Memories from the Corners of my Mind
I am participating in NaNoWriMo this year (which essentially is a challenge to write a novel (or 50,000) words in the month of November. I’ve tried this before and not completed,but I’m going to give it a good shot. I’ve decided to write a memoir. I’m not sure there’s much difference between a memoir and an autobiography, but I’ve decided a memoir sounds less ostentatious than an autobiography. I am not writing chronologically, but am putting it in the right “spot” when I finish each memory or train of thought.
This process is fascinating, and I suspect it will be mentally and emotionally draining by the end of the month.
My motivation? Leaving an account of my life for my children to know how I got to be who I am. My life is not extraordinary, but it is my life story, which makes it part of their story.
What’s your story? I encourage you to share it with your friends and family. It matters.
Shelia, I started doing this last year for the same reasons and then got super busy with life and let it all go to the wayside. Thanks for the encouragement. I'm going to find it and "write on"!
That's a great idea! I look back and wish my grandparents had done that. Wonder if I could entice my parents to do it?
Go for it! Even if you only get to 25,000 words, it's a story your family will always value.
This is a good project to undertake. I do a lot of this on my blogs–especially on Wrote By Rote. I think essentially an autobiography is a life story while a memoir is an account of parts of one's life that doesn't encompass the life in its entirety. There can be a lot of overlap between the two I think.
Good luck with it and have fun.
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
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