Name : Muhammad Fahruraji

Reg. Number : 1810117210017

1. What is a memoir?
2. What are the differences between memoir, autobiography, and biography?
3. What elements should be written in a memoir?
4. What should you avoid when you are writing a memoir?
5. Can you mention on a sample of memoir that you have read before? What do you think
about the memoir that you have read?

Answer:

1. A memoir is part of life story in that it’s a collection of experiences, memories, or events
that take place in a person’s life. It is not an autobiography, but rather a true experience
from the writer’s life, that is creatively written and incorporates research
2. A memoir is a collection of memories written by the person themselves. An
autobiography is the story of a person’s life, written by that person and a biography is the
life history of an individual, written by someone else.
3. These are the key elements of a memoir:
 A focused theme. Your memoir should have an overarching theme, takeaway
lesson, or message for your readers. It’s not just a play-by-play of your life, but
rather showing the reader something based on a specific event or experience.
 Conflict. The most captivating and memorable memoirs out there are those that
have a hero’s journey, or obstacles that the narrator must overcome.
 Writing style. The reader is likely reading the story from your perspective, so
make sure you’re writing style and author’s voice comes through your narrative.
This is your chance to invite the reader into your world and tell a story from your
life, so add some personality to it.
 Use supporting stories and details. While this is a memoir about your particular
experience, your memoir will be stronger if you’re able to inject stories from
other people’s lives that move your narrative along.
  Storytelling elements. Your memoir needs to be an engaging, emotional
experience for the reader, and the best way to create this is by incorporating the
elements of storytelling. Draw on character development, story setting, exciting
plot, literary elements, and more.
 Truth. Lastly, your memoir needs to be an honest reflection of your life
experience. While it’s okay to highlight and draw attention to certain details,
make sure your memoir is factual. This is not only important from a storytelling
standpoint but from a legal position, too.
4. Here are the common mistakes that we must avoid in writing a memoirs:
 Boring story. This was the mistake I made with my first memoir. There was no
storytelling, and the structure was… Boring. I will always be grateful that a friend
reviewed the manuscript and offered his honest advice. Be aware of this and ask a
trusted friend or family member to read your manuscript before you send it to the
professional editor and publisher.
 More than one book. This can be a real problem. As you start thinking about your
memoir, it is possible that you want to include too much information, and the end
result is that there is more than one book in your memoir. This can be
overwhelming for your reader and is not what a memoir is about.
 Not focusing on the reader. Review the sections on finding your “why” to make
sure you don’t make this mistake. Again, this was a mistake I made with my first
memoir – I wrote it only from my view, and for me. There was nothing for the
reader to glean.
 Chronology. Memoirs have a general format, and to make it easier for your
reader, your memoir should follow a chronological order
5. I have read the memoir “I Was Pregnant and Then I Wasn't” by Laura Turner. In this sad
memoir about the loss of someone, Turner explores his grief over a child he has never
met. She explores the devastation and grief a mother faces for a child that will never
happen, giving readers a clear view of miscarriage. In this memoir the emotions of the
author can be clearly felt compared to the novel because it tells about a person's life
experience and becomes a valuable experience for the readers.
 I Was Pregnant and Then I Wasn't

“When someone you know and love dies, your life changes, and it is the change
that fuels your grief. You can't call them or see them like you used to; you can
only smell their cologne on the clothes that still hang in their closet. But when it's
a fetus that has died, or a baby, or whatever you want to call it, your life doesn't
change, and that's the strange part - because it was supposed to.”