4) a sister or brother

5) a sport or game that's been important to you

6) gardening

7) a trip you took

8) a particular job

9) your career

10) something you collect

11) an unusual talent

12) dieting or fitness

13) your cultural heritage

14) a romance

15) marriage

16) divorce

17) farming

18) your relationship to nature

19) a school you went to

20) your college or university

21) summer camp

22) your house

24) an illness

25) a disability

26) an accident

27) an addiction

28) the death of someone close to you

29) childhood

30) adolescence

31) becoming an adult

32) middle age

33) old age

34) a book or movie that changed your life

35) a work of art that changed your life

36) a teacher or mentor

37) an important friendship

38) a spiritual or religious experience

39) a change in your economic situation

40) a decision to change some aspect of your life

41) a place where you lived

42) a place that was special to you

43) a move to a new place

44) another major life change

45) the effect of war on your life

46) another historical event that impacted your life

49) a dangerous situation you survived

50) something you did to help others

51) military service

52) something you accomplished

53) a topic you research as a hobby

54) discrimination you have faced

55) someone who was a great inspiration to you

56) a mission or quest

Learn how to write a great memoir with our online course.

3 Memoir Prompts

1) What's a song that brings back memories for you? Listen to the song (if you don't have a recording, you can probably find it on Youtube.com), and travel back in your mind to a time that it makes you remember. Spend a few minutes inside that memory, reliving it in as much detail as possible. Then write about that memory, trying to recreate it on the page. 2) Write about a conversation that had an impact on your life. Show the scene where the conversation happened, and try to reconstruct parts of the dialogue word-for-word on the page so that readers can "hear" it first-hand. 3) Look at a photograph of your family. What memories does it bring back? Focus on one of the memories, trying to recall sounds, smells, and other sensations, as well as what things looked like. Then write about it, recreating the scene for the reader. Click here for more 38 more memoir ideas.

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If you’ve thought about putting your life to the page, you may have wondered how to write a memoir. We start the road to writing a memoir when we realize that a story in our lives demands to be told. As Maya Angelou once wrote, “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”

How to write a memoir? At first glance, it looks easy enough—easier, in any case, than writing fiction. After all, there is no need to make up a story or characters, and the protagonist is none other than you.

Still, memoir writing carries its own unique challenges, as well as unique possibilities that only come from telling your own true story. Let’s dive into how to write a memoir by looking closely at the craft of memoir writing, starting with a key question: exactly what is a memoir?

How to Write a Memoir: Contents

What is a Memoir?

Memoir vs Autobiography

Memoir Examples

Short memoir examples.

How to Write a Memoir: A Step-by-Step Guide

A memoir is a branch of creative nonfiction , a genre defined by the writer Lee Gutkind as “true stories, well told.” The etymology of the word “memoir,” which comes to us from the French, tells us of the human urge to put experience to paper, to remember. Indeed, a memoir is “ something written to be kept in mind .”

A memoir is defined by Lee Gutkind as “true stories, well told.”

For a piece of writing to be called a memoir, it has to be:

Nonfictional
Based on the raw material of your life and your memories
Written from your personal perspective

At this point, memoirs are beginning to sound an awful lot like autobiographies. However, a quick comparison of Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love , and The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin , for example, tells us that memoirs and autobiographies could not be more distinct.

Next, let’s look at the characteristics of a memoir and what sets memoirs and autobiographies apart. Discussing memoir vs. autobiography will not only reveal crucial insights into the process of writing a memoir, but also help us to refine our answer to the question, “What is a memoir?”

Memoir vs. Autobiography

While both use personal life as writing material, there are five key differences between memoir and autobiography:

1. Structure

Since autobiographies tell the comprehensive story of one’s life, they are more or less chronological. writing a memoir, however, involves carefully curating a list of personal experiences to serve a larger idea or story, such as grief, coming-of-age, and self-discovery. As such, memoirs do not have to unfold in chronological order.

While autobiographies attempt to provide a comprehensive account, memoirs focus only on specific periods in the writer’s life. The difference between autobiographies and memoirs can be likened to that between a CV and a one-page resume, which includes only select experiences.

The difference between autobiographies and memoirs can be likened to that between a CV and a one-page resume, which includes only select experiences.

Autobiographies prioritize events; memoirs prioritize the writer’s personal experience of those events. Experience includes not just the event you might have undergone, but also your feelings, thoughts, and reflections. Memoir’s insistence on experience allows the writer to go beyond the expectations of formal writing. This means that memoirists can also use fiction-writing techniques , such as scene-setting and dialogue , to capture their stories with flair.

4. Philosophy

Another key difference between the two genres stems from the autobiography’s emphasis on facts and the memoir’s reliance on memory. Due to memory’s unreliability, memoirs ask the reader to focus less on facts and more on emotional truth. In addition, memoir writers often work the fallibility of memory into the narrative itself by directly questioning the accuracy of their own memories.

Memoirs ask the reader to focus less on facts and more on emotional truth.

5. Audience

While readers pick up autobiographies to learn about prominent individuals, they read memoirs to experience a story built around specific themes . Memoirs, as such, tend to be more relatable, personal, and intimate. Really, what this means is that memoirs can be written by anybody!

Ready to be inspired yet? Let’s now turn to some memoir examples that have received widespread recognition and captured our imaginations!

If you’re looking to lose yourself in a book, the following memoir examples are great places to begin:

The Year of Magical Thinking , which chronicles Joan Didion’s year of mourning her husband’s death, is certainly one of the most powerful books on grief. Written in two short months, Didion’s prose is urgent yet lucid, compelling from the first page to the last. A few years later, the writer would publish Blue Nights , another devastating account of grief, only this time she would be mourning her daughter.
Patti Smith’s Just Kids is a classic coming-of-age memoir that follows the author’s move to New York and her romance and friendship with the artist Robert Maplethorpe. In its pages, Smith captures the energy of downtown New York in the late sixties and seventies effortlessly.
When Breath Becomes Air begins when Paul Kalanithi, a young neurosurgeon, is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Exquisite and poignant, this memoir grapples with some of the most difficult human experiences, including fatherhood, mortality, and the search for meaning.
A memoir of relationship abuse, Carmen Maria Machado’s In the Dream House is candid and innovative in form. Machado writes about thorny and turbulent subjects with clarity, even wit. While intensely personal, In the Dream House is also one of most insightful pieces of cultural criticism.
Twenty-five years after leaving for Canada, Michael Ondaatje returns to his native Sri Lanka to sort out his family’s past. The result is Running in the Family , the writer’s dazzling attempt to reconstruct fragments of experiences and family legends into a portrait of his parents’ and grandparents’ lives. (Importantly, Running in the Family was sold to readers as a fictional memoir; its explicit acknowledgement of fictionalization prevented it from encountering the kind of backlash that James Frey would receive for fabricating key facts in A Million Little Pieces , which he had sold as a memoir . )
Of the many memoirs published in recent years, Tara Westover’s Educated is perhaps one of the most internationally-recognized. A story about the struggle for self-determination, Educated recounts the writer’s childhood in a survivalist family and her subsequent attempts to make a life for herself. All in all, powerful, thought-provoking, and near impossible to put down.

While book-length memoirs are engaging reads, the prospect of writing a whole book can be intimidating. Fortunately, there are plenty of short, essay-length memoir examples that are just as compelling.

While memoirists often write book-length works, you might also consider writing a memoir that’s essay-length. Here are some short memoir examples that tell complete, lived stories, in far fewer words:

“ The Book of My Life ” offers a portrait of a professor that the writer, Aleksandar Hemon, once had as a child in communist Sarajevo. This memoir was collected into Hemon’s The Book of My Lives , a collection of essays about the writer’s personal history in wartime Yugoslavia and subsequent move to the US.
“The first time I cheated on my husband, my mother had been dead for exactly one week.” So begins Cheryl Strayed’s “ The Love of My Life ,” an essay that the writer eventually expanded into the best-selling memoir, Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail .
In “ What We Hunger For ,” Roxane Gay weaves personal experience and a discussion of The Hunger Games into a powerful meditation on strength, trauma, and hope. “What We Hunger For” can also be found in Gay’s essay collection, Bad Feminist .
A humorous memoir structured around David Sedaris and his family’s memories of pets, “ The Youth in Asia ” is ultimately a story about grief, mortality and loss. This essay is excerpted from the memoir Me Talk Pretty One Day , and a recorded version can be found here .

So far, we’ve 1) answered the question “What is a memoir?” 2) discussed differences between memoirs vs. autobiographies, 3) taken a closer look at book- and essay-length memoir examples. Next, we’ll turn the question of how to write a memoir.

How to Write a Memoir: A-Step-by-Step Guide

1. how to write a memoir: generate memoir ideas.

how to start a memoir? As with anything, starting is the hardest. If you’ve yet to decide what to write about, check out the “ I Remember ” writing prompt. Inspired by Joe Brainard’s memoir I Remember , this prompt is a great way to generate a list of memories. From there, choose one memory that feels the most emotionally charged and begin writing your memoir. It’s that simple! If you’re in need of more prompts, our Facebook group is also a great resource.

2. How to Write a Memoir: Begin drafting

My most effective advice is to resist the urge to start from “the beginning.” Instead, begin with the event that you can’t stop thinking about, or with the detail that, for some reason, just sticks. The key to drafting is gaining momentum . Beginning with an emotionally charged event or detail gives us the drive we need to start writing.

3. How to Write a Memoir: Aim for a “ shitty first draft ”

Now that you have momentum, maintain it. Attempting to perfect your language as you draft makes it difficult to maintain our impulses to write. It can also create self-doubt and writers’ block. Remember that most, if not all, writers, no matter how famous, write shitty first drafts.

Attempting to perfect your language as you draft makes it difficult to maintain our impulses to write.

4. How to Write a Memoir: Set your draft aside

Once you have a first draft, set it aside and fight the urge to read it for at least a week. Stephen King recommends sticking first drafts in your drawer for at least six weeks. This period allows writers to develop the critical distance we need to revise and edit the draft that we’ve worked so hard to write.

5. How to Write a Memoir: Reread your draft

While reading your draft, note what works and what doesn’t, then make a revision plan. While rereading, ask yourself:

What’s underdeveloped, and what’s superfluous.
Does the structure work?
What story are you telling?

6. How to Write a Memoir: Revise your memoir and repeat steps 4 & 5 until satisfied

Every piece of good writing is the product of a series of rigorous revisions. Depending on what kind of writer you are and how you define a draft,” you may need three, seven, or perhaps even ten drafts. There’s no “magic number” of drafts to aim for, so trust your intuition. Many writers say that a story is never, truly done; there only comes a point when they’re finished with it. If you find yourself stuck in the revision process, get a fresh pair of eyes to look at your writing.

7. How to Write a Memoir: Edit, edit, edit!

Once you’re satisfied with the story, begin to edit the finer things (e.g. language, metaphor , and details). Clean up your word choice and omit needless words , and check to make sure you haven’t made any of these common writing mistakes . Be sure to also know the difference between revising and editing —you’ll be doing both. Then, once your memoir is ready, send it out !

Learn How to Write a Memoir at Writers.com

Writing a memoir for the first time can be intimidating. But, keep in mind that anyone can learn how to write a memoir. Trust the value of your own experiences: it’s not about the stories you tell, but how you tell them. Most importantly, don’t give up!

Anyone can learn how to write a memoir.

If you’re looking for additional feedback, as well as additional instruction on how to write a memoir, check out our schedule of nonfiction classes . Now, get started writing your memoir!

32 Comments

Thank you for this website. It’s very engaging. I have been writing a memoir for over three years, somewhat haphazardly, based on the first half of my life and its encounters with ignorance (religious restrictions, alcohol, and inability to reach out for help). Three cities were involved: Boston as a youngster growing up and going to college, then Washington DC and Chicago North Shore as a married woman with four children. I am satisfied with some chapters and not with others. Editing exposes repetition and hopefully discards boring excess. Reaching for something better is always worth the struggle. I am 90, continue to be a recital pianist, a portrait painter, and a writer. Hubby has been dead for nine years. Together we lept a few of life’s chasms and I still miss him. But so far, my occupations keep my brain working fairly well, especially since I don’t smoke or drink (for the past 50 years).

Hi Mary Ellen,

It sounds like a fantastic life for a memoir! Thank you for sharing, and best of luck finishing your book. Let us know when it’s published!

Best, The writers.com Team

Hello Mary Ellen,

I am contacting you because your last name (Lavelle) is my middle name!

Being interested in genealogy I have learned that this was my great grandfathers wife’s name (Mary Lavelle), and that her family emigrated here about 1850 from County Mayo, Ireland. That is also where my fathers family came from.

Is your family background similar?

Hope to hear back from you.

Richard Lavelle Bourke

Hi Mary Ellen: Have you finished your memoir yet? I just came across your post and am seriously impressed that you are still writing. I discovered it again at age 77 and don’t know what I would do with myself if I couldn’t write. All the best to you!! Sharon [email protected]

I am up to my eyeballs with a research project and report for a non-profit. And some paid research for an international organization. But as today is my 90th birthday, it is time to retire and write a memoir.

