Remember, memoir is not autobiography. Memoir recounts an important time in the writer’s life, an important journey, happy or sad, triumphant or not, where a discovery is made. This journey is merely a slice, not the whole life pie. But within that slice, as in fiction, internal dialogue is important.
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| Discovering the possibilities |
Internal dialogue is a dialogue the writer/character has with herself. This dialogue in memoir usually projects present day thoughts or logic or knowledge onto prior actions of the writer/character. It’s like an interpretation of the preceding action, scene, or anecdote.
Like fiction, memoir cannot be merely a collection of scenes, dialogues, or actions. Some scenes and actions are used to move the plot forward, to create tension, or to enhance characterization. Other scenes need to be interpreted by the writer through internal dialogue.
Interpretation in memoir explains why a particular action is so important in the writer’s journey. The writer attempts to revisit that part of her life again, through memoir, and discovers newfound knowledge to share with the reader.
As I move ahead in my revision work of the college memoir, I’m probing beyond my literal college experience to discover the epiphanies that I was too busy to see at the time with the daily grind of college and family life. My husband and children find my scribbled thoughts on torn pieces of paper left on tables and counters, bookshelves and bathroom vanities. I tell them to throw away nothing they find and put it on my desk on the porch. When I get time, I type them into the prologue document to my memoir and sort them from there. [This cuts down on the fire hazard in our home.]
Memoir needs to be more than autobiographical. It needs to provide insight not merely the facts of the experience. Memoir is a writer’s story about a specific time in his or her life with the writer’s present day reflections on that time.
Oh…the timer’s beeping and I need to get the apple pie out of the oven. I hope you all have a blessed Thanksgiving. Thanks for stopping by.
I love your insight on memoir.
Can I come over and try some of that apple pie? Sounds delish!
Happy Thanksgiving!!
You are more than welcome at my home, Lynda. However, I need to bake another apple pie. My crew prefer apple to pumpkin any day. Thank you so much for your generous comment on my Adventures in Writing blog. It is greatly appreciated. Hope your day is wonderful!
I love this explanation: Memoir needs to be more than autobiographical. It needs to provide insight not merely the facts of the experience. Memoir is a writer’s story about a specific time in his or her life with the writer’s present day reflections on that time.
I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving!
Thank you so much, Theresa, for the compliment and for visiting my Adventures in Writing blog. My Thanksgiving was awesome. I hope yours was as well. Thanks again for your friendship.
Great points, Victoria. Hope you had a great Thanksgiving.
Thank you, Nas. Yes, I had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I hope all is well with you. Thanks for visiting my Adventures in Writing blog. It is truly appreciated, and so is your friendship.
This is very interesting. I always have epiphanies after the fact. My Thanksgiving was great! I hope you had a great Thanksgiving as well!
Thank you, Michelle, I did have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Glad yours was great. Many's the time the epiphany happens after the action or situation. In memoir, the writer needs to translate or explain that newfound knowledge for the reader. Thank you so much for visiting my Adventures in Writing blog. It's appreciated. So is your friendship.
Thanks Victoria!
You are quite welcome, Nas.