Memoir? Here's your secret weapon

How to map out your book: a formula plus a trusty tool

A secret weapon for writing a great memoir

What is MEMOIR? Memoir is not the same as HISTORY or BIOGRAPHY or even AUTOBIOGRAPHY. It’s a brief period (or periods) of time, and the way you tell the story might not be chronological.

A great memoir reads much like a novel. Memoir isn’t autobiography. Your memoir will be autobiographical, but it won’t be the whole story of your life. Readers choose autobiographies to read about the famous, accomplished, or notorious author. They choose memoirs to learn something from the memoirist’s relatable, human experience.

What you’re aiming for in memoir is a story that builds from carefully curated anecdotes (scenes) from your life to a global controlling idea (theme) which creates a takeaway for the reader. Just like fiction.

Why? Because your memoir goes deep into your heart, head, and spirit—your personal, internal, experiences. Readers expect a memoir to be primarily focused on your internal journey. But the internal journey takes place in the context of external events. So you’re telling both an external story (what happens) and an internal story (its impact on you).

Here’s a formula:

START WITH: Carefully curated anecdotes (stories) from a life.

SECOND: Identify a central idea or theme.

THEN: Weave in “takeaway” (value) for the reader.

FINALLY: Craft your story into a powerful, emotional experience.

THIS EQUALS … A memoir!

To me, success is a reader who picks up your book and reads it all in one day. So how do you achieve that sort of engagement with your story?

Your secret weapon for story structure is a well thought-out plan!

In a story, structure is everything! So….how do you create a structure?

Start with a timeline.

Why a timeline?

1. A timeline anchors your story in time and place.

2. A timeline will help you to keep events straight and consistent.

3. A timeline will begin to show you what you’ve missed or forgotten.

4. A timeline will give you perspective.

5. A timeline will open the door to crafting a satisfying book or story.

A time line is not hard to create, but its effect on your story will be profound. Here are the steps:

1. Set up a spreadsheet on a pad of paper or on your computer.

2. Use these headings at the top: Milestone — Date — Age — Location — Notes

3. Then, relax and let yourself drift down into your past. Don’t censor yourself or overthink; just write down milestones and memories as they come to you. Don’t worry too much about dates, your age, or anything else. You can add that info later. You’re on a quest for important moments or turning points—anything that comes to mind.

4. Do this over a couple of weeks. Order doesn’t matter yet—you can adjust that later. Just keep adding to your list.

I promise that if you do this, you will have the beginnings of a strong structure for you memoir, and that will make it easier for you to write, and un-put-downable for a reader! Next week, I’ll share what to do with your timeline once you have finished!

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[1] Ira Glass on Storytelling.

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Now, let’s get your memoir written! Is 2025 your year? The clock is ticking!

Registration closes Dec 31.

Unlock your voice and tell your story — Leave a legacy — It’s your turn now!

Is this your year?

If YOU are ready to take that next step, and need that extra boost of teaching, coaching, accountability, and community to get your story written, I can help.

What is My One-Year Memoir?

My One-Year Memoir is a private coaching group with bestselling memoirist Susy Flory to help you write your memoir in a year! You will get the latest, proven information and techniques you won't find anywhere else, personally crafted by Susy Flory to help you make progress on your one-year memoir journey -- all in a supportive environment of live video monthly group meetings with Susy and others working on their stories. Whether you are an experienced writer or an ordinary person with a story to tell, you are invited!

Everything you need to know is here: https://susyflory.com/everything-memoir

I have an informational meeting coming up this Monday, Dec 9, on Zoom at 6:30 pm. Learn more about the My One-Year Memoir program and bring your questions. Click here to register for this free informational meeting.