So I would like to join a list to keep track of future courses related to memoir / creative non-fiction writing.

Hi Frederick,

Happy birthday! And happy retirement as well. I’ve added your name and email to our reminder list for memoir courses–when we post one on our calendar, we’ll send you an email.

We’ll be posting more memoir courses in the near future, likely for the months of January and February 2022. We hope to see you in one!

Very interesting and informative, I am writing memoirs from my long often adventurous and well travelled life, have had one very short story published. Your advice on several topics will be extremely helpful. I write under my schoolboy nickname Barnaby Rudge.

[…] How to Write a Memoir: Examples and a Step-by-Step Guide […]

I am writing my memoir from my memory when I was 5 years old and now having left my birthplace I left after graduation as a doctor I moved to UK where I have been living. In between I have spent 1 year in Canada during my training year as paediatrician. I also spent nearly 2 years with British Army in the hospital as paediatrician in Germany. I moved back to UK to work as specialist paediatrician in a very busy general hospital outside London for the next 22 years. Then I retired from NHS in 2012. I worked another 5 years in Canada until 2018. I am fully retired now

I have the whole convoluted story of my loss and horrid aftermath in my head (and heart) but have no clue WHERE, in my story to begin. In the middle of the tragedy? What led up to it? Where my life is now, post-loss, and then write back and forth? Any suggestions?

My friend Laura who referred me to this site said “Start”! I say to you “Start”!

Hi Dee, that has been a challenge for me.i dont know where to start?

What was the most painful? Embarrassing? Delicious? Unexpected? Who helped you? Who hurt you? Pick one story and let that lead you to others.

I really enjoyed this writing about memoir. I ve just finished my own about my journey out of my city then out of my country to Egypt to study, Never Say Can’t, God Can Do It. Infact memoir writing helps to live the life you are writing about again and to appreciate good people you came across during the journey. Many thanks for sharing what memoir is about.

I went to Egypt earlier this year. I aspire for my second book to document and tell the story of my travels of Africa, following the first – a memoir that led me to this post.

I am a survivor of gun violence, having witnessed my adult son being shot 13 times by police in 2014. I have struggled with writing my memoir because I have a grandson who was 18-months old at the time of the tragedy and was also present, as was his biological mother and other family members. We all struggle with PTSD because of this atrocity. My grandson’s biological mother was instrumental in what happened and I am struggling to write the story in such a way as to not cast blame – thus my dilemma in writing the memoir. My grandson was later adopted by a local family in an open adoption and is still a big part of my life. I have considered just writing it and waiting until my grandson is old enough to understand all the family dynamics that were involved. Any advice on how I might handle this challenge in writing would be much appreciated.

I decided to use a ghost writer, and I’m only part way in the process and it’s worth every penny!

Hi. I am 44 years old and have had a roller coaster life .. right as a young kid seeing his father struggle to financial hassles, facing legal battles at a young age and then health issues leading to a recent kidney transplant. I have been working on writing a memoir sharing my life story and titled it “A memoir of growth and gratitude” Is it a good idea to write a memoir and share my story with the world?

Thank you… this was very helpful. I’m writing about the troubling issues of my mental health, and how my life was seriously impacted by that. I am 68 years old.

[…] Writers.com: How to Write a Memoir […]

[…] Writers.com: “How to Write a Memoir” […]

I am so grateful that I found this site! I am inspired and encouraged to start my memoir because of the site’s content and the brave people that have posted in the comments.

Finding this site is going into my gratitude journey 🙂

We’re grateful you found us too, Nichol! 🙂

Firstly, I would like to thank you for all the info pertaining to memoirs. I believe am on the right track, am at the editing stage and really have to use an extra pair of eyes. I’m more motivated now to push it out and complete it. Thanks for the tips it was very helpful, I have a little more confidence it seeing the completion.

Well, I’m super excited to begin my memoir. It’s hard trying to rely on memories alone, but I’m going to give it a shot!

Thanks to everyone who posted comments, all of which have inspired me to get on it.

Best of luck to everyone! Jody V.

I was thrilled to find this material on How to Write A Memoir. When I briefly told someone about some of my past experiences and how I came to the United States in the company of my younger brother in a program with a curious name, I was encouraged by that person and others to write my life history.

Based on the name of that curious program through which our parents sent us to the United States so we could leave the place of our birth, and be away from potentially difficult situations in our country.

As I began to write my history I took as much time as possible to describe all the different steps that were taken. At this time – I have been working on this project for 5 years and am still moving ahead. The information I received through your material has further encouraged me to move along. I am very pleased to have found this important material. Thank you!

Wow! This is such an informative post packed with tangible guidance. I poured my heart into a book. I’ve been a professional creative for years to include as a writer, mainly in the ad game and content. No editor. I wasn’t trying to make it as an author. Looking back, I think it’s all the stuff I needed to say. Therapy. Which does not, in and of itself, make for a coherent book. The level of writing garnering praise, but the book itself was a hot mess. So, this is helpful. I really put myself out there, which I’ve done in many areas, but the crickets response really got to me this time. I bought “Educated” as you recommended. Do you have any blog posts on memoirs that have something to say to the world, finding that “something” to say? It feels like that’s theme, but perhaps something more granular. Thanks for this fantastic post. If I had the moola, I would sign up for a class. Your time is and effort is appreciated. Typos likely on comments! LOL

thanks. God bless

I am a member of the “Reprobates”, a group of seven retired Royal Air Force pilots and navigators which has stayed in intermittent touch since we first met in Germany in 1969. Four of the group (all of whom are in their late seventies or early eighties) play golf together quite frequently, and we all gather for reunions once or twice a year. About a year ago, one of the Reprobates suggested posterity might be glad to hear the stories told at these gatherings, and there have since been two professionally conducted recording sessions, one in London, and one in Tarifa, Spain. The instigator of these recordings forwarded your website to his fellow Reprobates by way of encouragement to put pen to paper. And, I, for one, have found it inspiring. It’s high time I made a start on my Memoirs, thank you.

Thank you for sharing this, Tim! Happy writing!

Hi, I’m Jo. I’m finally jumping in and writing the memoir that has been running alongside me for at least the last 5 years. I’m terrified, of what I’m not 100% sure. The story won’t leave me alone and right now is the time to start my first draft. I’m approaching half way through what nature may call natural life on Earth, mid-life sounds strange to say. It just feels like the right time to document the journey thus far – especially the last decade. It’s been a radical time for transformation, internally and externally. I’m afraid but your post and these comments have helped.

Good luck on your memoir, Jo! I’m excited to hear more.

21 Memoir Examples to Inspire Your Own

About the author.

Reedsy's editorial team is a diverse group of industry experts devoted to helping authors write and publish beautiful books.

About Martin Cavannagh

Head of Content at Reedsy, Martin has spent over eight years helping writers turn their ambitions into reality. As a voice in the indie publishing space, he has written for a number of outlets and spoken at conferences, including the 2024 Writers Summit at the London Book Fair.

About Tom Bromley

Author, editor, tutor, and bestselling ghostwriter. Tom Bromley is the head of learning at Reedsy, where he has created their acclaimed course, 'How to Write a Novel.'

Writing a memoir is a daunting endeavor for any author: how do you condense your entire life story into a mere couple hundred pages? Of course, you'll find plenty of online guides that will help you write a memoir by leading you through the steps. But other times that old adage “show, don’t tell” holds true, and it’s most helpful to look at other memoir examples to get started.

If that’s the case for you, we’ve got you covered with 21 memoir examples to give you an idea of the types of memoirs that have sold well. Ready to roll up your sleeves and dive in?

The autobiographical memoir

The autobiographical memoir — a retelling of one’s life, from beginning to present times — is probably the standard format that jumps to most people’s minds when they think of this genre.

At first glance, it might seem like a straightforward recount of your past. However, don’t be deceived! As you’ll be able to tell from the examples below, this type of memoir shines based on three things: the strength of the author’s story, the strength of the story’s structure, and the strength of the author’s voice.

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. The woman who Toni Morrison said “launched African American writing in the United States,” Angelou penned this searing memoir in 1969, which remains a timeless classic today.

Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris. Less of a singular memoir than a collection of humorous anecdotes framed around his life as a transplant to Paris, the star of this book is Sedaris’ dry voice and cutting humor.

A Two-Spirit Journey by Ma-Nee Chacaby. Chacaby’s remarkable life — from growing up abused in a remote Ojibwa community to overcoming alcoholism and coming out as a lesbian as an adult — is captured in this must-read autobiography.

The “experience” memoir

One of the most popular memoirs that you’ll find on bookshelves, this type focuses on a specific experience that the author has undergone. Typically, this experience involves a sort of struggle, such as a bitter divorce, illness, or perhaps a clash with addiction. Regardless of the situation, the writer overcomes it to share lessons learned from the ordeal.

In an "experience" memoir, you can generally expect to learn about:

How the author found themselves facing said experience;
The obstacles they needed to overcome; and
What they discovered during (and after) the experience.

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi. Faced with the prognosis of terminal cancer at the age of thirty-six, Paul Kalanithi wrote an unforgettable memoir that tackles an impossible question: what makes life worth living?

A Million Little Pieces by James Frey. An account of drug and alcohol abuse that one reviewer called “the War and Peace of addiction,” this book became the focus of an uproar when it was revealed that many of its incidents were fabricated. (In case you’re wondering, we do not recommend deceiving your readers.)

Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen. Adapted in 1999 into a critically acclaimed film starring Angelina Jolie, Girl, Interrupted enduringly recounts the author’s battle with mental illness and her ensuing 18-month stay in an American psychiatric hospital.

The “event” memoir

Similar to the “experience” memoir, the “event” memoir centers on a single significant event in the author’s life. However, while the former might cover a period of years or even decades, the “event” memoir zeroes in on a clearly defined period of time — for instance, a two-month walk in the woods, or a three-week mountain climb, as you’ll see below.

Walden by Henry David Thoreau. In July of 1845, Henry David Thoreau walked into the woods and didn’t come out for two years, two months, and two days. This is the seminal memoir that resulted.

Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer. The controversial account of the 1996 Everest disaster, as written by author-journalist Krakaeur, who was climbing the mountain on the same day that eight climbers were killed.

The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion. Immortalized as one of the classic books about mourning, The Year of Magical Thinking recounts the grief Didion endured the year following the death of her husband.

The “themed” memoir

When you look back on your own timeline, is there a strong theme that defines your life or ties it all together? That’s the premise on which a “themed” memoir is based. In such a memoir, the author provides a retrospective of their past through the lens of one topic.

If you’re looking to write this type of memoir, it goes without saying that you’ll want to find a rock-solid theme to build your entire life story around. Consider asking yourself:

What’s shaped your life thus far?
What’s been a constant at every turning point?
Has a single thing driven all of the decisions that you’ve made?

Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby. Throughout an up-and-down upbringing complete with a debilitating battle with depression, the single consistent thread in this author’s life remained football and Arsenal F.C.

Educated by Tara Westover. If there’s one lesson that we can learn from this remarkable memoir, it’s the importance of education. About a family of religious survivalists in rural Idaho, this memoir relates how the author overcame her upbringing and moved mountains in pursuit of learning.

Call the Midwife by Jennifer Worth. Now best known for its BBC adaptation, Worth’s account of her life as a midwife caught people’s imagination with its depiction of life in London’s East End in the 1950s.

The family memoir

In a family memoir, the author is a mirror that re-focuses the light on their family members — ranging from glimpses into the dysfunctional dynamics of a broken family to heartfelt family tributes.

Examples of this type of memoir

Brother, I’m Dying by Edwidge Danticat. A love letter to her family that crosses generations, continents, and cultures, Brother, I’m Dying primarily tells the intertwined stories of two men: Danticat’s father and her uncle.

Native Country of the Heart by Cherrie Moraga. The mother is a self-made woman who grew up picking cotton in California. The daughter, a passionate queer Latina feminist. Weaving the past with the present, this groundbreaking Latinx memoir about a mother-daughter relationship confronts the debilitating consequences of Alzheimer's disease.

The childhood memoir

A subset of the autobiographical memoir, the childhood memoir primarily focuses (spoiler alert!) on the author’s childhood years. Most childhood memoirs cover a range of 5 - 18 years of age, though this can differ depending on the story.

Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt. The groundbreaking winner of the 1997 Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography, McCourt’s memoir covers the finer details of his childhood in impoverished Dublin.

Boy: Tales of Childhood by Roald Dahl. Evoking his schoolboy days in the 1920s and 30s, the stories in this book shed light on themes and motifs that would play heavily in Dahl’s most beloved works: a love for sweets, a mischievous streak, and a distrust of authority figures.

The travel memoir

What happens when you put an author on a plane? Words fly!

