{"id":62490,"date":"2022-03-11T13:02:31","date_gmt":"2022-03-11T17:02:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=62490"},"modified":"2022-03-18T11:42:39","modified_gmt":"2022-03-18T15:42:39","slug":"memoir-writing-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/memoir-writing-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"Memoir Writing Tips From William Zinsser"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>How are memoirs different from autobiographies? What is the main focus of a memoir? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In his book <em>On Writing Well, <\/em>William Zinsser discusses how to write a memoir. He says that memoirs, in contrast to autobiographies, should have a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/narrow-focus\/\">narrow focus<\/a> on a specific event in one&#8217;s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are some memoir writing tips from William Zinsser.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-writing-a-memoir\"><strong>Writing a Memoir<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In a memoir, a writer describes a specific event or point in time that he experienced. Zinsser explains that unlike an autobiography\u2014which discusses the writer\u2019s life story\u2014a memoir has a narrow focus. If you want to write a memoir, here are some memoir writing tips from Zinsser. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Zinsser recommends picking a specific idea, moment, or theme from your personal experience. Then write about that instance in depth, conveying the importance of that idea to you and your life. The more detailed you can be, the better. Details will paint a more complete picture of this idea or moment.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Zinsser notes that memoir writers are often timid about writing for or about themselves. He believes your story\u2014whatever it is\u2014is important and worth writing. Don\u2019t doubt yourself or wonder if people will want to read it\u2014they will.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>The Exploitation of Trauma in Online Publishing<\/strong><br><br>Unlike Zinsser, other experts caution writers against <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/narrow-your-focus\/\">narrowing your focus<\/a> on certain kinds of personal stories since not everyone will be receptive to some kinds of experiences\u2014particularly traumatic ones. When writing about your personal experiences, consider the ramifications of how your story may be received, affect your job opportunities, or alter your relationship with loved ones.&nbsp;<br><br>Many writers and editors have noticed a shift in what kinds of personal stories are in demand, stating that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newyorker.com\/culture\/jia-tolentino\/the-personal-essay-boom-is-over\">stories centered around intense trauma and hardship<\/a> are published more than others. Experts admit that these intense stories often receive more attention, particularly online, than less extreme pieces. This publication environment places a premium on revealing trauma, thus <a href=\"http:\/\/www.slate.com\/articles\/life\/technology\/2015\/09\/the_first_person_industrial_complex_how_the_harrowing_personal_essay_took.html\">creating an unhealthy relationship between increasing monetization or clicks and oversharing complex experiences<\/a>. But many editors now worry about whether or not a writer can handle the stress of having these stories published and forever associated with their name on the internet.<br><br>While in some cases, these stories may be therapeutic to write, the authors of the pieces can face backlash and judgment from readers. Some writers who have published their stories note that it\u2019s now <em>harder<\/em> for them to write about their personal experiences after the scrutiny they faced in the past, stating that they would now reconsider publishing those stories.&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How are memoirs different from autobiographies? What is the main focus of a memoir? In his book On Writing Well, William Zinsser discusses how to write a memoir. He says that memoirs, in contrast to autobiographies, should have a narrow focus on a specific event in one&#8217;s life. Here are some memoir writing tips from William Zinsser.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":62627,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[588],"class_list":["post-62490","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-communication","tag-on-writing-well","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.3 (Yoast SEO v24.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Memoir Writing Tips From William Zinsser - Shortform Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In a memoir, a writer describes a specific event or point in time he experienced. 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