Memoirs: Making a Memoirs: Making a Story of Your MemoriesStory of Your Memories

““Let me tell you something.Let me tell you something.

When you are a kid, you think you are going to When you are a kid, you think you are going to remember everything. You think you are going to remember everything. You think you are going to

remember everyone who sits next to you in class and remember everyone who sits next to you in class and all the things that crack you up. …You think you are all the things that crack you up. …You think you are

going to remember how you feel being a kid. You think going to remember how you feel being a kid. You think you will always remember to well that you will be the you will always remember to well that you will be the

best grown-up who ever lived. best grown-up who ever lived.

And you might. And you might.

Or you might be like me, who isn’t all that old yet but Or you might be like me, who isn’t all that old yet but already old enough to get a kind of amnesia. Memories already old enough to get a kind of amnesia. Memories

are like days and bones and paper: they can turn to are like days and bones and paper: they can turn to dust, and they change if they are not preserved.”dust, and they change if they are not preserved.”

-Esme Raji Codell-Esme Raji Codell

Plot StructurePlot Structure ExpositionExposition: establishes the setting, characters, and : establishes the setting, characters, and

conflict/main idea (& remember conflict can be external or conflict/main idea (& remember conflict can be external or internal)internal)

Rising ActionRising Action: takes up a majority of the story, events that : takes up a majority of the story, events that building up to the climax -- building up to the climax --

ClimaxClimax: the big moment, major turning point for the main : the big moment, major turning point for the main character – YOU, IN A MEMOIR!character – YOU, IN A MEMOIR!

Falling ActionFalling Action: resolution or wrap of the story: resolution or wrap of the story

For example, the rising action in For example, the rising action in The Three Little PigsThe Three Little Pigs takes place as the pigs set out on their own and begin takes place as the pigs set out on their own and begin to make their own decisions. We know that the first to make their own decisions. We know that the first two individuals are asking for trouble when they two individuals are asking for trouble when they choose unsound materials to build houses. These choose unsound materials to build houses. These decisions (along with the wolf who lurks in the decisions (along with the wolf who lurks in the background) create an air of tension that mounts as background) create an air of tension that mounts as the story progresses. Things get more and more the story progresses. Things get more and more exiting and tense each time the wolf blows down a exiting and tense each time the wolf blows down a house! The action builds toward an ultimate house! The action builds toward an ultimate showdown between pigs and wolf, which is the…showdown between pigs and wolf, which is the…

Something to think about Something to think about #1: #1:

Fishing for an audience Fishing for an audience with a good HOOKwith a good HOOK

Your story needs a strong beginning to Your story needs a strong beginning to hook your readers. hook your readers.

You can achieve this using one You can achieve this using one of the following methods:of the following methods:

A QuestionA Question A Vivid DescriptionA Vivid Description An Interesting FactAn Interesting Fact Sound Effects (onomatopoeia)Sound Effects (onomatopoeia) A Hint at Something to ComeA Hint at Something to Come Action or Intentional FragmentsAction or Intentional Fragments

Hook with a questionHook with a question

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

Hook with a vivid Hook with a vivid descriptiondescription

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

Hook with an interesting Hook with an interesting factfact

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

Hook with sound effects Hook with sound effects (onomatopoeia) (onomatopoeia)

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

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

Milkweed: Action or Intentional Fragments

Something to think about #2: Something to think about #2: When do I create a new When do I create a new

paragraph?paragraph? Your hook gets your audience interested, but you still have to Your hook gets your audience interested, but you still have to

keep your “fish” on the line!keep your “fish” on the line!

Your exposition doesn’t end with Your exposition doesn’t end with

your hook. You CAN have more your hook. You CAN have more

than one paragraph in your than one paragraph in your

exposition. Finish introducing your exposition. Finish introducing your

setting, characters, and problem setting, characters, and problem

first. first.

Be sure your story has paragraphs. They tell when you're Be sure your story has paragraphs. They tell when you're switching time, place, topic or speaker, and they help break the switching time, place, topic or speaker, and they help break the page up so it is not just a solid block of writing. page up so it is not just a solid block of writing.