Just kidding. While that’s perhaps not literally how the travel memoir subgenre was founded, being on the move certainly has something to do with it. Travel memoirs have been written for as long as people could traverse land — which is to say, a long time — but the modern travel narrative didn’t crystallize until the 1970s with the publication of Paul Theroux’s Great Railway Bazaar and Bruce Chatwin’s In Patagonia .

In a travel memoir, the author isn’t the star of the show: the place is. You can expect to find these elements in a travel memoir:

A description of the place
A discussion of the culture and people
How the author experienced the place and dealt with setbacks during the journey

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. Proof that memoirs don’t have to tell catastrophic stories to succeed, this book chronicles Gilbert’s post-divorce travels, inspiring a generation of self-care enthusiasts, and was adapted into a film starring Julia Roberts.

The Great Railway Bazaar by Paul Theroux. A four-month journey from London to East Asia (and back again) by train, this is the book that helped found the modern travel narrative.

The celebrity memoir

The celebrity memoir is just that: a memoir published by a celebrity. Though many celebrity memoirs are admittedly ghostwritten, the best ones give us an honest and authentic look at the “real person” behind the public figure.

Note that we define “celebrity” broadly here as anyone who is (or has been) in the public spotlight. This includes:

Political figures
Sports stars
Actors and actresses

Paper Lion by George Plimpton. In 1960, the author George Plimpton joined up with the Detroit Lions to see if an ordinary man could play pro football. The answer was no, but his experience in training camp allowed him to tell the first-hand story of a team from inside the locker room.

Troublemaker by Leah Remini. The former star of TV’s The King of Queens tackles the Church of Scientology head-on, detailing her life in (and her decision to leave) the controversial religion.

It’s Not About the Bike by Lance Armstrong. This is a great lesson on the way authors often write books to create their own legacy in the way they see fit. As history confirmed, Armstrong’s comeback success wasn’t entirely about the bike at all.

Now that you know what a memoir looks like, it’s time to get out your pen and paper, and write your own memoir to pass down family generations ! And if you want even more memoir examples to keep being inspired? We’ve got you covered: here are the 30 best memoirs of the last century .

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66 Creative Memoir Ideas to Beat Writer’s Block

Few things beat a gripping memoir that pulls in the reader and tells a fascinating story.

However, it can be hard to come up with ideas for a memoir or to think about what to include.

This guide will walk you through some memoir ideas so you can beat past writer’s block and start to tell your stories.

What Are The Main Parts of A Memoir?

While a lot of memoirs are completely different, there are often common threads that bring them together.

Some things include:

Emotional vulnerability . We read a memoir to understand someone’s perspective and what they went through. If you’re closed off and not sharing your truth, people won’t want to read it.
A theme that goes through the book . There’s usually some kind of underlying theme that ties the whole memoir together .
Comedy mixed in with heavy content . This isn’t always the case, but if you can find ways to tie in funny stories along with your heavy stories, it can create a wonderful reading experience.

Memoir Ideas

Ready to get started on your memoir? Let’s go over some quick and easy ideas for you so you don’t forget a thing.

#1 – Tell a story about a trip you took that changed your life. Whether it was the people you met or the place you went, travel can bring so much to someone’s life.

#2 – What were some of the key romantic relationships in your life? Whether they lasted a long time or a short time, there are probably some that played an impact.

#3 – If you’ve been through a divorce, you can talk about that experience. Or maybe the divorce of someone close to you.

#4 – How did school play a role in your life?

#5 – Outside of school, what do you continue to learn about or pursue as a passion?

#6 – Did you ever have a pet that left a lasting memory? Can you use nostalgic writing to tell a moving or inspiring story?

#7 – How has the health, or the health of the people in your life, changed your life? Did anyone have a serious health issue you had to help with?

#8 – Death is a hard thing to go through. Talk about the passing of someone who heavily impacted your life.

#9 – Did you ever see a movie that changed your life? Or is one you’ll never forget?

#10 – Are you a parent? How has it changed you as a person?

#11 – In relation to the above, you could also write about your own parents. What it was like to live with them, where you grew up, what they taught you?

#12 – What book had the biggest impact on your life overall?

#13 – When were you the most afraid in your life? What did you learn from that time?

#14 – Do you have any notable people in your family or bloodline? Where did your family originate from and how do you feel about your culture?

#15 – What is a family tradition you love? What is one you despise? What kind of traditions do you want to pass on?

#16 – Who do you wish you could forget you ever met in your life?

#17 – What is a day in your life you’d like to live over and over?

#18 – Do you have a hobby that has been a major theme in your life or brings you a new perspective?

#19 – Talk about religion and spirituality in your life. How has it shaped your life and worldview?

#20 – Was anyone in your family in the military?

#21 – Write about the most interesting person you’ve ever met? What makes them that way? Have they changed how you think about life?

#22 – Who inspired your life the most?

#23 – What is your strongest belief? What makes it so strong?

#24 – What was the hardest lesson for you to ever learn? What made it that way?

#25 – What is something that makes you emotional to talk about?

#26 – What have you learned about yourself?

#27 – How do you like to make the people around you feel?

#28 – What kind of people do you like to surround yourself with?

#29 – Write about your favorite season or your favorite memory from a season .

#30 – What would you want your kids to know most about who you are and your life?

#31 – What was the most memorable food in your life? Food plays such an interesting role in families and communities.

#32 – Did you have a childhood toy you’ll never forget?

#33 – What was the worst day of your life?

#34 – What do you wish the whole world understood?

#35 – What do you still hope to accomplish with your life?

#36 – How would you summarize your life into one word?

#37 – If you could only tell one story in your life, which one would it be?

#38 – Did you ever take drastic action to change your life? Maybe you got a health diagnosis or maybe you decided to finally pursue that passion project.

#39 – What was the biggest risk you’ve ever taken?

#40 – What are you the most proud of doing?

#41 – What place in the world do you love the most? Or had the biggest impact on you? Do you wish you lived somewhere else or could go back to a place?

#42 – What still makes you upset to think about?

#43 – What is your greatest weakness?

#44 – What is your greatest strength?

#45 – Write about your biggest success and your biggest failure.

#46 – What birthday celebration will you never forget?

#47 – What was the most dangerous situation you lived through and came out the other side?

#48 – What fictional character played the greatest role you have ever seen?

#49 – Who is your favorite family member, and why?

#50 – Talk about your siblings, if you have some.

#51 – What is the most memorable gift you’ve ever received?

#52 – Talk about a time you had to change your mind about something.

#53 – What bothers you the most?

#54 – Talk about your biggest faults and mistakes you’ve made in your life.

#55 – What teacher or mentor played a key role in your life?

#56 – Who did you lose touch with that you regret doing so?

#57 – Write about your happiest memory.

#58 – Were you into music growing up? Talk about a live music event you saw you remember most.

#59 – What was the most memorable thing you did for someone else? Did they know you did it?

#60 – Has a historical event shaken up your life? Maybe war altered your entire family plans or where they could live.

#61 – Did money play a huge part in your life, your stress, your family, and so on? Money can be a loaded topic, but it can play a much bigger part than people think.

#62 – What friends were in your life that you’ll never forget? Are they still in your life? Is there someone you wish still was?

#63 – Have you ever seen a piece of art that moved you?

#64 – Have you ever had an exciting experience in nature? Do you wish you had a greater connection to nature or are you happier out of nature?

#65 – Did you have an important or life altering job? Whether it was for the better or for the worse, talk about it and your experience. What did you learn?

#66 – Were you involved in sports growing up? How did it play an impact on your life?

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Memoir coach and author Marion Roach

Welcome to The Memoir Project, the portal to your writing life.

How To Choose Memoir Topics

IF THERE IS SOMETHING THAT FLUMMOXES every memoir writer, it is how to choose memoir topics. As a memoir coach and writing teacher, I hear a lot of “what to write” questions. The dilemma of how to get memoir ideas might be the single thing that most often drives people to read their email, polish the silver or clean their kitchen floors – anything, that is, rather than write. And I get it. Let’s see if I can keep you in the chair.

Memoir, of course, is not about you. It’s about something, and you are its illustration. And now that I’ve reminded you of that, I know, too, that you are ready to dash off to put on a pot of soup or load up the washing machine. You’re eager to do pretty much anything but write. Instead, let’s move you on to a foolproof method for choosing what to write about.

How to Choose a Memoir Topic

The very best way to motivate you to bring a piece of memoir to the page is to have a personal/professional interest in the memoir topic. What do I mean by that?

Maybe you have elderly parents and maybe you worry about the myriad things that can go wrong with their care. Perhaps you’d like to write about the process of living within that experience. What to do? Ask yourself: What do I know about caregiving? Then write down all that you’ve learned in the experience. Literally, make a list of what you’ve learned along the way. Hold onto that list. We’ll get back to it in a minute.

Perhaps you are someone who has lived with twelve dogs over the years, all of whom have informed you in some way about how to live your own life. This would make a fine memoir idea. Make a list of what your dogs have taught you.

Maybe you are someone who is struggling to learn to meditate and has a devilishly funny sense of humor about how very bad at it you are. How have you struggled? Write down the process. Do you garden, or are you the CEO of a company who, long-ago, wrote and has enforced a policy of zero tolerance on sexual oppression in the workplace to great success? Have you adopted kids out of the foster care system or lost a child of your own?

That is, what do you do and what has it taught you?

No matter what your family background, who you are or what you do for a living, you have learned things in those experiences. Making a list of each of the things you have learned in each of these experiences is a great way to reassure you of the two things you need to write memoir:

That you have a linear tale that moves from one moment of “aha!” to the next.
That these “aha!” moments, taken together, constitute an area of expertise.

Everyone has hundreds of areas of expertise. Therefore, everyone has memoir topics from which to write. Even you.

How to Use Your Area of Expertise to Write Memoir

Memoir topics live in your everyday life. This is where the phrase “writing what you know” is defined. People throw around that phrase but rarely stop and think about it. Let’s stop and think about it, shall we?

The key to writing memoir is to write from one area of expertise at a time. That’s right: one at a time. This reality is something that defines my brand of teaching memoir, and the longer I teach it and the more people I meet, the more certain I become that I have zeroed in on the key to freeing you from writing too big, too broadly and too much. Choose your memoir topic based on something you know after something you’ve been through, and you will be writing what you know. See how this works? You write what you know.

I am very strict about this, both with myself, in my own memoir writing, and with all of my online memoir classes . I hold it as a hard and fast rule. So, let me reiterate how this works: You are to write from one area of expertise at a time, no matter if you are writing a blog post, a personal essay, an op-ed, or a book-length piece of memoir.

What Are Good Examples of Small Memoir Topics?

Here’s a good example. A reader wrote in recently, asking why I always recommend one, single book to anyone who wants to learn to write memoir. That book is Caroline Knapp’s, Drinking, a Love Story . The reader did not much like the book and did not see much there for her to learn. I get it. The book is small. It’s sticks to one topic. It’s written solely from one area of Knapp’s expertise. And that’s what I see in it. You may not like the topic. It may feel too narrow. It may not be a voice you like or aspire to. But it does its job. Period. In that, it is perfect.

Is it my favorite book or all time? Not even close. But it has the perfect structure, voice and construction to get the job done. It’s also worth mentioning that it was a New York Times bestseller, meaning that many thousands of others found something in it, as well. For me, it’s set apart by its tight frame, structure and voice. She sticks to her knitting, that writer, and the result is a lesson in how to write a book.

Caroline Knapp looked through the lens of women and alcohol and wrote a bestseller. And when she went to write her next book-length memoir, she looked through the lens of someone whose long-time association with dogs had informed her in others ways – which led to the publication of Pack of Two , also a fine piece of memoir. And had she not died tragically young, she might have written eight or nine book-length memoirs, all from one area of expertise at a time. When she died, her dear friend, Gail Caldwell, the Pulitzer-winning critic for the Boston Globe, wrote a memoir from the area of expertise of their friendship. It’s a gorgeous book entitled, Let’s Take the Long Way Home .

What is Your Area of Expertise When Writing Memoir?

What do you know after something you have been through? Remember, you can list these “aha!” moments, literally noting each step of the way along your transcendence to becoming a loving and reliable caregiver, a person who can meditate or someone who lets her dogs teach her how to live. These are the things that you learned. Then, after you’ve listed them, you’ll put them in the order in which you learned them, and you will have yourself a perfect outline for your piece or book. But all that is for another post. Long before you start writing, you must concentrate and choose a solid memoir topic.

The Three Characteristics of Great Memoir Topics

There are three characteristics of a great memoir topic. Here they are:

It must be true.
It must interest you.
You must be willing to learn along the way while writing about it.

I know you get the first two of these, but let’s walk through them anyway, since while they sound simple, they are not.

The phrase, “it must be true,” means that you cannot choose a topic that makes you sound better, smarter, keener, more strategic, better looking, funnier or any of the other things (thinner!) than you are. You must be willing to share what you know, and part of that will be the struggle you strategically plotted to get through what was at stake.

