Sharon Goerg

In my workshops and speeches about memoir writing for various organizations , I find people wondering how to share their life stories . I define memoir writing as different from autobiography ; a memoir is not a whole life told chronologically but memories of events and experiences — which often differ from a sibling ’ s view of the same situation .

Reminiscences might begin with a couple of pages , a paragraph , or even a list . The main goal is to write a story for your family . Instead of orally repeating stories (“ You ’ ve told that story before , Gran !”), we need to write past experiences down . While group settings allow for the fun of sharing memories , journals or blank books that suggest topics or questions are effective at getting the pen moving and saving those memories for family members of the same generation as well as future generations . A friend received an easy , encouraging format in a memoir book that contained a question or topic to write about every week .

Some group participants feel no one is interested in their lives , but often at least one family member is keen . I know from experience that families are pleased to find writings of parents and grandparents after they have passed away . I ’ ve often heard appreciation for these finds . After my mother-inlaw ’ s funeral , my husband was happy to discover a written explanation of the acquisition of the family dog . The misspellings and shaky handwriting didn ’ t bother him .

I love recounting the story of a family trip to Spain with my husband and our children . Daily , I purchased flowers from a small shop near our apartment . Our daughters tried to get the owner ’ s dog to do tricks , but there was never a response . One day the owner issued commands in Spanish , and our daughters were so impressed with the dog ’ s ability to have learned the language . “ Did he go to a class ?”

Keep a notebook handy to jot down ideas and find a place to keep them together , possibly in plastic sheets within a binder . A good beginning topic is school — at any level . When our three grandchildren went off to university , I wrote out for them the rules , dorms , and classes I ’ d lived with in the late fifties . They and their friends found the memories hilarious .

More topics will come to you once your writing is underway . I often organize a new writing group by having each member explain how they received their name . Now I am writing about my treasured possessions and their origins . Just get started and the topics will flow !

When Sharon Goerg first retired from teaching , she started a memoir writing group in Viking Lodge ; when she moved to High River , she organized more groups there . Over the past decade , she ’ s written several articles about memoir writing for news & views .

Scan this QR code with your smart phone to read Sharon ’ s twenty tips for memoir writing .

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