Memoirs: Making a Story of Your Memories

1. Memoirs: Making a Story of Your Memories “Let me tell you something. When you are a kid, you think you are going to remember everything. You think you are going to remember everyone who sits next to you in class and all the things that crack you up. …You think you are going to remember how you feel being a kid. You think you will always remember to well that you will be the best grown-up who ever lived. And you might. Or you might be like me, who isn’t all that old yet but already old enough to get a kind of amnesia. Memories are like days and bones and paper: they can turn to dust, and they change if they are not preserved.” -EsmeRajiCodell

2. Plot Structure • Exposition: establishes the setting, characters, and conflict/main idea (& remember conflict can be external or internal) • Rising Action: takes up a majority of the story, events that building up to the climax -- • Climax: the big moment, major turning point for the main character – YOU, IN A MEMOIR! • Falling Action: resolution or wrap of the story For example, the rising action in The Three Little Pigs takes place as the pigs set out on their own and begin to make their own decisions. We know that the first two individuals are asking for trouble when they choose unsound materials to build houses. These decisions (along with the wolf who lurks in the background) create an air of tension that mounts as the story progresses. Things get more and more exiting and tense each time the wolf blows down a house! The action builds toward an ultimate showdown between pigs and wolf, which is the…

3. Fishing for an audience with a good HOOK! Your story needs a strong beginning to hook your readers. If you create an interesting lead, your readers want to continue reading your piece. You can achieve this using one of the following methods: • A Thought-Provoking Question • A Vivid Description – a visual • An Interesting Fact • Sound Effects (onomatopoeia) • A Hint at Something to Come • Action or Intentional Fragments

4. Hook with a question Have you ever had a day when you wished you had stayed in bed? As I rushed to catch the bus on what seemed to be a perfectly normal day I had no idea what was ahead of me.

5. Hook with a vivid description The sun was warm on my back as I raced toward the waiting yellow school bus. As I nestled into the worn leather seat I was greeted by the friendly voices of other excited children. The look on my face was one of confidence and contentment. With a jerk the bus rumbled down the road and I was on my way into one of the worst days of my life.

6. Hook with an interesting fact Shock has been known to kill people. It can cause their brains to explode and their heart to stop dead still. These facts raced through my mind as I stood dumbfounded in front of my fifth grade classmates. I wish I had stayed in bed!

7. Hook with sound effects (onomatopoeia) Buzzzzzz! The sound of my alarm clock droned in my ears as I struggled to come awake. With a start I sat straight up in my bed. This was my big day and I had to be on time.

8. Amelia’s 5th-Grade Notebook: a hint at something to come

9. Milkweed: Action or Intentional Fragments

10. Something to think about #2: When do I create a new paragraph? • Your hook gets your audience interested, but you still have to keep your “fish” on the line! Your exposition doesn’t end with your hook. You CAN have more than one paragraph in your exposition. Finish introducing your setting, characters, and problem first. • Be sure your story has paragraphs. They tell when you're switching time, place, topic or speaker, and they help break the page up so it is not just a solid block of writing.

11. Something to think about #3: Walking up Mt. Rising Action • The middle of your story should build up to the climax by telling of the events leading to it. Imagine that you (the author) are leading your group (your audience) up a mountain – it’s an exciting journey, but the big part comes at the peak! • Include actions, thoughts, and feelings as you go.

12. Boo to Boring, Dead Words! Remember words like Said & went are dead. Use WOW words to describe.

13. Went NOT My dad went to work. BUT My dad raced to work.

14. Said NOT Jane said she had a secret to tell Peter. BUT Jane giggled that she had a delicious secret to tell Peter.

15. The Show, Don’t Tell Trick The Show, Don’t Tell trick in writing is when the author is able to create a picture in the reader's mind. Use phrases and descriptions to help the reader truly visualize your ideas.

16. NOT Wendi worked out. BUT Sweat poured down Wendi’s forehead and cheeks as she sprinted towards the 95 pound log she still had to haul down the field.

17. Instead use WOW words Show your reader that you have a high-quality, first-class, superior, excellent, exceptional, outstanding, brilliant, extraordinary, incomparable vocabulary by using POWERFUL WORDS.

18. Wow Words?Let’s decide how many of these don’t belong: walk devoured sprinted sat talked run

19. Let’s Practice Write better synonyms or descriptive phrases to help a reader better visualize these boring words. Use a thesaurus if necessary.

20. Revise for Boring Sentences/Words http://alon.hasharon.k12.il/new_ataralon/mikzoot/english/.%5Cdenise_text%5Cforcedownload.asp?fileToDownload=wowWords12class6.doc

21. The BIG Finish • Your ending should reveal: • how you dealt with your conflict, • how you overcame your problem, • or how your moment ended. • Your reader should feel like the story is complete. • In a memoir, you will also have a reflection as part of your conclusion. The purpose of the reflection is to share why this memory is important to you.