That it must interest you should need no explanation, though it does. If you choose to write a book, you may be on this topic for three years, from plotting your book structure to the date of publication. Then, if you are very lucky, you may be out promoting it for another year. That being the case, don’t pick a dull topic, or one you cannot sustain for that length of time. All too many people do this, choosing something that either wears them out, isn’t of sufficient interest, or simply wears thin upon any real examination. What can sustain your long-term interest?

The other extreme is from those people who have death-defying stories and think that a plot-driven book will sustain the readers. Don’t fall prey to this. Even Wild , Cheryl Strayed’s mega-bestseller, was about something serious, big and universal, all the while being illustrated by her walk of the Pacific Crest Trail. Something major was at stake. That’s why people love that book. Believe me, few of us has a plot-driven piece on us that is enough of a read to sustain anyone else’s interest.

Let me share with you some of what I’m thinking about these days. I am deeply interested in just how much help one person can be to another. This is an inquiry I developed after being deeply present in the process of a dear friend’s death, something he and I discussed at length for years before as he made his plans. He wanted to die at home, with little fuss. And, remarkably, he did. I am also interested in how dogs do things for people that people cannot do for themselves. I am tremendously drawn to all stories where people unlearn what they learned in their family of origin and pick up clues on how to live along the way from popular culture, neighbors and mentors – any way other than how they were raised at home.

What interests you? Did you have a championship season on your local baseball team from which you’ve taken all the lessons you’ve ever needed to succeed as a CFO of your company? Bring it on. Did you find nearly poetic life-advice in a few, choice words spoken to you by your mother’s hospice nurse? Write it. Did something in your early life of great significance only recently come home to roost as you approach your seventies? Tell us. See how each of these travels with both a theme and some action? Find yours. How? Remember to ask yourself this: “What did I learn after the thing I went through?”

Perhaps this piece about David Leite , author, blogger and award-winning cookbook writer, will give you some guidance, particularly if you are writing memoir on a tough topic. He did just that, brilliantly, in his new memoir, Notes on a Banana: A Memoir of Food, Love and Manic Depression . Read up and then read the book.

Now to that last of the three characteristics of a great memoir topic. Too many writers go into a piece thinking they know all they need to know and thinking that they have reached a conclusion about what they learned and can learn no more about their own story. They are wrong. One hundred percent wrong. As you write, you will learn about yourself. Be ready for this. Be ready to change your book’s argument to accommodate this glorious process of self-knowledge. And be ready from the get-go, choosing a memoir topic that will allow for some self-realization.

Of course, memoir topics and ideas abound. But we mostly miss them. All around you the world is providing memoir topics and memoir ideas every single day. Really. All you have to do is look.

How to Get Memoir Ideas From the News

All good artists do two key things:

Keep aware of what’s going on in the world around them.
React to what’s going on around them.

How to do this? Read the newspaper. Period. TV news won’t do it, and neither will your Facebook, Instagram or Twitter stream. I love social media, and use it, but it is not designed to make you a better writer. What TV channels you choose and what social media you follow are reflections of what you’ve chosen to provide you with information you find to be similar to your point of view. Go broader. If you have no time to read a daily newspaper, make time for the Sunday edition of a large, national publication and read whatever they provide that give you the week in review. Read those op-eds and opinion pieces and you will instantly be informed about what’s going on in the world and what some people think about it. You don’t have to agree. You have to be informed and react.

Think that is too tough an assignment? Let me give you an example of how it’s done. Take a look at this piece by Deb Perelman, a food writer and cookbook author whose work I follow and whose books I own. It was published in The New York Times Weekly Review . Deb’s brisket recipe, by the way, is the only brisket recipe I use. She describes herself as a “home cook,” meaning she has produced her remarkable volume of copy and food – to date, two cookbooks and 1,400 recipes – from the tiniest of New York City kitchens. I had one of those kitchens, the entire floor plan being about the size of the kitchen island I now live with in upstate New York.

In her piece, Deb Perelman writes about the many good reasons to never cook at home. While reading it, keep in mind that successfully cooking in a tiny NYC kitchen is her area of expertise. It will help educate you in how to choose your own topic from your own area of expertise.

The world of memoir writing is waiting for you to step in and participate. Choose your memoir topic and work on your memoir idea, never forgetting that you already have on you all that you need to write. You have areas of expertise. Write from them. You have learned things from everything you’ve done. Let’s read what they are.

HOW ABOUT AN ONLINE MEMOIR CLASS? Need more help? Come see me in one of my many memoir classes. Consider taking an online op-ed class with me and my co-teacher, a prize-winning newspaper editor, weekly columnist and public radio show host. Take my entry-level online memoir class called Memoirama . Have you already taken that? Move on up to Memoirama 2 and you’ll be all set for the upcoming session of The Master Class , where you will write the first draft of your book-length memoir in six months. Need some online memoir instruction? I’ve got you covered. And by the way, I sell and send lovely gift certificates to all my online memoir classes.

Photo by G. Crescoli on Unsplash

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Reader interactions.

Bonnie B Matheson says

August 29, 2018 at 9:23 am

This is very helpful. And I want to stay connected. So sign me up!

marion says

August 29, 2018 at 9:40 am

Thank you, Bonnie, and welcome. For which may I sign you up? The newsletter? A class? I’m eager to have you on board at The Memoir Project. Best, Marion

Stephen Boren says

August 29, 2018 at 9:55 am

Yet another insightful piece that informs my writing. I want to highlight your point that in writing memoir, be prepared to learn about yourself. As I make my way through my own memoir, I am amazed at how much new insight I have gained about myself. Having had many years of my own psychotherapy and being a psychotherapist myself, I thought I knew most of what there was to know about myself. I was so wrong. I’m my experience writing memoir is one of the best ways to gain self knowledge. Thank you again Marion for sharing your immense pool of wisdom.

Michelle says

September 3, 2018 at 7:11 am

I agree. We learn WHILE we write our memoirs. That is one of the most interestng parts of the process.

September 9, 2018 at 3:54 pm

You are very welcome, Stephen. Keep coming back.

Mark Botts says

August 29, 2018 at 1:08 pm

“You must be willing to learn along the way while writing about it.” Sober advice. Thank you for another excellent post, Marion.

You are most welcome, Mark. Thanks for stopping by.

Patricia says

September 3, 2018 at 2:47 pm

This gets into some metaphysical ideas about writing, but here goes. One challenge I encounter every time I start dancing around a memoir topic (or writing fiction with similar themes) is that it tends to dredge up particularly unpleasant memories. I struggle with how to mine these ideas for good without letting them take over my current psyche.

Six times in as many years I have gotten serious about my writing habit and started working on projects that have been burning a hole in my heart and brain. And every damn time my life has erupted in chaos that seems to stem from the very thoughts I’m exploring in my writing.

Without going into a lot of woo woo New Age stuff, I feel like I’m attracting more of the experiences I’m examining, which has now made me fearful of pulling them out of the attic trunk again. I honestly don’t know if there is some spiritual component to this of which I’m unaware or if perhaps I haven’t dealt with the fallout from these experiences sufficiently. While it’s great to think I’ll work through much of that by writing, the ensuing disruption to my life is untenable, and I wind up retreating to the relative safety of not writing anything other than work assignments.

Do you have students or fellow writing friends who also encounter this phenomenon? Or perhaps you have? How do you move past it without completely disrupting your life? I don’t feel like it’s my gift to write about superficial or entirely sanguine themes; I have a need to plumb the depths of darkness but can’t let them envelope me. Help!

I loved this article and feel if I could solve this dilemma, I could move forward so much further with my writing. Thank you!

September 3, 2018 at 3:16 pm

Patricia . I could SO relate to this.. ” every damn time my life has erupted in chaos that seems to stem from the very thoughts I’m exploring in my writing.” I’d love to follow this thread. I feel similarly.

September 4, 2018 at 1:15 am

I’m sorry you have experienced this too, Michelle, but I’m glad it’s not just me!

I understand chaos is often the result of shaking up the universe and making big life changes or commitments. But the chaos I’m talking about is overwhelming and counterproductive to creativity.

These disruptions usually take an inordinate amount of time to rectify, at the expense of everything else in my life. They don’t feel like self-created resistance either, as they are things I generally have no control over and come from external sources. At times I’ve asked myself if the message is really, “You shouldn’t be writing. Why are you not getting this?”

September 4, 2018 at 9:49 am

I SO get it Patricia. Maybe the ‘Why are you not getting this?” will be answered as you write.

I am knee deep in my Memoir writing now. I find new major awareness’s as I write daily. It is life changing and altering. Contact me anytime Patricia. It would be great to talk more with you about this.

September 8, 2018 at 5:58 pm

Thank you for your support, Michelle. I wish that what I inevitably dredge up were “simply” uncomfortable emotions or awkward relationships. But my memoir is about losing everything and having to move to Mexico to survive, and that type of financial crisis is what keeps coming back at me. I tried fictionalizing it… same thing. Somehow, that topic just isn’t for me right now, I guess. I can’t seem to detach enough from it to write it without inviting it back into my existence (and I don’t necessarily like being so detached anyway). I’m going to leave it and write on other stuff for awhile. Maybe I can exorcise those demons in the meantime.

September 9, 2018 at 3:55 pm

Dear Michelle, This is delightful. You and Patricia are really communicating here. Hoping you keep it going. Thank you for your open and honest expression here. Best, Marion

September 9, 2018 at 3:52 pm

Dear Patricia, Many thanks for writing. I really believe in what I write here and say in every class in which this comes up: Write from here, not from there. In other words, look at everyone in the piece from the here and now and view them as characters. This holds true even if you re writing from the point of view of a child or writing in real time while continuing to live through something. Walk a 360 around those characters as you make them they stand there for your appreciation. Oh my. Look at that. They become terribly write-able. I find I have far less disruptive feelings when I see others as characters and the circumstances from here rather than from there. Hoping that helps. Best, Marion

Caryn Virginia says

September 8, 2018 at 3:27 pm

Asking what was learned after an experience and looking for the aha moments are such helpful tools for building a frame for memoir. I can see how it can work in a book and also in articles/posts. Plus, it gives us as writers direction in how to tell the story, a narrative arc for the discovery we made and that the reader will hopefully also make. Great article – thank you. Thank you for sharing so much about memoir writing – I’m finding it all exactly what I need as I craft a blog on caregiving (pleasant surprise to see that as one of your examples), orphan adults, and firstborn daughters. Definitely plan on taking your webinar soon.

September 9, 2018 at 3:53 pm

Dear Caryn, Join us when you can. I’d love to have you in class. Best, Marion

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How to Write a Memoir Essay

October 12, 2023

What is a Memoir Essay?

A memoir essay is a form of autobiographical writing that focuses on a specific aspect of the author’s life. Unlike a traditional autobiography, which typically covers the author’s entire life, a memoir essay hones in on a particular event, time period, or theme. It is a deeply personal and reflective piece that allows the writer to delve into their memories, thoughts, and emotions surrounding their chosen subject.

In a memoir essay, the author aims to not only recount the events that took place but also provide insight into the impact and meaning of those experiences. It is a unique opportunity for self-discovery and exploration, while also offering readers a glimpse into the author’s world. The beauty of a memoir essay lies in its ability to weave together personal anecdotes, vivid descriptions, and introspective reflections to create a compelling narrative.

Writing a memoir essay can be both challenging and rewarding. It requires careful selection of memories, thoughtful introspection, and skillful storytelling. The process allows the writer to make sense of their past, gain a deeper understanding of themselves, and share their unique story with others.

Choosing a Topic for Your Memoir Essay

Selecting the right topic is crucial to write a good memoir essay. It sets the foundation for what you will explore and reveal in your personal narrative. When choosing a topic, it’s essential to reflect on your significant life experiences and consider what stories or themes hold the most meaning for you.

One approach is to think about moments or events that have had a profound impact on your life. Consider times of triumph or adversity, moments of exploration or self-discovery, relationships that have shaped you, or challenges you have overcome. These experiences can provide a rich foundation for your memoir essay.

Another option is to focus on a specific theme or aspect of your life. You might explore topics such as identity, family dynamics, cultural heritage, career milestones, or personal beliefs. By centering your essay around a theme, you can weave together various memories and reflections to create a cohesive narrative.

It’s also important to consider your target audience. Who do you want to connect with through your memoir essay? Understanding your audience’s interests and experiences can help you choose a topic that will resonate with them.

Ultimately, the topic should be one that excites you and allows for introspection and self-discovery. Choose a topic that ignites your passion and offers a story worth sharing.

Possible Memoir Essay Topics

Childhood Memories
Family Dynamics
Life-altering Events
Overcoming Societal Expectations
Love and Loss
Self-discovery and Transformation
Lessons from Nature
Journey from Darkness to Light
Triumphing Over Adversities
Life’s Defining Moments

Outlining the Structure of Your Memoir Essay

Writing a memoir essay allows you to share your personal experiences, reflections, and insights with others. However, before you start pouring your thoughts onto the page, it’s essential to outline the structure of your essay. This not only provides a clear roadmap for your writing but also helps you maintain a cohesive and engaging narrative.

