Memoir

Process
Steps
Pre-Writing
 (Sheet of looseleaf, folded in ½
top to bottom)
  List  3  places  that  are  personally  significant.  

  List  5  important  moments  that  occurred  in  each  of  

these  places

STEP 1
(Writer’s notebook) Create a “ranking”
list for the 15 memories you generated
at step 1.
  15  is  the  memory  that  has  the  smallest  amount  of  “this  
moment  impacted  who  I  am  and  what  I  am  like  today”  in  it.  

  #1  is  the  moment  that  is  loaded  and  overflowing  with  “this  
moment  impacted  who  I  am  and  what  I  am  like  today”

STEP 2
 Look at your top 3 moments in
terms of personal significance.
  Choose  one  of  them  to  start  wriCng  about.  

  If  you  get  a  couple  steps  down  the  road  and  decide  

that  one  of  your  other  top  3  moments  is  a  beEer  fit  
for  this  acCvity,  it’s  OK  to  abandon  ship  and  start  
fresh.  J

STEP 3
 Create a bank of raw ideas to help
you draft a memoir.
  Make  a  list  OR  create  a  thought  web/brainstorm  OR  write  in  jot  notes/point  form  OR  
free  write  in  paragraphs  

  Whatever  method  you  choose,  make  sure  you  include:  

  Dominant  imagery-­‐  what  are  the  notable  sensory  details  of  this  experience?  Come  up  with  a  
strong,  lengthy  list.  More  is  beEer  than  less-­‐  you  can  focus  on  the  truly  important  ones  later  
and  leave  the  nicky-­‐nack  ones  out  
  Important  emo/ons-­‐  what  are  the  range  of  emoCons  you  felt  during  this  experience?  There  
should  be  a  process,  a  series  of  feelings,  rather  than  a  simplisCc  “bad”  or  “good.”  Use  a  
thesaurus  if  need  be  
  SO  WHAT?  In  six  words,  sum  up  the  lesson  learned  through  this  moment.  This  is  the  whole  
point  of  why  you’re  wriCng.  If  you  can’t  say  it  in  a  few  words,  you  haven’t  figured  it  out,  and  
will  struggle  to  convey  this  to  your  reader  
  People?  Who  did  you  share  this  moment  with?  Who  contributed?  Dialogue  and  conversaCon  
can  be  important  pieces  of  memoir.  
  Power:  what  did  you  lose  or  gain?  Who  had  control?  Did  you  start  helpless  and  end  strong?  
Vice  versa?  Think  about  how  you  grew  up  through  this…

STEP 4
DRAFT.
 Take your list from step 4, and
write two pages single spaced.
  TURN  OFF  YOUR  INNER  EDITOR.  Your  spelling  
doesn’t  need  to  be  perfect.  Neither  does  your  
grammar.  The  goal  here  is  to  try  and  capture  the  
experience  on  paper  as  a  FIRST  STEP  towards  building  
and  improving  your  wriCng.  JUST  WRITE.  

  Remember,  it’s  OK  to  write  more  than  2  pages,  but  if  
you’re  ge_ng  to  6  and  7?  You’re  likely  wriCng  about  
too  large  an  experience  OR  you’re  chasing  things.  Use  
2-­‐3  pages  as  a  focused  goal

STEP 5
REVISE/
CONFERENCE.
 TAG your memoir
  Share  your  drab  with  someone  else  with  a  drab  who  needs  some  feedback.  
Remember  that  your  goal  here  is  STRICTLY  to  look  at  their  SO  WHAT?  and  
the  notable  emoCons  of  their  experience.  Don’t  say  anything  about  
anything  else  yet!  

  Do  this  with  TWO  partners.  MulCple  sets  of  eyes  means  a  range  of  
perspecCves  and  good  feedback.  

  IMPORTANT:  If  your  partners’  feedback  tell  you  your  SO  WHAT  isn’t  coming  
through  clearly,  then  do  some  rewriCng.  Make  changes  to  help  this  come  
through  clearly!  

