Tales from a Toronto Writer: Conveying Emotion in Memoir Writing

PC: Pinterest Julia Lampe

Vulnerability is one of the hardest things that humans grapple with, and this applies to memoir writing as well. Conveying your deepest emotions on the page and creating a layered first person perspective is one of the biggest things that writers struggle with when it comes to writing a memoir. The most common editorial critique I often give is “there’s not enough ‘you’ on the page.” Often writers fall into the trap of simply narrating or recalling their experiences. However, the purpose of memoir writing isn’t just about relaying your experience, it’s about reflecting on the emotions, motives and perspective surrounding that experience.

Your reader should always have a general sense of what you were thinking in that moment or how a certain event made you feel. Always write in first person using “I.” Writing a memoir is an exercise focused on building perspective. There’s two layers to this. You are constantly examining the interior and the exterior. You are describing your location and setting, what you physically saw, as well as how that place or setting made you feel.

What memories do you associate with that place? What emotions does a specific place conjure? How did you react to a certain event in the past, and how has your perspective on it changed? These are all questions that you should be asking yourself while you are writing or outlining your story.

Most importantly always ask yourself what is the main theme that connects all of these memories and life experiences? What did you take away from these experiences? And how do those moments fundamentally impact who you are as a person? Asking these questions will help you hone in on the main theme of your memoir and the plot climax that will help you build your narrative.

Did you find this article helpful? Looking for more resources? Check out my memoir writing workshop here