Home
>
Writing
>
Memories Dont Fade Like Hair Does: Memoir Writing Help for You, Our Elders, to Tell Your Story

Memories Dont Fade Like Hair Does: Memoir Writing Help for You, Our Elders, to Tell Your Story

~~~Old age, to the unlearned, is winter; to the learned, it's harvest time. ~ Yiddish saying~~~

You can tell your life story by biography, which is a whole book that starts from the start and ends at (or near) the end. But if you don't want to take on such a huge task, you can tell your story in snippets and snatches, through memoir writing.

Memoir writing consists of--as the word, from the Latin memoria, indicates--individual memories.

The convenience this affords us is this: --we can start at any place in our lives we want --we can write of an event, moment, idea, person, place, or object...in isolation --we don't need any order or convention to inhibit our getting words on paper...to start.

Let the Memoir Writing Come

Don't worry about grammar, punctuation, or any formatting or structure. Just jot down the first thing that comes and go with it, whether it takes you into another story, a description of other things, or your opinion.

We will, over time, cover different ways to remember, different ways to write, and then, later, ways to put the pieces all together--if you wish.

For now, let's start with a kind of memoir writing that we can use in every piece we write:

Description

We need description. Our readers need description. And we need to get that description out of our heads and into details.

Details Our Readers Can Sense

Our goal (and power as writers) is to turn what we recall into what readers can feel, see, taste, touch, and hear, so we can get them as close to our memories as possible. One Way to Describe

This is fun with a friend, but you can do it alone, too, and e-mail me your results.

Get the following items from your pantry or ice box (or have someone bring them to you):

lemon peanuts in shell plain chocolate bar/drops/chips marshmallow kiwi Pop Rocks candy or Alka-Seltzer tablets. one small knife a notebook and writing tool

Prompt

Work with one item at a time. 1. Look at the item. How does it look? Write down the texture, color, size, shape, and other words that you think of when you look at the item. 2. Touch the item. How does it feel? What does the temperature feel like, the texture, the weight? 3. Smell the food item. How does it smell? 4. Listen to the item. Does it have a sound? How about when you add it to water, put the knife to it, bite into it, or put it in your tongue? 5. How does it taste?

Here is the Challenge:

With every word you use to describe, try to push yourself (or your partner) to go beyond the obvious descriptive words. For example, if you find that the marshmallow is soft, what kind of soft is it? Is it soft the way fresh laundry is soft? The kind of soft in whipped cream? Is the sweet a candy sweet or a sweet gherkin sweet?

Imagine that you are describing the item to someone who has never seen/had one, someone from another planet, and you need to get the person to retrieve the item for you to save your life. (The same way you would need to describe a medication, so the person doesn't bring you a heart pill instead of a blood pressure pill.)

Be as unique and original as you can with your words.

Refuse to be satisfied with just "crunchy," "sour," "cold."

Then, when we go to the next assignment, you will be ready to bring to life the details of your past, your life story.

Note: Did you notice that pushing yourself to describe what you sensed inevitably evoked comparisons. Descriptions lend themselves to metaphors. Writers use metaphors to convey and express. You are now a writer!

N.H.-born prize-winning poet, creative nonfiction writer, memoirist, and award-winning Assoc. Prof. of English, Roxanne is also web content and freelance writer/founder of http://www.roxannewrites.com, a support site for academic, memoir, mental disability, and creative writers who need a nudge, a nod, or just ideas?of which Roxanne has 1,000s, so do stop in for a visit, as this sentence can't possibly get any longer?.

cleaning service near Bannockburn ..

In The News:

Phishing scammers use rnicrosoft.com domain to impersonate Microsoft by replacing "m" with "rn" in typosquatting attacks that steal login credentials.

OpenAI announces new teen safety rules for ChatGPT users under 18, blocking romantic roleplay and requiring extra caution on body image topics.

A 2025 data breach at fintech company 700Credit exposes personal information of more than 5.8 million people through compromised third-party integration partner.

Retailers lose $76.5 billion annually to return fraud as nearly 10% of U.S. retail returns involve fraudulent activity, with $850 billion in returns expected in 2025.

ShinyHunters claims responsibility for stealing 94GB of Pornhub user data affecting over 200 million records and demands Bitcoin ransom.

ChatGPT 2025 now connects to Apple Music, Canva, Expedia, TripAdvisor and OpenTable through built-in apps that help users create playlists, design graphics and more.

Apple releases emergency patches for two zero-day vulnerabilities actively exploited in attacks. iPhone and iPad users urged to update immediately.

DoorDash launches Zesty, an AI-powered social app that recommends restaurants through conversational search, now testing in San Francisco and New York.

Cybersecurity firm Infoblox reveals that over 90 percent of parked domains now redirect visitors to scams and malware, making simple typos extremely dangerous.

The Fox News AI Newsletter covers the latest artificial intelligence technology advancements, including the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

GPT-5.2 is now live for all ChatGPT users with improved coding, writing and image interpretation, with Kurt Knutsson offering his review.

New iPhone replacement scam uses pressure tactics and fake carrier calls to steal devices from buyers. Criminals claim shipping errors and demand urgent returns.

Amazon Ring's new facial recognition feature sparks privacy controversy as Electronic Frontier Foundation critics argue the AI upgrade expands surveillance risks.

New Android banking trojan Sturnus steals credentials, reads encrypted messages and controls devices.

Denmark's 3D-printed student village proves automation builds 36 apartments faster than traditional methods. Skovsporet project shows housing future.

Discover Android's new Sound Notifications feature that alerts you to smoke alarms, doorbells, and baby cries even when wearing headphones.

New SantaStealer malware reportedly threatens holiday shoppers with password theft. This Christmas-themed info-stealer targets browsers and crypto wallets.

The Christmas season brings a surge in Netflix phishing scams targeting shoppers with fake emails. Stacey P received convincing scam but verified account first.

San Francisco Giants invite Jamie Grohsong to throw ceremonial first pitch at Oracle Park after he learned to play baseball with a bionic hand following an injury.

FBI warns cybercriminals are stealing family photos from social media to create fake proof of life images in virtual kidnapping scams targeting victims.

Instagram's new 'Your Algorithm' tool lets you control your Reels feed in real time. The app now gives you power to customize what videos you see.

Major Marquis fintech breach exposes 400,000-plus Americans' data through unpatched SonicWall vulnerability, with Texas hardest hit at 354,000 affected.

Free up iPhone storage fast by clearing large photos and videos from Messages app. Simple steps for iOS users to delete attachments without losing chats.

Scammers are flooding inboxes with fake tracking alerts that mimic real carriers, exploiting the holiday rush to steal logins and personal data.

The Fox News AI Newsletter brings you the latest news on AI technology advancements and the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.