Have you ever wondered why people write memoir? What is so great about them that even the biggest of stars, such as Brittany Spears and Elliot Page, are publishing their life stories?
Most people want to write memoirs to share their life experiences or to gain closure on a chapter of life. Since everyone’s life is unique, there is always something to talk about and share with the world. Just like anyone, you might also have a story to tell the world.
Even if you think there is nothing interesting to tell, here are some of the best reasons why you should write a memoir.
Leave a Legacy
Life is unpredictable. There is no way of knowing which moment is going to be our last. Sooner or later, every life comes to an end. When that eventually happens, you want to be more than a person in a blurry picture.
Writing a memoir can be your opportunity to leave a legacy for the coming generations. Even if you never get to meet them, they will always have a hint of who you were, what influenced your life, and how you battled with your challenges.
In addition to being acknowledged by your generations, you will also be helping them understand their roots and know more about where they come from.
Contribute to the History
Writing a memoir is not simply about telling your story. When you write a memoir, you become a part of something big, like the history of the world. It gives you an opportunity to tell people not only about yourself but also about the trends of the time, lifestyle, and how different institutions of life were catered to.
For example, Unreliable Memoirs is a memoir by Australian writer Clive James, published in 1980 by Jonathan Cape. The book was a bestseller and the first of a series of autobiographical works. After more than four decades, Unreliable Memoirs has become more than a memoir. It is also a document that allows people to learn more about the life of an Australian in the 80s.
Similarly, your memoir can also be used as a document of history in a few decades. Future generations will be able to refer to your memoir to learn more about life and living conditions at that time.
Know Yourself Better
Writing a memoir is not all about the things you must do for future generations and the legacy that you must leave for the world. Writing a memoir can be a rewarding experience for the author in several ways, even if you keep all other benefits aside.
A Danish philosopher once said, ‘Life can only be understood backward, but must be lived forwards. Writing a memoir is one of the best ways for you to revisit your life events and put things into perspective. Looking at the bigger picture is an opportunity for you to know yourself better.
Recalling the important events of your life and writing about them helps you identify your strengths and weaknesses. It is also a wonderful opportunity for you to reflect on the lessons you learned along the way.
Achieve Closure
Memoirs do not always have to be about happy and uplifting subjects. Some chapters in life can also invoke lingering feelings of anger, sadness, grief, and more. Writing about such events can help you achieve closures.
Writing a memoir about such life events can help you achieve closure. Even if it feels challenging for you to write about these events by yourself, you can hire reliable memoir ghostwriting services. Letting professionals take care of your work can give you a sense of comfort and confidence.
Even if you have not written every word of your memoir by yourself, getting things out there can boost the healing process for you and help you achieve closure.
Many people who publish memoirs about traumatic or saddening life events agree that they find acceptance in the face of unanswered questions and end up forgiving people or even themselves after taking the right steps.
Connect with Others
Cancer Made Me a Shallower Person: A Memoir in Comics is a memoir written by Miriam Engelberg in 2006. Being a successful cartoonist diagnosed with breast cancer, she explores every emotional and physical stage of the disease in a unique cartoon memoir. This memoir acts as a relatable part of literature for several other women battling breast cancer.
There is no way to deny that storytelling is one of our most basic forms of communication, and we respond well to this medium. Storytelling has been bringing humans closer for ages, and things are no different today.
A memoir can help you find hope in other people sharing your stories and vice versa. A feeling of connection to your readers can make you more empathic and find hope even in your darkest times. It makes you realize that you are not the only person with certain thoughts and feelings.
Boost Your Creativity
Writing is one of the best ways to express yourself and boost your creativity. Writing your memoir is your opportunity to be more creative and enjoy that sense of achievement that comes with every milestone along the way.
When you start writing your memoir, you will learn a lot of lessons along the way, especially if you do not have any prior writing experience. You can also enroll yourself in a writing course before you start on this journey or consider hiring a professional ghostwriter to get the job done.
Another great way to write a brilliant memoir is to read other great memoirs loved by readers and critics alike. Reading well-written memoirs can help you see patterns and practices that make a memoir stand out. You can incorporate the same practices in your masterpiece.
If you find yourself struggling at any step of the way, you can consider hiring the services of a writing coach. These professionals can provide you much-needed guidance to ensure that you do not get overwhelmed at any step of the way.
