1. Memoir Process Steps:
Pre-Writing:
1. (Sheet of looseleaf, folded in ½ top to bottom)
a. List 3 places that are personally significant.
b. List 5 important moments that occurred in each of these places
2. (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”
3. Look at your top 3 moments in terms of personal significance. Choose one of them to start writing about.
a. If you get a couple steps down the road and decide that one of your other top 3 moments is a better fit for this activity,
it’s OK to abandon ship and start fresh.
4. Based on your choice in the last step, create a bank of raw ideas to help you draft a memoir. You can:
a. Make a list OR create a thought web/brainstorm OR write in jot notes/point form OR free write in paragraphs
b. Whatever method you choose, make sure you include:
i. Dominant imagery- what are the notable sensory details of this experience? Come up with a strong, lengthy list.
More is better than less- you can focus on the truly important ones later and leave the nicky-nack ones out
ii. Important emotions- what are the range of emotions you felt during this experience? There should be a process,
a series of feelings, rather than a simplistic “bad” or “good.” Use a thesaurus if need be
iii. SO WHAT? In six words, sum up the lesson learned through this moment. This is the whole point of why
you’re writing. 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
iv. People? Who did you share this moment with? Who contributed? Dialogue and conversation can be important
pieces of memoir.
v. 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…
5. DRAFT. Take your list from step 4, and write two pages single spaced.
a. 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 writing. JUST
WRITE. Remember, it’s OK to write more than 2 pages, but if you’re getting to 6 and 7? You’re likely writing about too
large an experience OR you’re chasing things. Use 2-3 pages as a focused goal
6. TAG your memoir
a. Share your draft with someone else with a draft who needs some feedback. Remember that your goal here is STRICTLY
to look at their SO WHAT? and the notable emotions of their experience. Don’t say anything about anything else yet!
b. Do this with TWO partners. Multiple sets of eyes means a range of perspectives and good feedback.
c. IMPORTANT: If your partners’ feedback tell you your SO WHAT isn’t coming through clearly, then do some rewriting.
Make changes to help this come through clearly!
7. STAR your memoir
a. Share your draft with someone else with a draft who needs further feedback. Remember that your goal here is about the
nuts and bolts of writing that contribute to style and voice- the personality and impact of the writing. Don’t say anything
about punctuation, spelling, grammar because it’s quick and easy. We will self-check for these things later!
b. Do this with TWO partners.
c. IMPORTANT: Your partner should write down their feedback for you. DO NOT leave a conference without written
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, and their to give it in writing. Hold each other accountable to develop thinking that gives
you direct, clear action steps that will lead to improved writing!
8. Check yourself for: Paragraphs & Sentence structure
a. See your lesson notes for ideas about monitoring whether your paragraphs are well composed, and how you’re doing
with sentence fluency (smooth reading, variety of length, simple/complex, variety of beginnings, variety of punctuation
at the end/middle of sentences).
9. Proofread your draft
a. Print the copy where all the improvements suggested/identified in steps 6-8
b. Using the proofreading checklist posted in moodle, follow the series of steps listed (READ THE INSTRUCTIONS
CAREFULLY!). This means MARKING THIS COPY UP.
c. Make any corrections this final step identifies.
10. Publish your memoir
a. 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. In full colour, preferably.
b. Print your improved several times, I proofread it and fixed nicky nack errors draft. Make sure your name is on it.
c. Staple these together
d. Put all of the rough work from steps 1-9 in your pocket folder, along with the process checklist/memoir rubric. Missing
items=missing points.

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