O.C. Writers

By Marissa Dunham // 

The books for this month will give you the trivia, tips, and emotional support necessary for wading into this very personal form of storytelling: the memoir.

More than a diary and less formal than an autobiography, memoir has become a popular genre among writers. For some, the desire to write is a means of aligning with and healing from the past. And, for others, writing their life story is a chance to help.

Whatever the motivation, memoir remains an impactful way of sharing the deepest parts of the human experience, and the books today will act as guides for understanding the artful craft of writing memoir.

MEMOIR FACTS

How is memoir different from autobiography? The biggest difference between the two is that memoir is a collection of memories shared in a logical, narrative structure. Autobiography is a self-related account of a person’s entire lifetime.

If you are looking for an organization specifically for memoir or would like more resources, check out the National Association of Memoir Writers.

Here are the five!

1. Breaking Ground on Your Memoir: Craft, Inspiration, and Motivation for Memoir Writers by Linda Joy Myers and Brooke Warner
   This author team finds a way to make a difficult subject easy. The takeaways from this book are a strong foundation in story structure, writing scenes for memoir, creating a frame for your memoir, and more. The paperback is roughly 148 pages and is a good resource for writers of all skill levels.
2. The Art of Memoir by Mary Karr
   Wit and personability are the hallmarks of Karr’s roughly 256-page book on memoir. With her 30 years of experience teaching and crafting memoir, this book comes with high praise from the community. Writers will find Karr to be full of interesting anecdotes on writing and voice. Want to learn more? Read an excerpt on LitHub.
3. Writing Hard Stories: Celebrated Memoirists Who Shaped Art from Trauma by Melanie Brooks
   Again, like the other books on this list, the theme of memoir is about coming to terms with why you want to write memoir, and Brooks helps you to lean into the difficult memories that are sure to find their way into your story. The book is a compilation of many short memoirs from celebrated authors. Praised by Poets & Writers, this book on memoir is about 224 page and is sure to please.
4. Your Life as Story: Discovering the “New Autobiography” and Writing Memoir as Literature by Tristine Rainer
   A book that’s been on the market for a while and is still giving back, Rainer gives new memoirists a foundation from which to write. She spotlights the need for story structure and helps writers find their way. The book is about 368 pages and is a good read.
5. Stories Are What Save Us: A Survivor’s Guide to Writing about Trauma by David Chrisinger
   If you’re looking for a book on how to write memoir, you might enjoy this release from 2021. Chrisinger does a wonderful job interweaving craft, compassionate teaching, and writing the difficult parts of trauma writing, with his university background. The book is interspersed with memories from his life and journey writing about trauma. The roughly 240-page book covers essential craft language for memoir, story structure, and is written in an accessible and intelligent manner.

Marissa’s Take Practice Exercise: Let Me Introduce Myself

Find a personal photograph. Make a list of everyone in the photograph and write a sentence or paragraph (depending on how many people/animals/objects are in it) telling how you met each person/animal/object. Write for 10 minutes.

This column will be taking a break for the holiday season and will return in 2023.

MARISSA DUNHAM is a writer and freelance editor. She spent the early part of her career in educational publishing, but now spends most of her time editing literary fiction, magical realism, and middle grade fiction. She lives in Southern California, where she enjoys bringing new life into the world by planting tomatoes and flowers in the garden.