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WRITING PERSONAL HISTORIES - HER-STORIES

Dos and Don'ts of Writing Memoir

May 13, 2009

Tags: memoir writing

1. Don't worry what anyone in the family will think. Get your ideas down; write your story first.

2. Make your memoir about you, not about someone else.

3. The great thing about this kind of writing that is different from fiction is that you get to "show" and "tell"!

4. Don't feel you can't create things. Think of it as creative nonfiction. It has to be factual-- you can't "create" having a brother if you don't have one, but details, sensory elements, can be added to enhance your story.

5. Read memoirs! You have to read the genre you're writing.

by Brenda Serotte, as quoted in the August 26, 2007 Sun-Sentinel.

Comments

  1. July 21, 2009 4:52 PM EDT
    Hello Brenda,

    Thanks for the "Do's and Don'ts of Memoir Writing" which I've just accessed. I'm eager to read your
    "Fortune Teller's Kiss". At the moment I'm starting work on ""The Bordeaux Year." I visit your website a-o-a-p. Y Its splendid!
    - Virginia Scott
  2. July 21, 2009 5:26 PM EDT
    This teacher learned from another teacher...and so on. Lately, I've been stuck in semantics: I've been calling my latest book a memoir, but it's really an autobiographical novel. I'm pretty sure. Or...maybe it's a real novel. No, I think memoir was right... Get the point? I wasted three days' writing with semantics. Then, I just continued with the STORY. Brenda
    - Brenda Serotte
  3. September 29, 2009 7:16 PM EDT
    read your book the fortune tellers kiss and felt i was left hanging as there was nothing written about your adult life .
    - ruth miller
  4. September 30, 2009 12:04 PM EDT
    Please read the new blog! What happens next is coming up...
    - Brenda Serotte
  5. July 20, 2010 8:25 PM EDT
    Dear Brenda, I am presenting your book The Fortune Teller's Kiaa at my book club Aug. 10. We may be long lost relatives, as my family (maiden) name is Serota. My Grandpa spelled it that way, his brother spelled it Serotta.Our family came from Russia. We have been told that Serotta means "orphan" in Russia. We are probably orphans since 1492. Aside from our name in common, I really related to the book. We are probably about the same age. Growing up in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, I can remember the fear when one of the girl's a few houses away got polio. I remember we always summered in the Catskills, and one summer we stayed a few extra weeks, causing me to miss the beginning of school, It was because of the polio scare in the city. Because of polio it was thought to be dangerous to swim in the brooks. Of course, I remember getting the polio vaccine. Many years later, in the 1980's, early 90's, I met Dr. Salk. I was a teacher of 12-14 year olds. They read about polio in their textbook. Everyone said
    "What's polio"? Dr. Salk enjoyed my story.
    Your book is not only a fascinating story about your Sephardic heritage, your family, and growing up when we did. It is a remarkable story of your courage to overcome and confront life's challenges.
    - Marilyn
  6. July 20, 2010 10:59 PM EDT
    Thank you for that. Let me know what the book club thinks, in general. I'm almost done with my second memoir, "Wedding in Peru." Brenda
    - Brenda Serotte
  7. August 28, 2010 11:11 PM EDT
    Are we allowed to write REAL names of those who caused us pain? There is NO way they would grant permission and I don't know (or care) where most of them are. I just don't want legal problems because, well... they hate me that much. Thanks !
    - Tina Louise
  8. August 29, 2010 12:35 AM EDT
    When in doubt, always,always change names and certain characteristics or situations. Rember, it's the STORY we care about. Just tell a good story.
    - Brenda Serotte

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