  Your  partner  should  write  down  their  feedback  for  you.  DO  NOT  leave  a  
conference  without  wriEen  feedback,  and  don’t  let  your  partner  off  the  
hook  with  non-­‐specific  “I  really  like  it.  It’s  great!”  feedback.  It’s  your  job  to  
collect  meaningful  feedback  that  gives  you  direct,  clear  acCon  steps  that  
will  lead  to  improved  wriCng!

STEP 6
TAG
TALK ABOUT… ASK QUESTIONS… GIVE
ADVICE…

STEP 6
 STAR your memoir
  Share  your  drab  with  someone  else  with  a  drab  who  needs  
further  feedback.  Remember  that  your  goal  here  is  about  the  
nuts  and  bolts  of  wriCng  that  contribute  to  style  and  voice-­‐  the  
personality  and  impact  of  the  wriCng.  Don’t  say  anything  about  
punctuaCon,  spelling,  grammar  because  it’s  quick  and  easy.  We  
will  self-­‐check  for  these  things  later!  
  Do  this  with  TWO  partners.  
  IMPORTANT:  Your  partner  should  write  down  their  feedback  for  
you.  DO  NOT  leave  a  conference  without  wriEen  feedback,  and  
don’t  let  your  partner  off  the  hook  with  non-­‐specific  “I  really  like  
it.  It’s  great!”  feedback.  It’s  your  job  to  collect  meaningful  
feedback  that  gives  you  direct,  clear  acCon  steps  that  will  lead  
to  improved  wriCng!

STEP 7
STAR
SUBSTITUTE, TAKE OUT, ADD MORE,
REARRANGE/REORDER

STEP 7
 Check yourself for:
Effective Paragraphs
See  your  lesson  notes  for  ideas  about:  

  monitoring  whether  your  paragraphs  are  well  

composed  (one  well  developed  idea  per  paragraph)  

  THERE  SHOULD  BE  MARKS  ON  YOUR  DRAFT  TO  

SHOW  THAT  YOU  LOCATED  ISSUES  AND  
DETERMINED  HOW  TO  RESOLVE  THEM!

STEP 8
 Check yourself for:
Sentence fluency
See  your  lesson  notes  for  ideas  about:  
  how  you’re  doing  with  sentence  fluency  
  smooth  reading  
  variety  of  length  
  simple/complex  
  variety  of  beginnings  
  variety  of  punctuaCon  at  the  end/middle  of  sentences).  

  THERE  SHOULD  BE  MARKS  ON  YOUR  DRAFT  TO  SHOW  

THAT  YOU  LOCATED  ISSUES  AND  DETERMINED  HOW  TO  
RESOLVE  THEM!

STEP 9
PROOFREAD.
 PROOFREAD
  Print  the  copy  where  all  the  improvements  
suggested/idenCfied  in  steps  6-­‐9  

  Using  the  proofreading  checklist  posted  in  moodle,  

follow  the  series  of  steps  listed  (READ  THE  
INSTRUCTIONS  CAREFULLY!).  This  means  MARKING  
THIS  COPY  UP.  

  Make  any  correcCons  this  final  step  idenCfies.

STEP 10
PUBLISH.
 PUBLISH
  Create  a  6  Word  Memoir  (an  image  with  the  six  word  
version  of  the  memoir  you’re  passing  in).  This  will  be  the  
cover  of  your  memoir.  That  means  you  need  to  print  it.  J  
In  full  colour,  preferably.  
  Take  the  drab  you  did  in  step  10,  make  any  nicky  nack  
error  correcCons  and  print  your  SUPERSPIFFY  final  drab.  
Make  sure  your  name  is  on  it.  
  Staple  these  together  

  Put  all  of  the  rough  work  from  steps  1-­‐10  in  your  pocket  
folder,  along  with  the  process  checklist/memoir  rubric.  
Missing  items=missing  points.

STEP 11
SUBMIT.
 PASS IT IN.
  Then  we  will  celebrate!  (AND  start  a  new  unit.)  

 THIS  IS  DUE  FRIDAY,  

NOVEMBER  14,  IN  CLASS.

STEP 12