NON: Lesson - Autobiographies, Biographies, and Memoirs

A large collection of Scrabble tiles are scattered. In the middle, the tiles spell My Story.Autobiographies, Biographies, and Memoirs

In the previous lesson, you learned about diaries, journals, and letters; however, those aren’t the only types of nonfiction you can read. Biographies, autobiographies, and memoirs are other nonfiction works that have grown in popularity over time. A biography is the story of someone’s life as told through another person, while an autobiography is the story of your life as written by you. Memoirs, on the other hand, are like autobiographies, but they only focus on a particular time in your life. For example, The Autobiography of Mark Twain spans many decades in the popular author’s life, but if were to only focus on the years in which he was writing The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, then he would write a memoir.

Presentation - Autobiography, Biography, and Memoir

Please view the following presentation that centers on the differences between the three types of writing:

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The Importance of Life Stories

One of the many reasons why these three types of nonfiction have grown in popularity is because they reassure us that we are not alone in our experiences. Memoirs and autobiographies in particular give voice to emotions, fears, and hopes that many of us have but rarely discuss in everyday conversation. They are reflective texts that allow us to make sense of our own experiences as we read how others have gone through similar ones.

Memoir Prompts

Select each of the following prompts as a way to prepare to write your own memoir.

What to write about

Think of some particular events that might resonate with many readers. For example – the first day at a new school or a new job, the first time you went away from home, or the first time you experienced the loss of someone close to you. These types of events are relatable to readers regardless of age.

Writing with imagery

“Explode a moment” by enriching it with various types of imagery – tactile, visual, auditory, gustatory, and olfactory. Doing so will allow you to focus on describing how an event affected you on a sensory level.

Determine the lesson learned

For any memoir to resonate with readers, it needs to offer a lesson learned. Consider what you learned about yourself or how you changed as a person by going through this experience. This is a great way to bring your memoir to a close.

Practice Activity

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