So, you want to write something about your life - or people have told you that you should. But how might you do this? And why?
Firstly, it’s important to understand the difference between autobiography and memoir.
Respected Canadian memoir specialist, Alison Wearing puts it this way:
An autobiography is the story of a life while a memoir is a story from a life.
Wearing goes on to say that a memoir often chronicles a transformation of some kind, a shift in perspective or understanding and a new way of seeing one’s life, a place. a relationship, the world. It may chart an emotional journey of some kind – a change from one state of being to another. In this journey the writer is striving to find a resolution, a solution, an acceptance of a situation or a higher understanding. This is where the writer addresses universal themes such as loss, gratitude, resilience or love and takes the reader with them to a much deeper level of reflection and understanding.
By contrast, an autobiography covers the author’s life usually in a chronological way from childhood or birth to the time of writing. The focus is usually more factual and relies on dates, photos, research and records and less emotional recollection.
So, what feels right for you? Who will your target readership be? And what matters to you?