Something to think about Something to think about #3: Walking up Mt. Rising #3: Walking up Mt. Rising

ActionAction The middle of your story should build up to the The middle of your story should build up to the

climax by telling of the events leading to it. climax by telling of the events leading to it. Imagine that you (the author) are leading your Imagine that you (the author) are leading your group (your audience) up a mountain – it’s an group (your audience) up a mountain – it’s an exciting journey, but the big part comes at the exciting journey, but the big part comes at the peak!peak!

Include actions, thoughts, and feelings as you go.Include actions, thoughts, and feelings as you go.

Something to think Something to think about #4 – Avoid DEAD about #4 – Avoid DEAD

wordswordsRemember words likeRemember words like

saidsaid, , wentwent, and , and putput

are dead. are dead.

Use WOW words to describe.Use WOW words to describe.

WentWent NOTNOT

My dad My dad wentwent to work. to work.

BUTBUT

My dad My dad racedraced to work. to work.

SaidSaid NOTNOT

Jane Jane saidsaid she had a secret. she had a secret.

BUTBUT

Jane Jane whispered to Peterwhispered to Peter a a wonderful secret.wonderful secret.

The Show, Don’t Tell The Show, Don’t Tell TrickTrick

The The Show, Don’t TellShow, Don’t Tell trick in writing trick in writing

is when the author is able is when the author is able

to create a picture in the reader's mind.to create a picture in the reader's mind.

NOTNOT

Wendi worked out.Wendi worked out.

BUTBUT

Sweat poured down Wendi’s Sweat poured down Wendi’s forehead and cheeks as she forehead and cheeks as she sprinted towards the 95 pound log sprinted towards the 95 pound log she still had to haul down the field.she still had to haul down the field.

Instead use WOW wordsInstead use WOW words

Show your reader that you have a Show your reader that you have a

high-quality, first-class, high-quality, first-class,

superior, excellent,superior, excellent,

exceptional, outstanding, brilliant, exceptional, outstanding, brilliant,

extraordinary, extraordinary,

incomparable vocabulary incomparable vocabulary

by using POWERFUL WORDS.by using POWERFUL WORDS.

Wow Words?Wow Words?Let’s decide how many of these don’t belong:Let’s decide how many of these don’t belong:

Don’t use:

Use these instead:

good acceptable, admirable, commendable, praiseworthy,virtuous, accomplished, skilled,

bad defective, erroneous, inadequate, substandard,corrupt, vile, distressing, severe, offensive, immoral

fast agile, rapid, swift, hasty, in a jiffy, supersonic, briskly, in a snap, quickly

big considerable, colossal, immense, sizable, vast, eminent, influential, paramount, prime, prominent

small diminutive, immature, minute, slight, negligible, petty, trivial, limited

mad annoyed, enrages, exasperated, furious, inflamed, outraged, irritated, crossed, displeased

happy content, joyous, jubilant, thrilled, advantageous, favorable, fortunate

sad sorrowful, cheerless, dismal, gloomy, melancholy, mournful, somber grievous

http://alon.hasharon.k12.il/new_ataralon/mikzoot/english/.%5Cdenise_text%5Cforcedownload.asp?fileToDownload=wowWords12class6.doc

Something to think about Something to think about #5: The BIG Finish#5: The BIG Finish

The climax should have been revealed by this point. It The climax should have been revealed by this point. It can be that BIG “OMG, DID THAT JUST HAPPEN?!” can be that BIG “OMG, DID THAT JUST HAPPEN?!” MOMENT!MOMENT!

or just a twist in the mainor just a twist in the main

character’s life that forces character’s life that forces

a change of some sort.a change of some sort.

Your ending should also reveal how you dealt with your Your ending should also reveal how you dealt with your conflict, how you overcame your problem, how your conflict, how you overcame your problem, how your story ended – this is the resolution/falling action part. story ended – this is the resolution/falling action part. Your reader should feel like the story is complete.Your reader should feel like the story is complete.