First, consider the opening. Begin with a captivating introduction that hooks the reader and establishes the theme or central message of your memoir. This is your chance to grab their attention and set the tone for the rest of the essay.

Next, move on to the body paragraphs. Divide your essay into sections that chronologically or thematically explore different aspects of your life or experiences. Use vivid descriptions, anecdotes, and dialogue to bring your memories to life. It’s crucial to maintain a logical flow and transition smoothly between different ideas or events.

As you approach the conclusion, summarize the key points you’ve discussed and reflect on the significance of your experiences. What lessons have you learned? How have you grown or changed as a result? Wrap up your memoir essay by leaving the reader with a memorable takeaway or a thought-provoking question.

Remember, the structure of your memoir essay should support your storytelling and allow for a genuine and authentic exploration of your experiences. By outlining your essay’s structure, you’ll have a solid foundation to create a compelling and impactful memoir that resonates with your readers.

How to Write an Introduction for Your Memoir Essay

The introduction of your memoir essay sets the stage for your story and captivates your readers from the very beginning. It is your opportunity to grab their attention, establish the tone, and introduce the central theme of your memoir.

To create a compelling introduction, consider starting with a hook that intrigues your readers. This can be a surprising fact, a thought-provoking question, or a vivid description that immediately draws them in. Your goal is to make them curious and interested in what you have to say.

Next, provide a brief overview of what your memoir essay will explore. Give your readers a glimpse into the key experiences or aspects of your life that you will be sharing. However, avoid giving away too much detail. Leave room for anticipation and curiosity to keep them engaged.

Additionally, consider how you want to establish the tone of your memoir. Will it be reflective, humorous, or nostalgic? Choose your words and phrasing carefully to convey the right emotions and set the right atmosphere for your story.

Finally, end your introduction with a clear and concise thesis statement. This statement should express the central theme or message that your memoir will convey. It serves as a roadmap for your essay and guides your readers in understanding the purpose and significance of your memoir.

By crafting a strong and captivating introduction for your memoir essay, you will draw readers in and make them eager to dive into the rich and personal journey that awaits them.

Write the Main Body of Your Memoir Essay

When developing the main body of your memoir essay, it’s essential to structure your thoughts and experiences in a clear and engaging manner. Here are some tips to help you effectively organize and develop the main body of your essay:

Chronological Structure: Consider organizing your memoir essay in chronological order, following the sequence of events as they occurred in your life. This allows for a natural flow and a clear timeline that helps readers understand your personal journey.
Thematic Structure: Alternatively, you can focus on specific themes or lessons that emerged from your experiences. This approach allows for a more focused exploration of different aspects of your life, even if they did not occur in a linear order.
Use Vivid Details: Use sensory details, descriptive language, and engaging storytelling techniques to bring your memories to life. Transport your readers to the settings, evoke emotions, and create a vivid picture of the events and people in your life.
Show, Don’t Tell: Instead of simply stating facts, show your readers the experiences through engaging storytelling. Use dialogue, scenes, and anecdotes to make your memoir more dynamic and immersive.
Reflections and Insights: Share your reflections on the events and experiences in your memoir. Offer deeper insights, lessons learned, and personal growth that came from these moments. Invite readers to reflect on their own lives and connect with your journey.

By organizing your main body in a logical and engaging manner, using vivid details, and offering thoughtful reflections, you can write a compelling memoir essay that captivates your readers and leaves a lasting impact.

Reflecting on Lessons Learned in Your Memoir Essay

One of the powerful aspects of a memoir essay is the opportunity to reflect on the lessons learned from your personal experiences. These reflections provide deeper insights and meaning to your story, leaving a lasting impact on your readers. Here are some tips for effectively reflecting on lessons learned in your memoir essay:

Summarize Key Points: In the conclusion of your essay, summarize the key events and experiences you have shared throughout your memoir. Briefly remind readers of the significant moments that shaped your journey.
Identify Core Themes: Reflect on the core themes and messages that emerged from your experiences. What did you learn about resilience, love, identity, or perseverance? Identify the overarching lessons that you want to convey.
Offer Personal Insights: Share your personal insights and reflections on how these lessons have influenced your life. Were there specific turning points or moments of epiphany? How have these experiences shaped your beliefs, values, or actions?
Connect to the Reader: Make your reflections relatable to your readers. Explore how the lessons you learned can resonate with their own lives and experiences. This allows them to connect with your story on a deeper level.
Offer a Call to Action: Encourage readers to reflect on their own lives and consider how the lessons from your memoir can apply to their own journeys. Pose thought-provoking questions or suggest actions they can take to apply these insights.

By reflecting on the lessons learned in your memoir essay, you give your readers a chance to contemplate their own lives and find inspiration in your personal growth. These reflections add depth and impact to your storytelling, making your memoir essay truly memorable.

Crafting a Strong Conclusion for Your Memoir Essay

The conclusion of your memoir essay is your final opportunity to leave a lasting impression on your readers. It is where you tie together the threads of your story and offer a sense of closure and reflection. Here are some tips to help you craft a strong conclusion for your memoir essay:

Summarize the Journey: Remind your readers of the key moments and experiences you shared throughout your essay. Briefly summarize the significant events and emotions that shaped your personal journey.
Revisit the Central Theme: Reiterate the central theme or message of your memoir. Emphasize the lessons learned, personal growth, or insights gained from your experiences. This helps reinforce the purpose and impact of your story.
Reflect on Transformation: Reflect on how you have transformed as a result of the events and experiences you shared. Share the growth, self-discovery, or newfound perspectives that have shaped your life.
Leave a Lasting Impression: Use powerful and evocative language to leave a lasting impact on your readers. Craft a memorable phrase or thought that lingers in their minds even after they finish reading your essay.
Offer a Call to Action or Reflection: Encourage your readers to take action or reflect on their own lives. Pose thought-provoking questions, suggest further exploration, or challenge them to apply the lessons from your memoir to their own experiences.

By crafting a strong conclusion, you ensure that your memoir essay resonates with your readers long after they have finished reading it. It leaves them with a sense of closure, inspiration, and a deeper understanding of the transformative power of personal storytelling.

Editing and Proofreading Your Memoir Essay

Editing and proofreading are crucial steps in the writing process that can greatly enhance the quality and impact of your memoir essay. Here are some tips to help you effectively edit and proofread your work:

Take a Break: After completing your initial draft, take a break before starting the editing process. This allows you to approach your essay with fresh eyes and a clear mind.
Review for Structure and Flow: Read through your essay to ensure it has a logical structure and flows smoothly. Check that your paragraphs and sections transition seamlessly, guiding readers through your story.
Trim and Refine: Eliminate any unnecessary or repetitive information. Trim down long sentences and paragraphs to make your writing concise and impactful. Consider the pacing and ensure that each word contributes to the overall story.
Check for Clarity and Consistency: Ensure that your ideas and thoughts are expressed clearly. Identify any confusing or vague passages and revise them to improve clarity. Check for consistency in tense, tone, and voice throughout your essay.
Proofread for Errors: Carefully proofread your essay for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors. Pay attention to common mistakes such as subject-verb agreement, verb tenses, and punctuation marks. Consider using spell-checking tools or having someone else review your work for an objective perspective.
Seek Feedback: Share your memoir essay with a trusted friend, family member, or writing partner. Their feedback can provide valuable insights and help you identify areas for improvement.

By dedicating time to edit and proofread your memoir essay, you ensure that it is polished, coherent, and error-free. These final touches enhance the reader’s experience and allow your story to shine.

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How To Write a Memoir Essay That Readers Won't Forget

Declan Gessel

May 11, 2024

For those seeking guidance on how to write an essay on how to write an essay , the process can be daunting. It is a meticulous task that requires precision, clarity, and a keen understanding of the topic. The task is not easy, but with the right guidance, you can excel. In this guide, we will explore the necessary steps required to craft a brilliant memoir essay.

Table Of Content

What is a memoir essay, 4 key elements of a memoir essay, how to choose a topic for your memoir essay, 4 memoir essay writing tips to keep your readers engaged, jotbot highlights 3 great memoir essays, write smarter memoir essay with jotbot — start writing for free today.

A memoir essay is a piece of writing that combines elements of personal narrative and essay writing. The term itself is derived from the French word mémoire, meaning memory or reminiscence. A memoir essay tells a true story that happened to the author. It allows the author to explore and share memories from their past, reflecting on the significance of those experiences as they relate to them now.

Limited Scope

Unlike an autobiography , a memoir essay focuses on a specific period of the author's life, a particular event, or a significant relationship. This limited scope helps to keep the narrative more centralized, allowing the author to deeply explore the emotions and consequences of those experiences within the context of the overall theme.

Essay Structure

A memoir essay uses an essay structure to introduce a central theme, develop the story, and offer reflections or insights. This structure can help the author to organize their thoughts and present their story in a way that is engaging and easy to follow. It also allows the author to weave in other elements, such as research or commentary, that can help to enrich the narrative.

Emotional Depth

A memoir delves into the author's feelings and thoughts related to the experience. By exploring the emotional depth of their memories, the author can create a more evocative and powerful narrative that resonates with readers on a personal level. This emotional depth can draw readers in and make them feel more connected to the author's story.

Universal Connection

While personal, a memoir essay aims to connect with readers by exploring broader human themes. By sharing their experiences and insights, the author can help readers to see themselves in the story, finding common ground and shared emotions that make the narrative more meaningful and impactful.

This universal connection is one of the key strengths of a memoir essay, allowing the author to reach a wider audience and create a more lasting impact with their writing.

Difference between Memoir and Autobiography

A memoir is closely related to the nonfiction format known as autobiography, but the two forms are not identical. Most notably, an autobiography is a first-person account of its author’s entire life. Autobiographies are usually written by famous individuals, such as politicians, celebrities, or business leaders.

In contrast, a memoir is a nonfiction work that is based on the author’s personal memories, feelings, and experiences. Memoirs are often focused on a specific time period, theme, or relationship in the author’s life. Autobiographies are longer than memoirs and cover a broader scope of the author’s life. Although memoirs and autobiographies are different, both of these genres are entertaining and informative.

1. The Use of Vivid Description

When writing a memoir essay, it is crucial to go beyond just recounting events. The use of vivid description can transport readers into the heart of your story, making it a truly immersive experience. By incorporating sensory details, figurative language, and evocative imagery, you can bring your memories to life and create a lasting impact on your readers.

2. Bring Characters to Life with Dialogue

Dialogue is a powerful tool in memoir writing, allowing you to breathe life into your characters and drive the narrative forward. By capturing the nuances of speech, revealing hidden emotions, and using dialogue to move the plot forward, you can create dynamic and engaging interactions that resonate with your readers.

3. How to Use Reflection in Your Memoir Essay

Reflection adds depth and meaning to your memoir essay, allowing you to explore the significance of your experiences and connect them to broader themes. By analyzing the "why" behind the event, connecting it to universal themes, and using introspection to express your vulnerabilities, you can infuse your memoir with emotional resonance and personal insight.

4. Showcasing the Journey of Growth

A compelling memoir essay showcases your personal growth and transformation, illustrating how specific experiences or relationships have shaped you over time. By illustrating your growth through actions and choices, using contrasting scenes to highlight your evolution, and ending on a note of personal growth, you can create a powerful narrative arc that resonates with your readers.

notepad and a laptopn on a table - Memoir Essay

Reflecting on pivotal moments and turning points in your life is essential when choosing a topic for your memoir essay. These moments could be triumphs, losses, love, or transformations that profoundly impacted you. Consider experiences that have shaped your identity, values, or worldview and stand out vividly in your memory.

Emotional Impact

Emotional resonance is key to engaging readers in your memoir essay. Reflect on moments that made you laugh, cry, or feel deeply. These emotional moments provide a window into your soul and allow readers to connect with your story on a personal level.

Personal Growth and Lessons Learned

Exploring personal growth arcs in your life is another vital aspect to consider when choosing a memoir essay topic. Reflect on how you have evolved as a person and the lessons that life has taught you through challenges, mistakes, or unexpected twists. Sharing your insights can inspire and resonate with readers who may be going through similar experiences.

Universal Appeal

While your memoir essay is deeply personal, aiming for themes that resonate universally can make your story more relatable to a wider audience. Consider themes such as love and relationships, identity and self-discovery, resilience and overcoming adversity, journeys and travel, loss and grief, as well as career and passion pursuits. These themes can help your memoir essay connect with readers on a profound level.

Jotbot is your personal document assistant. Jotbot does AI note-taking, AI video summarizing, AI citation/source finder, it writes AI outlines for essays, and even writes entire essays with Jotbot’s AI essay writer. Join 500,000+ writers, students, teams, and researchers around the world to write more, write better, and write faster with Jotbot. Write smarter, not harder with Jotbot. Start writing for free with Jotbot today — sign in with Google and get started in seconds.

