What is a Memoir?
6th Grade LA
What is a Memoir?
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An account of an author’s personal
experiences/memories.
Memoir writing is a collection of
snapshot memories, like Jack (The Thief
and the Beanstalk) shares in his
paintings, or Rob (Seventh Grade
Weirdo) shares in his flashbacks.
Snapshot memories are short and very
specific. They tell who, what, when
and where.
Memoirs are written in 1st
person point of view
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1st person pronouns: I, me, we,
us, my, mine
Memoirs share the author’s
thoughts and emotions.
Based on the author’s true
memory; not a made-up story!
Real-life experience!
Writing a Memoir
Memoirs differ from a biography.
1. Biographies are written about someone
by another person.
2. They are written in 3rd person.
(he, she, they, them, etc.)
3. They are more about facts than
thoughts and feelings.
Writing a Memoir
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Writing a memoir differs from
writing an autobiography, in which
you start with the day you were
born and tell everything that has
happened since then; it’s your
entire life story!
Memoir vs Biography
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“In August of 1984, at
the insistence of my
mother and father, I
boarded a plane to
Portland, Oregon. That
day I met Phil Knight
for the first time.”
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In August of 1984, at
the insistence of his
mother and father,
Michael Jordan
boarded a plane to
Portland, Oregon.
That day he met Phil
Knight for the first
time.
Leads and Closings
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Good memoirs begin with an
interesting, catchy beginning.
Use a lead/hook sentence that
entices the reader to read on.
Good memoirs have great closing
sentences that give an ending to
the story.
Theme in Memoir
An important part of memoir
writing is the theme; the
author’s message about why a
memory is important enough to
share.
 Memoirs make an observation
about life and teach a life
lesson (theme).
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Memoirs include rich, descriptive
language
Figurative language: simile,
metaphor, hyperbole,
personification, etc.
 Vivid verbs
 Sensory language
 Good leads and clinchers
 Show, not “tell”
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Memoirs show relationships to
the world:
It focuses and reflects on the
relationship between the
writer and a particular
person/animal
place,
object,
event/experience.
Memory of People/Animals
Memory of an Object
Memory of a place/event
Memory of generosity/ happy
times
Memory of overcoming a
challenge or difficult time
Characteristics of a Memoir
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A memory; a description of an event from the
past. Written in past tense.
It focuses and reflects on the relationship
between the writer and a particular
person/animal, place, object, or
event/experience.
Based on the truth. Tells who, where, and when.
Reveals the emotions/thoughts of the writer
Has meaning; tells what the author learned
from the experience. This is the theme!
Focused on one event; about one point in the
author’s life
About the author’s experience more than about
the event itself.
It maintains a first person point of view.
Includes rich description and details.
Begins with an interesting lead and ends with a
strong closing that ends the story.
Writer’s Notebook (at least 3)
Create a list of
places that are
important to you
Brief description
of the place
Why the place is
important to you
Put a star next to your favorite.
Writer’s Notebook (at least 3)
Create a list of
objects that are
important to you
Brief description of
the object
Why the object is
important to you
Soccer trophy
gold statue of soccer
player
I had never played
soccer before and
worked really hard to
learn the game
Put a star next to your favorite.
Writer’s Notebook (at least 3)
Create a list of
times you were
generous
Brief description
of the time
Why that time is
important to you
Put a star next to your favorite.
Writer’s Journal (at least 3)
Create a list of
people important to
you.
What is his/her
relationship to you?
Why is this person
important to you?
My mom
parent
She loves and takes
care of me
Put a star next to your favorite.
Being Generous
1.
2.
3.
Write a brief summary of a
memory you have about a time
you were generous
Write about how you felt.
Tell what you learned from this
experience.
Learning from mistakes
Writer’s Notebook (at least 3)
Create a list of
events that are
important to you
Brief description
of the event
Why the event is
important to you
10th birthday party
Surprise birthday
party at my house
I thought everyone had
forgotten my birthday,
but really my family
had planned a surprise
party for me.
Put a star next to your favorite.
Realizing a dream
Embarrassing time