Memoir Writing: Gathering Information About The Setting
Setting plays an important part in memoir writing. Gather and record as much detail as you can before you start writing.
As in any good fictional story, setting plays an important part in memoir writing. Setting is what carries the anecdotal stories along, giving them depth. Some memoir writers even suggest the setting becomes a character itself.
The setting is where the story takes place, the total environment where the events of the memoir happen. In my case, the memoir is set at the primary school I attended as a child in the 1950s. Such a specific place demands detail to bring it alive.
The task I’m working on at the moment is gathering information about the buildings, both inside and out, and the playground. I have a special exercise book where I’m writing descriptions and details of what I can recall. As I have no personal photographs of the school to assist my memory I have to dig deep into recalling visual images. However, the more I remember and write down, the more my mind is opening up to new images. Eventually I’ll access school records and visit the public library to encourage my memory even further, but initially I’m recalling plenty to keep me going.
My school setting is not just the buildings and playground itself, but all the little details that contribute, both inside and out. Each of the classrooms I spent time in had a personality of its own. Equipment varied from room to room. The junior wooden group tables changed to individual desks as I grew older. The windows let in different amounts of light, depending on whether I was in the older buildings or the newer buildings. The school hall, where assemblies were held, had an imposing personality of its own.
The time period of the 1950s also makes an essential contribution to the setting. I currently teach part time at the school I attended and often find myself smiling at how classrooms I have memories of are so different now, nearly sixty years later.
Other places of importance to me, contributing to my school experience, were the bike sheds, the shelter sheds for cold and wet days, the school swimming pool and the various parts of the playground. Each had their own atmosphere that needs recreating. Each contributes to the stories I have to tell.
I have strong visual memories of my school day settings, and reasonably good recall of the sounds that filled those settings. I can recall the feelings more clearly for some places than others. What I am finding is, the more I write down, the easier it is to remember.
I’m still in the information gathering stage of my school memoir. Two things are happening simultaneously in these early stages of gathering information for my memoir. I’m recording anecdotal stories as I remember them and I’m actively working on recording setting details that may or may not be used once I start the real writing.
Until I started I hadn’t realised just what a major role setting takes in memoir writing. Without my classrooms, school buildings and playground I’d have no story to tell. I have a feeling I’ll be gathering information about my setting for quite some time.
The first of my memoir writing articles was:
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January 14th, 2011 at 2:46 pm
What an excellent reminder. I am actually embarrassed to admit that in the book I am writing about an experience that happened in my life less than two years ago, I have not given setting any thought or put any words to give the setting any “place” in the retelling of the story. When I begin my final edit next month, I will be trying to add setting in and in the meantime, I will be trying to recall as much as I can and take notes as you suggest.
Thank you, truly Val. This is going to be a huge help to me.
P.S. Your memoir sounds interesting already, just from your description of the setting, which proves your point in itself!
January 14th, 2011 at 3:11 pm
I would love to read your memoir once it’s complete. You are correct a good story such as yours will be needed a strong setting to bring the tale to life.
January 14th, 2011 at 3:20 pm
Setting is very important, as you say. Even in a very short flash fiction story, the action has to take place somewhere.
January 14th, 2011 at 4:08 pm
Another good share here cheers
January 14th, 2011 at 5:07 pm
Great work. Looking forward to read more articles from you…
January 14th, 2011 at 5:17 pm
I will be referring to this every now and again. Thank you!
January 14th, 2011 at 5:52 pm
I didn’t realize it takes a lot of digging, not just from one’s own memory but also doing background research. But I think that’s great because it will give a more accurate picture. I am enjoying your series on this. Am sure I will learn a lot more in the coming articles.
January 14th, 2011 at 11:55 pm
Excellent post, Val. I am bookmarking all of your memoir writing articles.
January 15th, 2011 at 12:33 am
A good reminder with some wonderful advice.
January 15th, 2011 at 1:55 am
Sounds like a wonderful and wonderfully enjoyable undertaking. A bit like photographing memories, putting them in an album and then taking that album out to look at them…
January 15th, 2011 at 9:15 am
Your advice on this is right on point and very helpful. I also get the feeling you are enjoying this project very much.
January 15th, 2011 at 11:09 am
nice share
January 15th, 2011 at 2:29 pm
Nice Share.
January 15th, 2011 at 4:15 pm
This is really true because when it comes to memoir’s the details are key.
January 15th, 2011 at 5:38 pm
Nice article thank you for sharing.
January 15th, 2011 at 9:49 pm
These article reminds me of my school days Val. Remembering the strict teachers and mischievous friends helps too I think. Remember the people and you’ll remember the locations better.
January 15th, 2011 at 10:26 pm
very good advice. It will be so interesting to read them, especially for those who have grown together with you as they will be in the stories too.
January 15th, 2011 at 11:59 pm
The people have a separate book to themselves for my notes, Sharif!
January 17th, 2011 at 1:59 pm
Looks like this process is even more difficult than I thought.