1. Identifying Your Narrative Core

When you're writing a memoir essay that truly captures readers' attention, it's crucial to identify the core of your narrative. This means delving into your life experiences to uncover the moments that truly define you. Here are some brainstorming strategies you can use to uncover your narrative core:

Thematic Exploration

Take a journey through the themes of your life, such as loss, friendship, or overcoming adversity. Identify specific moments that epitomize these themes and consider how they've shaped you.

Sensory Prompts

Recall vivid experiences by engaging your senses. Think about a specific smell, taste, or childhood object that brings back powerful memories. These sensory details will help you bring your story to life.

Turning Points

Reflect on pivotal moments that have significantly changed your life or your perspective. These moments often hold the key to understanding who you are and why you've become that way.

2. The Criteria for Choosing a Captivating Topic

Your memoir essay should be about more than just any story from your life. To truly captivate readers, you need to choose a topic that meets certain criteria. Here are some things to consider when selecting your story:

Choose an experience that evokes strong emotions in you. If you feel deeply about the story you're telling, your readers are more likely to as well.

Universality

Can readers connect with the story you're telling on a broader level? Look for experiences that resonate with the human experience and the emotions we all share.

Personal Significance

The best memoir essays tell stories that have had a lasting impact on the author. Consider the experiences that have shaped you, challenged you, or changed your life in meaningful ways.

3. How To Build a Memorable Narrative Persona

A key to writing a memoir essay that readers won't forget is to create a strong narrative persona. This persona is the voice through which your story is told, and it should be unique, engaging, and authentic. Here's how you can develop your narrative persona:

Identifying Your Voice

Take some time to analyze your natural writing style. Are you humorous, reflective, or descriptive? Understanding your personal tendencies will help you craft a narrative persona that feels true to you.

Building Your Narrative Voice

Consider the literary influences that have shaped your writing style. What authors or genres resonate with you? You can draw on these influences as you develop your narrative voice.

4. Crafting a Memorable Ending

Every great memoir essay needs a memorable ending. This is the final chance to leave a lasting impression on your reader, so make it count. Here are some strategies for crafting a memorable ending to your memoir essay:

Circle Back to the Introduction

Offer a sense of closure by connecting back to the beginning of your essay. This can create a sense of symmetry and completion that leaves your reader satisfied.

Reveal a Transformation

Show how the experience you've shared has shaped you into the person you are now. This transformation is often at the heart of a memoir essay and can make for a powerful ending.

A Lingering Thought

End your essay with a question or a thought-provoking reflection that will stay with your readers long after they've finished reading. This can prompt further contemplation and leave a lasting impact.

1. Eat, Pray, and Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

(https://www.mwediting.com/memoir-topics-with-examples/)

2. The Book “Wild” by Cheryl Strayed Essay

(https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-book-wild-by-cheryl-strayed/)

3. Wild: a journey from lost to found by Strayed

(https://archive.org/details/wildjourneyfroml0000stra)

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person working on a laptop - Memoir Essay

When writing a memoir essay, it is crucial to embrace vulnerability. Readers are drawn to stories that reveal the writer's true self and expose their raw emotions. By sharing personal tales and experiences with readers, writers can form deeper connections. It can be terrifying to share personal stories, but vulnerability is what makes memoirs compelling. Readers relate to vulnerability, and it encourages them to open up about their experiences.

Embracing vulnerability in your memoir essay allows readers to connect with your story on an intimate level. When readers recognize themselves in your narrative, they are more likely to engage with your work on a deeper level. Vulnerability taps into emotions that are universal, enabling your readers to see themselves in your story. When writers embrace vulnerability, they create an emotional bond with their readers.

Overcoming Writer’s Block

Writer's block is a common challenge faced by memoir writers. It can be frustrating when you want to write but cannot find the words. When writer's block strikes, I use Jotbot to generate an outline for my memoir essay. Jotbot helps me organize my thoughts and ideas, which enables me to write more cohesively. With Jotbot, I can focus on specific sections of my memoir essay, allowing me to overcome writer's block.

Jotbot's AI essay writer helps me with sentence structure, grammar, and punctuation. When I struggle with a sentence, I use Jotbot to revise it. Jotbot helps me to write complete sentences and improve my grammar. I love how Jotbot helps me improve my writing skills. Writing my memoir essay with Jotbot allows me to concentrate on my writing and not worry about sentence structure or grammar.

Creating a Memorable Memoir Opening

When writing a memoir essay, the opening should grab the reader’s attention. A strong opening sets the stage for the rest of the essay. I like to begin my memoir essays with an anecdote or a compelling quote to draw readers in. By starting with a vivid image or a powerful statement, I can spark readers’ curiosity and make them eager to read more.

Jotbot assists me in creating an opening for my memoir essay that hooks readers from the beginning. Jotbot helps me to generate a catchy introduction that sets the tone for the rest of the essay. With Jotbot , I can create a memorable opening that captivates readers and compels them to continue reading. Jotbot allows me to focus on crafting an engaging narrative instead of struggling to find the right words for the introduction.

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21 memoir topics with examples

2 April 2024

Magda Wojcik

Memoir topics are diverse and can cover many personal experiences and reflections. From self-discovery to family legacy, overcoming adversity, travel memoirs and career evolution, there are many topics to choose from when writing a memoir. Memoirs are a powerful way to reflect on one’s life experiences, preserve memories, find healing and closure, inspire and connect with others and leave a lasting legacy.

This article explores 21 memoir topics with examples to inspire you to start your memoir-writing journey. These memoir topics and examples of bestselling memoirs can help you delve deeper into your personal stories and share them with the world.

What is a memoir?

A memoir is a written account of one’s life experiences, focusing on personal reflections, memories and significant events. It is often subjective, conveying the author’s emotions, perspectives and insights. There may be various reasons why people write memoirs:

Self-reflection : Writing a memoir allows individuals to reflect on their life journey. It can help them gain clarity on personal experiences and understand how past events have shaped them.
Preservation of memories : Memoirs preserve memories, stories and family history for future generations.
Healing and closure : Sharing personal stories can be therapeutic. It can help authors process trauma, find closure and accept challenging experiences.
Inspiration and connection : Memoirs can inspire others facing similar challenges, offering hope, empathy and guidance through shared experiences.
Legacy and impact : Writing a memoir enables individuals to leave a lasting legacy, sharing wisdom and personal philosophies with others.

21 memoir topic ideas

#1 journey to self-discovery.

First memoir topic idea is self-discovery. Explore your journey of self-discovery, detailing the pivotal moments and experiences that shaped your identity and beliefs.

"Becoming" by Michelle Obama is a journey to self-discovery memoir, one of examples of memoir topics

Example of the journey to self-discovery memoir

In Becoming , Michelle Obama traces her evolution from a young girl from Chicago to becoming the First Lady of the United States. Shea navigates the complexities of identity, grappling with issues of race, gender and societal expectations. Ultimately, Obama finds empowerment in her voice and agency. Obama bravely shares her struggles with imposter syndrome and the pressures of balancing career aspirations with family responsibilities. As she recounts her experiences, readers witness her transformation as a public figure and a woman embracing her authenticity and purpose.

#2 Family legacy

Write about your family’s unique history, traditions and the impact they have had on shaping your values and sense of belonging.

Example of a family legacy memoir

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls is a family legacy memoir vividly portraying Walls’s unconventional upbringing. Walls recounts her experiences growing up in a nomadic and impoverished family led by her eccentric parents. She highlights the struggles, resilience and unorthodox values that defined their way of life. Through emotional storytelling, Walls delves into the complex dynamics of her family relationships, revealing moments of hardship and love. As she reflects on her upbringing and the lessons learned, Walls finds strength and understanding in embracing her family’s flaws.

#3 Overcoming adversity

Share your experiences overcoming significant challenges and how these struggles have shaped your resilience and outlook on life. They include battling illness, facing discrimination or coping with loss.

"Educated" by Tara Westover is a memoir about overcoming an adversity, one of examples of memoir topics

Example of a memoir on overcoming adversity

Educated by Tara Westover chronicles the author’s remarkable journey from a childhood in rural Idaho, marked by isolation and abuse, to earning a PhD from Cambridge University. Westover’s narrative vividly illustrates her challenges in breaking away from her family’s survivalist beliefs and gaining an education. Despite enduring physical and emotional hardships, Westover demonstrates resilience, determination and a thirst for knowledge. Her story is a powerful testament to the transformative power of education and the human spirit’s capacity to overcome adversity. Educated inspires readers to confront their obstacles and pursue personal growth and fulfilment.

#4 Lessons from travel

Lessons from travels are a popular memoir topic. Reflect on the transformative experiences and life lessons gained from your travels worldwide. For instance, delve into the people you have met, cultures you have encountered and the personal growth achieved through exploration.

Example of a travel memoir

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert chronicles the author’s transformative journey across Italy, India and Indonesia. Seeking solace from a painful divorce and a quest for self-discovery, Gilbert embarks on a year-long adventure. During this time, she explored the pleasures of food, the depths of spirituality and the intricacies of love. Gilbert invites readers to join her as she indulges in Italian cuisine, delves into meditation and prayer in an Indian ashram and finds unexpected love in Bali. Her memoir serves as a touching reminder of the healing power of travel and the importance of embracing life’s adventures.

#5 Career evolution

"Bossypants" by Tina Fey is a memoir on career evolution, one of examples of memoir topics

Trace the evolution of your career path, from your earliest aspirations to the challenges and triumphs encountered along the way, offering insights into the lessons learned and the wisdom gained.

Example of a memoir on career evolution

Bossypants by Tina Fey offers an insightful glimpse into the comedian’s career evolution. Fey recounts her journey from a young, aspiring comedian to a groundbreaking writer, actress and producer. From Saturday Night Live to 30 Rock , Fey shares candid anecdotes and valuable lessons learned along the way. With sharp observations and self-deprecating humour, she navigates the challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated industry. Ultimately, Fey offers inspiration and laughs to aspiring creatives everywhere.

#6 Parenting

Parenting is among often explored-memoir topics. It involves sharing the joys and challenges of parenthood, recounting memorable moments and humorous anecdotes. It can also touch upon profound lessons learned from raising children.

Example of a memoir on parenting

Operating Instructions by Anne Lamott is a raw and heartwarming memoir chronicling the joys and struggles of early parenthood. Lamott shares candid reflections on the challenges of single motherhood. From sleepless nights and diaper changes to moments of profound love and connection with her son, Sam — she shares it all. With honesty and humour, she navigates the rollercoaster of emotions that come with raising a child. By doing so, Lamott offers insights into the complexities and universal experiences of parenting. Lamott’s poignant storytelling resonates with readers, providing comfort and solidarity to parents navigating their journeys.

#7 Quest for purpose

"Happiness Project" by Gretchen Rubin is a memoir on the quest for purpose, one of examples of memoir topics

Documenting quest for purpose and meaning in life is among frequently explored memoir topics. For instance, it can involve narrating the various paths you have taken, the mentors who have guided you and the insights you have gained along the journey towards fulfilment.

Example of a memoir on the quest for purpose

The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin documents the author’s year-long experiment to increase her overall happiness and sense of fulfilment. Feeling stuck despite external success, Rubin begins a quest for purpose, meticulously researching and implementing strategies to enhance various aspects of her life. She shares the ups and downs of her journey, from decluttering her home to cultivating gratitude and fostering stronger relationships. In sum, Rubin’s memoir serves as a practical guide for readers seeking meaning and joy in their lives.

#8 Love story

Love is among popular memoir topics. To explore it, chronicle the ups and downs of your most significant love relationship, from the initial spark to the challenges faced and the growth experienced together. You can also offer insights into love, commitment and personal development. But love does not have to be romantic love. For instance, you can write about the loving relationship with a parent, child or friend.

Example of a love story memoir

Wild by Cheryl Strayed is a captivating love story, albeit unconventional. As Strayed embarks on a solo trek along the Pacific Crest Trail, she reflects on her tumultuous past and profound love for her late mother. She vividly chronicles her physical journey through rugged terrain, paralleling her emotional journey towards self-discovery and healing. Along the trail, Strayed grapples with grief, forgiveness and ultimately, self-love. In turn, she finds solace in the vast wilderness and embraces the unconditional love she holds for her mother. Wild is a testament to the enduring power of love in all its forms.

#9 Navigating mental health

Reflect on your journey with mental health, including struggles with anxiety, depression or other conditions. Write about the coping mechanisms, therapies and support systems that have helped you thrive.

"An Unquiet Mind" by K. R. Jamison is a memoir on navigating mental health, one of examples of memoir topics

Example of a memoir on navigating mental health

An Unquiet Mind by Kay Redfield Jamison offers a raw and intimate glimpse into the author’s life with bipolar disorder. Jamison eloquently navigates the highs and lows of her mental health journey, from manic episodes filled with boundless energy to crippling bouts of depression. Candidly, she sheds light on the complexities of living with mental illness, the stigma surrounding it and the challenges of seeking treatment. Jamison’s memoir serves as a powerful reminder of the resilience of the human spirit. Moreover, it highlights the importance of compassion and understanding in navigating mental health.

