week five: memoir

This month I wondered: would I still be able to call myself a lover of books if I never gave memoir a chance? As it turns out, I probably don't need an answer to that question now that my attitude towards memoir has taken a 180 degree turn. These past two weeks learning about memoir from Stuart, Cam, Benjamin Law, and Kari Gislason has been truly enlightening and engaging. I believe it was Law's Tourism piece that opened my eyes to how interesting this genre can be, and Gislason's memoir, The Promise of Iceland, that sealed the deal for me. The prologue in The Promise of Iceland intrigued me; after a reading the first few pages provided on Blackboard, I immediately found myself walking to the library to borrow a copy of the memoir so I could find out more about Gislason's promise to his absent father. I was drawn to his memories of Iceland.

Needless to say, I was thrilled when I saw Kari Gislason standing in our lecture room preparing to give a guest lecture. Every week at WRIT3050 is a treat, and that day was no different. Who knew that memoir was just as creative as a piece of fiction? And that characterisation was just as important?  

These are some of the neat tips and tricks I learned from this week's lecture and tutorial on memoir:

1. Memoir is about you, but not just about you
In a work that is ultimately about you on paper, the first task is to not view your work as about you. Don't be indulgent--write for the story and the storyline. Making it all about you may be cathartic for you, but boring for your readers.

2. Before you begin writing, define the story
Ask yourself: what is it that you're trying to understand/tell?

3. Understand your function in the piece
You are a major character in your memoir. Who are the other characters? Family? Friends? Strangers? Do you wish to merely convey information, share perspective, or something else? What is unusual in your life or in your way of perceiving life?

4. Structure is pivotal to a story
How you structure the plot creates meaning and helps establish unity of theme. Sometimes writing events in non-chronological order may be more effective than chronological order, or vice versa. Plan how you will manage interweaving and alternating complex plot lines. How will you maintain the focus of the memoir?

I'll be sure to keep these pointers in mind when writing my memoir. Now that I am aware of such techniques, I look forward to seeing how writers employ these techniques and structures in their memoirs, starting with The Promise of Iceland followed by Benjamin Law's The Family Law.

Julia