Do you ever wonder how on earth you’re going to keep people reading and engaged in your story? You’re not alone if you ponder this question, especially if your memoir is dense with facts and figures.
Sometimes our stories can use technical language, we might feel as if we’re going into too much detail, or we might worry our words are just plain boring.
Here are three tools you can use to draw people in and keep them engaged.
- When you begin a chapter, or subject, consider the most interesting way to write it. Think about beginning in the middle of a really exciting moment, for example ‘I was hanging by a thin rope, trying not to look down. My hands were sweaty and I was beginning to lose grip.’ Compare this to ‘On January 9, 1987 we hiked 200 metres to the top of the canyon so I could be strapped into a nylon harness and lowered down by rope.’ Did your hands start sweating as you read the first option? Mine did as I wrote it!
- When you end a chapter, think about writing so that people want to read more, for example: ‘Little did I know I was about to face one of the hardest moments of my career, a time that would have me question my worth as a teacher and think seriously about walking away.’ Compare this to ‘My aunty went on to live 50 more years in that old house.’ The second option resolves the story of their aunty. The first option is pointing the reader towards the next subject, without giving away what’s going to happen.
- When you introduce people or places, take the time to describe them. For example: My grandad Tony wore braces most days of his life, smoked a pipe and was happiest in the garden. His two favourite foods were my grandmother’s lemon meringue pie and corned beef sandwiches with mustard. He didn’t talk much, but he was kind to everyone. Also, he often made my grandmother giggle. Compare this to: My grandad Tony lived until he was 89 and died in the garden.
If you knew these people or places, bring in your thoughts and feelings about them. This is your story, tell it!
I hope this helps!
Keep writing.
Charlotte x
PS if you’d like to learn the process of taking your story from an idea to an actual book you can hold in your hands, check out my online course Write Your Memoir. Also, grab yourself this free thing to get started ⤵
Charlotte Squire 