#10 Inspirational figure

Inspirational figures can be noteworthy memoir topics. To realise this topic idea, write about the influential figures who have shaped your values, beliefs and aspirations. Share the lessons learned from their wisdom and guidance.

Example of an inspirational figure memoir

Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom centres on the author’s weekly visits with his former college professor, Morrie Schwartz, who is battling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Through their heartfelt conversations, Morrie imparts invaluable life lessons on love, forgiveness, acceptance and the meaning of life. As Morrie faces his mortality with grace and wisdom, he becomes an uplifting and transformative figure for Albom and readers alike. Morrie’s unbroken spirit and profound insights serve as a guiding light. He inspires readers to embrace the beauty of life, cherish meaningful connections and live with purpose and authenticity.

#11 Living with chronic illness

Share your experiences living with a chronic illness or disability. For instance, discuss the challenges faced, the adaptations made and the resilience maintained in the face of challenges.

Example of a memoir on living with chronic illness

The Bright Hour by Nina Riggs reflects on Riggs’s experiences living with metastatic breast cancer, a terminal illness she was diagnosed with at the age of 37. Riggs beautifully articulates the complexities of navigating life with a chronic illness. Moreover, she explains balancing moments of hope and despair, love and loss. Through her lyrical prose and candid storytelling, she offers profound insights into the fragility of life. In addition, she sheds light on the importance of cherishing each moment and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

#12 Cultural awakening

Document your exploration and embrace of a new culture and the insights gained about identity and belonging. This could involve experiences with studying abroad, joining a multicultural community or marrying into a different cultural background.

Example of a memoir on cultural awakening

Funny in Farsi by Firoozeh Dumas shares the author’s experiences of growing up as an Iranian in the US. Through a series of lovely anecdotes, she navigates the challenges of assimilating into American culture while preserving her Iranian heritage. From humorous misunderstandings to poignant reflections on identity, Dumas’ memoir offers a candid and insightful exploration of cultural differences and family dynamics. Moreover, it highlights the universal quest for belonging. Funny in Farsi is a touching tribute to the richness and resilience of multicultural identity.

#13 From struggle to success

The journey from struggle to success is among the popular memoir topics. To use this memoir topic, detail your journey from humble beginnings or challenging circumstances to success. Highlight the perseverance, sacrifices and support systems propelling you forward.

Example of a from-struggle-to-success memoir

Hillbilly Elegy by J. D. Vance traces the author’s journey from a turbulent childhood in Appalachia to success as a Yale Law School graduate. Vance candidly depicts the struggles of growing up in a working-class family plagued by poverty, addiction and dysfunction. Despite facing numerous obstacles, Vance perseveres through adversity with the help of supportive mentors and his determination. His memoir is a moving exploration of the American Dream and the resilience required to overcome socioeconomic barriers. Through Vance’s narrative, Hillbilly Elegy inspires readers to believe in the possibility of upward mobility and self-improvement.

#14 Finding faith

Finding faith is another great idea on the list of best memoir topics. So explore your spiritual journey. In particular, discuss moments of doubt, revelation and faith and how your beliefs have shaped your perspective on life, purpose and morality.

Example of a memoir on finding faith

Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis is a profound exploration of faith and spirituality based on the author’s journey from atheism to Christianity. Through logical arguments and insightful reflections, Lewis offers a compelling case for the existence of God. He also discusses the universal moral principles underlying Christianity. Drawing from his struggles and doubts, Lewis provides a relatable perspective on the search for meaning and truth. His memoir serves as a transformative guide for readers seeking to deepen their faith or explore spirituality. It offers wisdom, clarity and profound insights into the nature of belief and the quest for spiritual fulfilment.

#15 Power of friendship

Celebrate the bonds of friendship that have sustained you through life’s trials and triumphs. Among others, recount memorable adventures, shared experiences and the invaluable support of your closest companions.

Example of a memoir on the power of friendship

The Pact by Sampson Davis, George Jenkins and Rameck Hunt, with Lisa Frazier Page, recounts the inspiring true story of three friends from Newark, New Jersey. They formed a powerful bond as childhood friends and made a pact to support each other in achieving their dreams of becoming doctors. Through the trials of poverty, violence and academic challenges, their friendship is a source of strength and motivation. Ultimately, it propels them to overcome obstacles and fulfil their shared aspirations. The Pact is a testament to the transformative power of friendship in overcoming adversity and achieving success.

#16 Redefining success

Reflect on your journey of redefining success on your terms, breaking away from societal expectations and finding fulfilment in unconventional paths or alternative achievement measures.

Example of a memoir on redefining success

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson is a refreshingly honest memoir that challenges traditional notions of success and happiness. Manson shares his journey of redefining success by focusing on values aligned with personal growth and fulfilment. Rejecting the pursuit of external validation and material wealth, Manson advocates for embracing life’s inevitable challenges and prioritising what truly matters. In sum, his memoir is a provocative exploration of self-discovery and empowerment. It inspires readers to let go of societal expectations and find meaning in living authentically rather than striving for society’s narrow definition of success.

#17 Road to recovery

Document your journey of recovery from addiction, whether it is substance abuse, gambling or another form of dependency, exploring the turning points, relapses and strategies for maintaining sobriety.

Example of a road-to-recovery memoir

A Million Little Pieces by James Frey chronicles the author’s harrowing journey of addiction, despair and, ultimately, redemption. Frey recounts his struggles with substance use disorder and the destructive behaviours that nearly cost him his life. His raw and unflinching honesty portrays the depths of his addiction and the painful process of recovery . A Million Little Pieces is a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the transformative power of seeking redemption.

#18 Culinary adventures

Chronicle your culinary adventures, from childhood memories of family recipes to exploring new cuisines. This memoir topic encourages sharing the cultural significance of food in your life and the joy of cooking and sharing meals.

Example of a culinary adventures memoir

Julie & Julia by Julie Powell is a delightful culinary adventures memoir that follows the author’s ambitious quest to cook every recipe from Julia Child’s iconic cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking , in just one year. Powell’s witty and engaging narrative takes readers on her whirlwind journey through the ups and downs of mastering French cuisine in her cramped New York City kitchen. Through humorous anecdotes and mouthwatering descriptions, she shares the joy, frustration and triumphs of her culinary escapades, inspiring readers to embark on their delicious adventures in the kitchen.

#19 Living off the grid

Living off grid — in a cabin in the woods, a sailboat at sea or a sustainable community — is the penultimate idea on the list of the memoir topics. It involves detailing your experiences of living off the grid or in remote locations and the lessons you learned about self-sufficiency and simplicity.

Example of a memoir on living off the grid

Off Grid and Free by Ron Melchiore shares the author’s experiences of leaving behind the conveniences of modern life to live off the grid in the Canadian wilderness. Melchiore builds their log cabin with his wife, generates their own power and grows their own food, detailing the challenges and rewards of self-sufficiency in a remote environment. Through vivid descriptions and practical advice, Melchiore offers insight into the joys of living in harmony with nature and the profound sense of freedom that comes from disconnecting from mainstream society.

#20 Exploring identity

Try exploring your identity as a memoir topic. Discuss your exploration of identity, whether it is grappling with questions of race, ethnicity, gender or sexuality and the resulting process of self-discovery and acceptance.

Example of a memoir on exploring identity

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou is a powerful memoir that delves into the complexities of identity, race and self-discovery. Angelou candidly recounts her experiences growing up as a Black girl in the segregated South, grappling with racism, trauma and the search for belonging. She explores the impact of societal expectations and personal struggles on her sense of self through poignant storytelling and lyrical prose. Angelou’s memoir is a poignant exploration of the resilience of the human spirit and the journey towards embracing one’s identity, inspiring readers to confront their truths and celebrate the beauty of diversity.

#21 Healing power of nature

Healing power of nature is commonly explored among memoir topics. It entails sharing the transformative experiences of connecting with nature. Moreover, it discusses solace and renewal found in natural landscapes through wilderness adventures, gardening or simply spending time outdoors.

Example of a memoir on the healing power of nature

Wilderness Essays by John Muir extols the healing power of nature. Through vivid descriptions and passionate prose, Muir shares his profound experiences exploring the wild landscapes of America’s wilderness. He depicts the therapeutic effects of immersing oneself in the natural world, highlighting the tranquillity, beauty and spiritual nourishment in untamed environments. Muir’s writings serve as a poignant reminder of the connection between humanity and the natural world. It inspires readers to seek solace and renewal in embracing nature’s boundless wonders.

How to prepare a memoir for publication?

Preparing a memoir for publication involves several key steps. In addition, using professional editing services can be crucial in ensuring your memoir is ready for the market. Here is a guide on how to prepare your memoir for publication with the assistance of professional editing services:

Developmental editing : A developmental editor provides high-level feedback on the overall structure, pacing, plot development, character arcs and thematic coherence of the memoir. They help identify areas for improvement and suggest revisions. Moreover, developmental editors offer guidance on strengthening the narrative to enhance its impact and readability.

Line editing : A line editor focuses on refining the language, style and flow of the memoir at the sentence and paragraph level. They address issues such as awkward phrasing, repetition, clarity and coherence, ensuring that the prose is polished and engaging while maintaining the author’s voice and tone.

Copyediting : A copyeditor reviews the manuscript for grammar, punctuation, spelling and consistency in usage and style. They correct errors, clarify ambiguous passages and adhere to editorial guidelines and industry standards. Copyediting helps improve the overall professionalism and readability of the memoir.

Proofreading : A proofreader performs a final review of the manuscript to catch any remaining errors or typos before publication. They meticulously check for errors in spelling, punctuation, formatting and typographical mistakes, ensuring the manuscript is error-free and ready for publication.

Final thoughts

In conclusion, writing a memoir can be a transformative experience, enabling individuals to explore their personal stories and share them with the world. In turn, memoir topics are limitless and offer a powerful way to reflect on one’s life experiences, preserve memories, find healing and closure, inspire and connect with others and leave a lasting legacy. Journey to self-discovery, a family legacy, overcoming adversity, travel memoirs or career evolution — there is a memoir topic for everyone. By exploring the 22 memoir topics and examples provided in this article, you can delve deeper into your personal stories and share them with the world. As a result, you will be able to leave a lasting legacy. So pick up your pen and start writing your memoir today.

Contact me for a free sample edit of your memoir manuscript (and remember to use my early bird discount ). I am an experienced editor working with non-fiction, academic and business texts. I can help prepare your text for publication, from a big-picture analysis through highlighting your authorial voice to ensuring the correctness and consistency of the language.

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Home — Essay Types — Memoir Essay

Memoir Essay Examples

Selecting the right topic is the cornerstone of a compelling memoir essay. It's the initial step in crafting a narrative that resonates with readers and leaves a lasting impression. The chosen topic serves as the foundation upon which your entire memoir is built, setting the tone and direction for your storytelling journey. To better illustrate this point, let's examine some memoir essay examples in our base of essays.

When you carefully consider your memoir essay topics, you're essentially inviting readers into your world, allowing them to connect with your personal experiences, emotions, and insights. The more relatable the topic, the deeper the connection you can establish with your audience. After all, the power of memoir lies in its ability to evoke empathy and understanding.

To gain a better understanding of this concept, we can turn to some well-known memoirs, such as "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls and "Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert, as memoir essay examples. "The Glass Castle" revolves around her unconventional upbringing and the struggles of her impoverished family, illustrating how the right topic can engage readers and make a memoir not just a personal narrative but a shared human experience.

Finding Inspiration for Memoir Essay Topics

So, where can you find inspiration for your memoir essay topics? The answer lies in your own life experiences, and there are countless facets to explore.

I. Start by reflecting on significant life events, such as your childhood memories. Think about the moments that shaped you, the adventures that left a lasting impression, and the challenges that forced you to grow. These events often hold the key to compelling memoir essay ideas, as they offer glimpses into your personal journey.

A Life-Altering Event and Its Profound Impact
Exploring the Impact of Milestones in Life
Personal Crisis Leading to Transformation
Influence of Key Moments on Life's Path
Lessons from Milestones: Successes and Failures

II. Additionally, consider your milestones and achievements. Successes and accomplishments, both big and small, can be fertile ground for memoirs. Whether it's graduating from college, starting a business, or completing a marathon, these moments represent your growth and perseverance.

Reflecting on the Marathon: Perseverance and Transformation
Transitioning from College to the Real World
Entrepreneurial Ventures: Navigating Challenges in Business
Shaping Character Through Personal Achievement
Personal Growth Through Accomplishments

Personal challenges and growth experiences also make for engaging topics. Everyone faces adversity at some point in their lives, and sharing how you navigated through these trials can inspire and connect with readers who have undergone similar struggles.

