How to Write a Powerful Memoir That Leaves a Lasting Legacy

Everyone has a story to tell, especially if you’ve created a name for yourself. A memoir is a book based on your memories or life experiences, organized around central themes. A memoir is an excellent way to commemorate your name, life, and legacy for your family, audience, and peers. You can write a memoir at any time, particularly after a significant success or life lesson, but most people tend to write their memoirs in retirement. There isn’t any wrong way to write a memoir, but you can make it more powerful and impactful with a few solid strategies.

Memoir vs. Autobiography

Using memoir and autobiography interchangeably is common, but the two nonfiction genres are quite different. The first step to planning your novel is understanding the difference and choosing which genre you’re going for. An autobiography is essentially the story of one’s life, usually in chronological order. A memoir doesn’t necessarily tell an entire life story but chooses important memories or themes around one’s life experiences. If you plan on writing your whole life story from start to finish without a central theme or point, it’s likely an autobiography. However, if you’re organizing your life’s successes, memories, or events into a cohesive theme or moral, you’re probably on the memoir side.

Organize Your Memories

It may be tempting to list every memory you can remember in your book, but you will want to be selective. Choose the theme or lessons of your memoir and select memories that back this theme up or solidify it. Themes can include general traits like perseverance or dedication. They can also involve more specific hardships such as overcoming addiction, dealing with loss, growing up poor, or success after prison life. Your themes don’t have to be hardships, either. Your themes can be hard work leading to success, adapting to change, compassion, or even friendship. Once you’ve chosen a theme, you can arrange chosen memories in an order that best supports your theme, such as chronological, nonlinear, or in order of importance.

Answer Questions

If you’re having trouble deciding on a theme, choose some questions your memoir will answer. The questions should be relevant to your life in some way, such as: What is the price of success? How does friendship change your life? What effects does addiction have on your life? How do you achieve success at an early age? How do you become wealthy? How did you become who you are now? Your memoir can answer more than one question, too. Your reader should take away a moral, lesson, or answer to an overall question by reading.

Be Honest and Vivid

An overly fluffy, dishonest recount of your life won’t likely significantly impact you. Be honest! Highlighting your honest struggles, weaknesses, dark moments, and successes can make your message and memoir more powerful. Make the writing vivid. Include sights, sounds, smells, and feelings to make your writing more natural and relatable.

Details vs. Big Picture

It may seem easier and more effective to write the big picture of each memory instead of more minor details. However, details add impact and make the theme and big picture more memorable. Don’t forget the details! You may not feel like other people care about, for example, the specific fishing hole you went to when you were younger. However, that fishing hole becomes more relevant when discussing saving a child from drowning there or drawing inspiration for your vast recreational fishing brand. Details matter.

Appearance Matters

When your memoir is drafted or complete, you can’t stop there. You’ll want to hire graphic designers, artists, and book designers to create your final copy. You can even utilize online tools to help you format your book. You can also self-publish and design your own book if you have the expertise, but it will add more work to your plate regarding design and promotion. Make sure your book is in a pleasing but legible font. Include a table of contents and page numbers. Chapter titles or headers are more memorable, but a simple number will also suffice. Your book cover should be high quality, with an engaging title alongside captivating photography or art.

Use an Agent and Publisher

Self-publishing is an excellent way to get your written word into the world easier. However, you can use your success or name to hire a literary agent and publisher to design, print, and market your book. They will market, sell, and promote your book while you lie back and reap the rewards. Literary agents are the middleman between the author and the publisher. The publisher will essentially be your promoter and manufacturer. You’ve already done the hard work of writing—let the professionals do what they do best for ultimate reach and success.

Your life has left you with outstanding successes, lessons, and triumphs. You must harness the right strategy to draft a memoir that matches the legacy your life will leave. Know the difference between an autobiography and a memoir. Choose central themes that your readers will take away. Hire an agent and publisher for your memoir to increase your reach. Make sure the cover and design are thoughtful and intriguing. Don’t leave out the minor but vivid details; be honest in your writing for maximum impact.