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 M¢25  Funded By Mahalo ? |  May 04, 2009 03:45 PM

Does anyone know of any good writing prompts for memoirs?

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cjd cjd
 
 May 04, 2009 03:58 PM | view on twitter
First of all - read memoirs and lots of them. 

Here is Laura Lippman's suggestions: 

  • Love Story by Ruth McKenney 
  • Comfort by Ann Hood 
  • The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson 
  • Shock Value by John Waters 
  • Leap Days by Katherine Lanpher 
  • Truth & Beauty by Ann Patchett 
  • Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain 
  • Great With Child by Beth Ann Fennelly 
  • About Alice by Calvin Trillin 
  • One Writer's Beginnings by Eudora Welty


You must also include elements in nearly all memoirs as well as your own UNIQUE element to make it brilliant:

Childhood/Teenage Life
Love
Arguments
Difficulties
Death

Most memoir authors tend to include their own UNIQUE element in the Difficulties category. Whether they were an alcoholic or lived on the street for 3 years. It must be interesting throughout - so you can exaggerate and bend the truth to make it more interesting.

Hope this helps!

Source(s):
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/mar/17/laura-lippmann-life-sentences



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Voted as best: folkrockfan, librarian
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drmatt drmatt
 
May 04, 2009 03:58 PM | view on twitter
I recommend Roger von Oech's Creative Whack Pack cards. Great way to get inspiration for ANY writing...

http://www.amazon.com/Creative-Whack-Pack-Roger-Oech/dp/0880793589/ref=pd_sxp_grid_pt_0_2

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eramirez eramirez
 
May 04, 2009 10:55 PM | view on twitter
One of the main things to do is don't worry about grammar, punctuation, or any formatting or structure. Just jot down the first thing that comes and go with it, whether it takes you into another story, a description of other things, or your opinion. You can start from any where in your life you wish to start. We can write of an event, moment, idea, person, place, or object...in isolation we don't need any order or convention to inhibit our getting words on paper...to start. You can find free lessons online to help you get your process of thinking going for you by putting in a search engine like google "free memoir writing lessons" which will hopefully give you more ideas how you want to start.
Source(s):
http://www.roxannewrites.com/memoir-writing-elders-tell-your-life-story.htm...


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elly2222 elly2222
 
May 07, 2009 05:33 PM | view on twitter
Write about something you wish you had tried but never did.

Write about a time when you were accused of something you didn't do.

Write about when you first saw your parents as people and not just as your parents.

Write about a time when you couldn't stop laughing.

Write about the dumbest thing you've ever said to someone.

Write about a time when you desperately wanted to tell someone something.

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Voted as best: bbrookin
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