Of course, here are the essay topic examples marked up as a list:

My Journey Through Personal Challenges and Triumph
My Most Memorable Experiences in Life
Navigating Personal Struggles for Personal Growth
Triumphing Over Life's Obstacles: Stories of Resilience
Lessons from Adversity: Building Empathy and Connection Through Shared Struggles

Lastly, your career and professional experiences are a goldmine of stories. Share your successes, the challenges you've faced, and the valuable lessons you've learned along the way. Your career journey can offer valuable insights and inspiration to others pursuing their own professional paths.

Lessons Learned from My Professional Journey
How Past Experiences Influence Our Present
Overcoming Challenges and Thriving in My Career
Shaping Growth Through Career Path and Mentorship
Inspiring Others with Insights from My Professional Odyssey

By delving into these various aspects of your life, you can uncover memoir topics that are not only deeply personal but also universally relatable, creating a narrative that resonates with readers on a profound level.

A memoir essay, with its vulnerability, introspection, and focus on key life lessons, differs from a standard personal essay or autobiography. Unlike chronological autobiographies, memoir essays thoughtfully reflect on specific meaningful experiences. By candidly revisiting impactful moments, memoir essayists gain self-awareness, find meaning in hardship, preserve family histories, and share life-changing epiphanies.

Great memoir essays , illustrated by memoir essay examples , balance vivid scenic recreation, raw emotional insights, and universal truths. Evocative sensory details transport readers to pivotal moments, while introspective narration reveals the inner turmoil, growth, and realizations that recollection brings. The most compelling memoirs extract wisdom from lived experience, inviting readers to reflect on their own journeys.

Memoir Essay’s Central Theme

Identifying your memoir essay’s central theme or message provides focus for both writing and reflection. Set aside time for deep thought about the big life moments you could explore within your memoir essay and what universal insights they hold.

Common memoir themes include overcoming adversity, grief and loss, achievement, parenthood, sexual identity, family dynamics, disillusionment, recovery from trauma or addiction, spiritual awakening, and more. For example, a parent’s memoir may center on personal growth through raising a special needs child. A memoir of grief could find meaning in love and legacy after loss.

Once you land on a specific theme, use it as a touchstone while shaping your memoir’s scenes, tone, and takeaways. Let it guide your writing toward impactful self-revelation.

Memoir Essay’s Structure

An intentional structure connects your memoir’s scenes into a cohesive narrative arc. Chronological organization works well for linear stories, while a braided narrative with interwoven timelines suits winding journeys.

Some memoirs, as in memoir essay examples for college students, utilize frame narratives that “bookend” the story, like Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette’s childhood recollections in My Mother’s House. Others divide chapters into thematic segments, like cancer survivor Kathy Kamen’s shifting outlooks in The Medicine Wheel.

Play with different structures until you find one that mirrors your narrative’s emotional cadence. Outline essential scenes like epiphanies, darkest moments, turning points, and resolutions to build your blueprint. A strong structure elevates your memoir’s impact.


Introduction	Introduce the central theme or message of the memoir. Engage readers with a compelling hook or opening line. Provide context for the events and experiences to come.
Body	Comprises multiple sections or chapters. Each section delves into a specific event or facet of the memoir’s central theme. Use vivid descriptions, sensory details, and dialogue to immerse readers in each scene. Reflect on thoughts, emotions, and personal growth. Convey the impact of the experiences on the narrator.
Conclusion	Synthesize the various threads of the memoir. Reflect on the central theme and its significance. Offer insights, lessons learned, or personal growth. Leave readers with meaningful takeaways or reflections.
Reflection and Impact	Discuss the broader implications of the memoir. Reflect on how the experiences relate to the writer’s overall life journey. Explore universal truths or lessons that resonate with readers.
Afterword (Optional)	Share additional personal insights or reflections. Acknowledge the writing process and its challenges. Express gratitude or wisdom gained from the writing experience.

Memoir Essay’s Voice and Tone

An authentic narrative voice and complementary tone shape how readers connect with your memoir. Your voice should fit the story, while your tone reflects the narrator’s perspective.

For example, a humorous, ironic tone could capture the absurdities of childhood. A somber, reflective tone may suit a memoir of loss. Word choice profoundly affects tone, so select descriptors deliberately based on the desired mood and emotions.

Beyond tone, stylistic devices like metaphor and imagery convey voice. Is your narrator contemplative? Sarcastic? Lyrics? Fragmented sentences or analytical asides also contribute nuance. Remember your voice makes the memoir uniquely yours.

Bringing Scenes and Characters to Life

Transport readers right into your memoir’s most pivotal scenes using vivid sensory description. Share sights, sounds, smells, textures, and tastes that set the scene and make it relatable. Zoom in on resonant images and telling details that reveal deeper meaning and character insight.

Dialogue and anecdotes also help dramatize events and portray relationships. Let important conversations and interactions unfold naturally to illuminate the interpersonal dynamics, motivations, and emotions at play. Specific, evocative details turn recalled moments into immersive scenes.

Polishing Memoir Essays

Refine your first draft by revisiting your memoir’s central theme and emotional impact. Strengthen the narrative arc and deepen insights through targeted revision:

Read sections aloud to polish language and flow.
Ask trusted readers for constructive feedback.
Develop motifs and metaphors that underscore themes.
Enhance scenes with more vivid sensory descriptions.
Adjust structure and pacing as needed.
Clarify the narrative perspective and voice.

Revision is key to crafting a memoir that resonates. It takes raw recollections and molds them into universally relatable experiences suffused with meaning.

Free Memoir Essay Examples

We hope these free memoir essay examples inspire you to embrace the power of storytelling and to celebrate the uniqueness of every life’s narrative. Explore the pages of these memoirs to witness the resilience of the human spirit, the complexities of relationships, and the transformative power of personal reflection. These examples of memoir essays are a testament to the richness of the human experience and the artistry of memoir writing.

College Memoir Essay Examples

These insightful essays provide a glimpse into the diverse and transformative experiences of college life. Explore these stories of growth, challenges, and self-discovery as students share their personal narratives, shedding light on the unique journey that is higher education. Whether you’re a student seeking inspiration or simply curious about the college experience, these essays offer valuable insights and perspectives.

How to Write a Memoir Essays

Tips in memoir essay infographics.

3 Most Important Tips for Writing Memoir Essay

Checklist for Writing a Memoir Essay

Before You Start

✓ Choose a Specific Topic: select a meaningful and impactful life experience to write about.

✓ Identify Your Message: determine the central theme or message you want to convey through your memoir essay.

✓ Gather Memories: brainstorm and collect memories, details, and emotions related to your chosen experience.

✓ Narrow Your Focus: decide on the specific aspect or moment within your experience that you’ll explore in-depth.

Structuring Your Memoir Essay

✓ Create a Three-Part Structure: plan for a clear beginning, middle, and end in your essay.

✓ Craft an Engaging Introduction: start with a compelling hook that introduces the topic and grabs the reader’s attention.

✓ Develop the Body: explore your chosen experience in detail, utilizing vivid descriptions, emotions, and reflections.

✓ Conclude Thoughtfully: wrap up your essay by tying together loose ends and leaving readers with something to ponder.

✓ Reflect and Connect: consider the broader implications of your memoir, connecting your personal experience to universal truths or lessons.

Writing Your Memoir Essay

✓ Write Clearly and Concisely: use clear and concise language to convey your story and message effectively.

✓ Use Sensory Details: incorporate sensory details to bring your experiences to life for the reader.

✓ Be Honest and Authentic: share both strengths and vulnerabilities to make your memoir more relatable and authentic.

✓ Embrace Vulnerability: don’t shy away from sharing your emotions and vulnerabilities, as they add depth to your narrative.

✓ Revise and Edit: carefully revise and edit your work for clarity, coherence, and overall polish.

Additional Resources

✓ Refer to Memoir Examples for College Students: seek inspiration and guidance from memoir examples tailored to college students’ experiences.

✓ Explore how to start a memoir essay examples: study various ways to begin your memoir essay effectively, drawing from examples.

Using this checklist can help you stay organized and focused while writing your memoir essay, ensuring that you craft a compelling and meaningful narrative.

While delving into the intricacies of writing a memoir essay, it’s essential to embrace the complexities of your narrative, weaving together the threads of your experiences with insight and reflection. However, expanding your understanding of different essay formats can further refine your writing craft. Specifically, by crafting a problem-solution essay, you can develop a keen eye for identifying and articulating challenges within your stories, while also presenting thoughtful, engaging resolutions. This skill not only enhances the depth and structure of your memoir but also equips you with a versatile approach to writing that can be applied across various genres. Engage with this dynamic essay format to enrich your storytelling toolkit and bring a new level of sophistication to your memoir.

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What is a memoir essay?

This type of writing is often mixed up with autobiography essays. However, it is not the same as it represents a first-person narrative that describes a certain part of a person's life. The topics and ideas are always chosen by the author. In terms of comparing a personal essay vs memoir, it is necessary to understand that memoir still keeps to a certain chronology even if describing a single day.

How to write memoir essays?

Even though it is not a fiction story, memoir essay writing still uses various metaphors or literary devices that increase an emotional effect. You can see our memoir essay examples that show how it is done in practice. The structure has a strong temporal effect and an overly emotional tone, which is acceptable for memoir writing. Remember to end your writing with an important argumentation that will make readers think.

How to start writing a memoir essay?

To begin writing a memoir essay, start by identifying a compelling personal story or theme from your life. Reflect on its significance and outline the key moments. Then, create an engaging opening that hooks readers, drawing them into your narrative. Finally, let your story unfold with honesty, reflection, and vivid detail.

How to write a memoir essay structure?

A memoir essay typically follows a chronological or thematic structure. Start with an engaging introduction, introduce the central theme or event, and provide vivid details. Progress through the narrative, building tension or insight. Conclude by reflecting on the significance of your story, offering lessons, or leaving readers with a thought-provoking idea.

How does a memoir essay differ from other types of writing?

Memoir essays differ by their introspective nature, centering on personal experiences and lessons learned. They often incorporate vivid descriptions and emotional depth to engage readers on a personal level.

What are some common themes explored in memoir essays?

Common memoir themes include overcoming adversity, family dynamics, personal growth, grief, identity, and transformative moments. These themes provide a framework for exploring life's complexities.

What is the ultimate goal of a memoir essay?

The primary goal of a memoir essay is to share a personal story while offering universal insights or lessons that resonate with readers. It aims to create a meaningful and reflective narrative.

How much personal detail should I include?

Be judiciously vulnerable. Share telling details that lend insight, but avoid oversharing or exposing others’ privacy. Strive for candid self-revelation in service of the larger theme.

How do I conclude in a meaningful way?

Offer closing reflections on your memoir’s central insights, tying together the theme and narrative arc. Look ahead to the future or revisit where the journey began. End on an uplifting or poignant note.

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Tiny Memoir Contest for Students: Write a 100-Word Personal Narrative

We invite teenagers to tell a true story about a meaningful life experience in just 100 words. Contest dates: Nov. 6 to Dec. 4, 2024.

A banner of six purple and black illustrations. From left to right: a woman hanging a star in a window with the help of a little girl; two men staring lovingly at each other over a small table; a man presenting a miniature Christmas tree to his pet fish; a frog reaching out his arms to a squiggly figure; three family members piled on top of each other on a couch; a woman looking pensively out a widow as it snows outside.

By The Learning Network

Illustrations from Modern Love’s Tiny Love Stories , the inspiration for this contest.

Can you tell a meaningful and interesting true story from your life in just 100 words? That’s the challenge we pose to teenagers with our 100-Word Personal Narrative Contest, a storytelling form popularized by Modern Love’s Tiny Love Stories series .

After running this contest for two years, receiving a total of more than 25,000 entries, and honoring dozens of excellent miniature teen-written memoirs, we have discovered the answer is a resounding yes .

So, we challenge you to try it yourself.

We’re not asking you to write to a particular theme or to use a specific structure or style, but we are looking for short, powerful stories about a particular moment or event in your life. We want to hear your story, told in your unique voice, and we hope you’ll experiment with style and form to tell a tale that matters to you, in a way you enjoy telling it.

And, yes, it’s possible to do all that in only 100 words. For proof, just look at last year’s 15 winning entries . We also have a step-by-step guide full of advice that is grounded in 25 excellent 100-word mentor texts, as well as a rehearsal space , published for our first year’s contest, that has over 1,000 student-written mini memoirs. Because that space was so successful, we’re keeping it open for this year’s contest. We hope students will use it to get inspiration, experiment and encourage each other.

Take a look at the full guidelines and related resources below. Please post any questions you have in the comments and we’ll answer you there, or write to us at [email protected]. And, consider hanging this PDF one-page announcement on your class bulletin board.

Here’s what you need to know:

Resources for Teachers and Students
Frequently Asked Questions
Submission Form

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7 New Books for 'Lit Girl Summer'

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63 Memoir Writing Prompts With Examples
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How To Choose A Topic For Your Memoir Essay. Reflecting on pivotal moments and turning points in your life is essential when choosing a topic for your memoir essay. These moments could be triumphs, losses, love, or transformations that profoundly impacted you. Consider experiences that have shaped your identity, values, or worldview and stand ...
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