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Posts tagged ‘autobiography’

Aug 29

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Stuck on how to write about yourself? Try these story starters

Writing about ourselves can be a terrifying and confounding task, whether it’s for an About page, a memoir, or autobiography.

If you’re confronted with the task of writing about yourself, it can be an easier project if you think in terms of storytelling. What are the stories of your life?

Try these story starters to create a list of topics you can draw from to begin your manuscript. Armed with a list of ideas, think about the scenes you could write. Once you have raw material, you can shape it into a finished whole.

  1. What are the pivotal moments of your life?
  2. Who were the influential people in your life — for better or worse.
  3. What is your philosophy?
  4. What are your most striking childhood memories?
  5. What were the highs and lows of your life? Read more

Jul 18

How momentous events lead to compelling personal writing

What are the big events in your life? Big, life-changing, world changing events can be turning points and crucial material for writing a memoir, autobiography, or essay.

Some of the most compelling stories I’ve heard from students in my memoir classes have been about events, including 9-11, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, and the Apollo 11 mission in which Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong made history by being the first men to walk on the moon.

Writing about the big moments in history grounds your stories in time and place and adds historical context. When I began writing my memoir, I created a timeline with dates and ages of key characters, including significant events in my family and in history. Read more