What is Memoir?

According to Merriam-Webster, an autobiography is

"the biography of a person narrated by himself or herself".

So, that leads to the question "What is biography?

Merriam-Webster says "a usually written history of a person's life".

Above, the memoir definition was indistinct. Let's take a look at how memoir writers define their craft.

Gore Vidal, author of his memoir, "Palimpsest"

"A memoir is how one remembers one's own life, while an autobiography is history, requiring research, dates, facts double-checked. "

Lou Willet Stanek, author of "Writing Your Life"

"If you were to write an autobiography, you would have to spend a lot of time at the courthouse, looking up the date your great-grandfather was born, what year your father bought the house on Elm Street. The research for a memoir can be done in an easy chair. Close your eyes and try to recapture the moment you bought your first car, learned you were pregnant, met the President or wobble down the street on a two-wheeler."

Tristine Rainer, author of "Your Life as Story"
Website: Story Help

"A memoir puts a frame onto life by limiting what is included... In addition to the frame focusing on a particular time, place or person, memoirs may focus on a particular theme. There are as many possible thematic topics for narrative memoirs as for novels and new thematic memoirs bear close resembalance to contemporary novels."

Willam Zinsser, author of 18 books including "Writing About Your Life - A Journey into the Past"
Website: William Zinsser
Friday Articles on The American Scholar - Zinsser

"...memoir assumes the life and ignores most of it. The writer of a memoir takes us back to a corner of his or her life that was unusually vivid or intense-childhood, for instance-or that was framed by unique events. By narrowing the lens, the writer achieves a focus that isn't possible in autobiography."

Linda Joy Myers, PH.D, author of "The Power of Memoir-How to Write Your Healing Story"
Twitter: MemoirGuru - Linda Joy Myers
Website: Memories and Memoir

"A memoir is not a factual recitation of history, though history is part of the story. It's a recollection, a musing and merging of images, dreams, reflections moments in your life's journey.
A memoir is an exploration of a part of your life-a complete life story is referred to as an 'autobiography'. A memoir and an autobiography are written through the point of view of you as the main character, the "I" of the story."

So, for the purpose of definition and based on what we have read so far, let's assume the following:

• Biography - written account of a person's whole life authored by someone other than the subject.
• Autobiography - author's written account of his or her whole life.
• Memoir - written story about a certain place, time, event or theme of the author's life.

Though the manner was blunt, I have corrected a grammar issue in the above paragraph.

There are many types of memoirs that can be grouped in specific categories and others that are a cross over. Below is a list of a few of the types and some examples:

Coming of Age - Simply, the transition from child/teenager to adulthood.

Examples -

The Liars Club: A Memoir by Mary Karr
The Glass Castle: A Memoir by Jeanette Walls
Angela's Ashes: A Memoir by Frank McCourt
Memories of a Catholic Girlhood by Mary McCarthy

Place Memoirs - A memoir taking place in a particular, specific setting.

Examples:

An American Childhood
and
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard
How I Got Cultured: A Nevada Memoir by Phyllis Barber
Salt Water Farm by Dorothy E. Hazard

Relationship Memoirs - These memoirs deal with the author's relationship with a certain person or group.

Examples:

Perfection: A Memoir of Betrayal and Renewal by Julie Metz
Change Me into Zeus's Daughter by Barbara Robinette Moss
Live Through This: A Mother's Memoir of Runaway Daughters and Reclaimed Love by Debra Gwartney

Dealing with Adversity - This is one of the most common types of memoirs - the stories associated with addiction, illness or abuse.

Examples:

Anatomy of an Illness as Perceived by the Patient by Norman Cousins
Lucky: A Memoir by Alice Sebold
Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen
I'm Dancing As Fast As I Can by Barbara Gordon

There are many other types and memoir examples out there -- this list is just a starting point. I don't believe you have to know what type you are writing before you write it, but you should know what category the finished product belongs in if you want to be published mainstream.

Do you need a little boost? Some encouragement? A few friends to help you get started or if you're stuck? A few more examples of memoir writing?

There are sections for Memoir as well as other genres (flash fiction, fiction, reviews and more). We'd love to have you!

When I started researching Memoir writing a few years ago, I kept coming across the same question in forums, on blogs and on publisher websites: "Am I qualified to write memoir?"

My personal answer to that is a resounding YES! Who is better qualified to write about your life and experiences but you? My husband, kids, parents, siblings can't tell my stories -- only I can tell my story from my viewpoint. They have their own stories to remember or write.

Remember, memoir is about how you remember a person, place or incident. It can't be right or wrong because it's how you felt and saw things - your unique vision. Unlike biography or autobiography that relies heavily on facts, dates and history, memoir gives you a chance to share the view from your vantage point.

Memoir is as much about your feelings and emotions as it is about factual occurrences. Memoirists want to evoke a response or reaction in their readers. You can't do this by simply stating facts -- that's boring.

However, if you bring a famous person, date or historical event into your memoir, get the fact straight. You can't convince the public that Woodstock happened in 1972 because that's where it fits best in your story. It happened in 1969 -- period.

Thoughts, feelings and emotions can't be disputed. But you can lose credibility with your audience because you didn't check a fact that can be disputed.

Memoir Writer - Poster - Motivation

I hope this article has made things a bit clearer when understanding the definition of memoir and autobiography. It's so much easier to learn by example -- memoir example, that is!