The 7 Mandatory Memoir Writing Exercises
1. Prologue: A prologue sets up the story, often clarifying who the person is, why they are writing a memoir or why that memoir might be interesting to read. Start your prologue (eg. like Malala) with the date that everything changed - beginning or end date - or for example, the day everything changed, the day I saw myself as I am, the day I learned... then describe that day and end with and I am, say your name, and this is my story, journey whichever. (exercise designed by E. Seguin & M. Elliot, 2015/16)
Sauvé example
2. Inner Monologue: Use questions as the main technique as you question yourself reflecting either before, during, or after an event in your memoir. (exercise designed by A. Davignon & C.J. Demers, 2015/16)
Sauvé example
3. Flashback: Describe a memory using imagery to appeal to the senses - Maybe start with I remember the first time I.... (exercise designed by K. Dumas & K. Beauchemin, 2015/16)
Sauvé example
4. Self-Talk: use self-deprecating (putting down) talk to yourself - either give yourself a pep talk, then insult yourself, hate on yourself, vent to yourself about yourself... (exercise designed by D. Burrows, J. Renaud, & A. Hill, 2015/16)
Sauvé example
5. Symbolism: think of a symbol that goes with your theme and then describe that item and how it reflects / symbolizes the idea / feeling you chose.(exercise designed by K. L'Ecuyer & B. Demers, 2015/16)
6. Lightning ROUND - based on Murakami's What I Talk about when I Talk about Running (examples for how to design your own exercise)
7. Your own exercise - mandatory to include in your good copy. You must design this exercise inspired by a page in the memoir you're reading.
For ease of reading, see my typed example here, highlighted and labelled.
Sauvé example
2. Inner Monologue: Use questions as the main technique as you question yourself reflecting either before, during, or after an event in your memoir. (exercise designed by A. Davignon & C.J. Demers, 2015/16)
Sauvé example
3. Flashback: Describe a memory using imagery to appeal to the senses - Maybe start with I remember the first time I.... (exercise designed by K. Dumas & K. Beauchemin, 2015/16)
Sauvé example
4. Self-Talk: use self-deprecating (putting down) talk to yourself - either give yourself a pep talk, then insult yourself, hate on yourself, vent to yourself about yourself... (exercise designed by D. Burrows, J. Renaud, & A. Hill, 2015/16)
Sauvé example
5. Symbolism: think of a symbol that goes with your theme and then describe that item and how it reflects / symbolizes the idea / feeling you chose.(exercise designed by K. L'Ecuyer & B. Demers, 2015/16)
6. Lightning ROUND - based on Murakami's What I Talk about when I Talk about Running (examples for how to design your own exercise)
- Allusion to Music - think of a song, band, album to which you can refer - a point in your memoir where music is significant or can be - write a bout it.
- Describe your character - start with "I am a person who..." and then finish it... be brutally honest. Does not have to be flattering
- Personify an ability - Murakami uses talent - choose a quality, feeling, value, ant then describe it as though it were a person....how does it behave, what does it think...
- Mantra - write a saying you can say to yourself over and over to pep you up, or one that you said that brought you down - such as I am not my body... Or I am a survivor... and intersperse this in between whatever you write that comes to mind.
- See Sauvé's examples which are all examples of how to do #7 - you only need 1.
7. Your own exercise - mandatory to include in your good copy. You must design this exercise inspired by a page in the memoir you're reading.
For ease of reading, see my typed example here, highlighted and labelled.