Memoir Writing: Return to Places From Your Past
To successfully write your life story or memoir you should return to places from your past. The physical experience of standing where you once stood and lived will trigger memories that you thought were long forgotten.
I recently returned as a teacher to my old primary school and although this return was some time before I began my memoir journey, the first day there was significant for the memories it evoked.
It wasn’t the first time I’d been back. The first time as an adult was as a young student teacher trainee, when I was assigned to the classroom I’d inhabited as an eight year old. I was obviously still too close to my school days as that visit didn’t have a lasting impact on me. The next return, for the school 80th jubilee, was far more significant. The highlight of that trip was to stand in my second year classroom with the teacher who’d taught me, along with another favourite teacher. By that time I was well established in my own teaching career and it seemed strange standing there talking as equals. Memories and laughter filled the room.
But this recent return was powerful. On that first day back as a day relief teacher I became a child again. I stood at the door of my first classroom, overcome by goose bumps. Memories flooded back. More recently I have been teaching there for part of the year as a full-time teacher. It has been during this time that my school memoir has evolved.
When at the school, memories are everywhere for me. Little things that were probably insignificant at the time are becoming powerful anecdotal stories as I write my memoir. My first classroom, now remodelled, but not so much that I don’t imagine I’m a five year old again, reminds me of starting school, of learning to read and write. A climbing frame still lingering in the playground enables me to feel the blisters on my hands again as I swung the lunchtime away. Walking my class to the school swimming pool brought back memories of learning to wrap my swimsuit in my towel so it wouldn’t fall out. The path to the pool, along which I’d walked many times as a child, came alive again with the laughter and sayings we chanted along the way.
All this material and more is finding its way into my memoir writing. I can hardly write fast enough to keep up with all the images as they leap into my head.
If you’re serious about writing your memoir, I suggest you do the same thing. Return to the places from your past. Walk the streets, enter the buildings and linger awhile. Ask permission to visit your childhood home if you can. Imagine what you were doing when you were there and how you felt about it. Your memories will really come alive. Write them down and in doing so you’ll prompt more memories. Anecdotal stories don’t have to be life changing to be included in a memoir. Small stories of what actually happened bring the realty of the time or situation alive for the reader.
If you no longer live near the places your memoir will be based in, plan a return during your next vacation. The time and money spent on taking the physical journey back into your past will be well worth the effort.
Memoir Writing: Gathering Information About The Setting
| Memoir Writing: How Senses Improve Your Story |
Liked it
Click the icon to the left to subscribe to Writinghood with your favorite RSS reader.
- The Do's and Don'ts of College Essay Writing
- The School of Good and Evil
- Attract The Audience You Want
- Why We Should Wish for The Way Things Were
- How Many Posts Do You Write Each Day
- 5 Ways for College Students to Improve Their Writing Skills
- College Application Essay Do's and Don'ts
- Family Health Insurance Making The Right Choice
- Anxiety Sufferers Denied Health Insurance - What are Your Options
- How Often Should I(you) Post a Blog?
January 25th, 2011 at 3:36 pm
Wow, what a really great article. Thanks for the share.
January 25th, 2011 at 3:49 pm
a very lovely post
January 25th, 2011 at 4:14 pm
These are super idea’s to help with this style of writing. It will be interesting to read your memoir when you complete it. As I have not seen you speak of it being done yet, unless I missed that bit of information.
January 25th, 2011 at 4:44 pm
Very good advice. Absence maketh the heart fonder and I guess that return reignites some magical feeling.
January 25th, 2011 at 5:33 pm
Sweet and lovelt…
January 25th, 2011 at 6:26 pm
Very interesting – I still go back in dreams to my primary school days in a very small village school – would love to stand in the playground and see what it looks like now, and from an adults viewpoint!
January 25th, 2011 at 6:57 pm
Plan to go there magicdarts – you’ll be surprised how small everything is compared to what you remember!
January 25th, 2011 at 7:17 pm
I often go mentally back to my past to gain insight for my current chosen topic.There is no way I can literaly go there so its my only option.Then I rewrite it and come up with some pretty good work to publish.So yes,I believe the past and present are hand in hand.Nicely written and liked this alot.
January 25th, 2011 at 8:02 pm
I always dream of me going back to school, although I have never liked my school days or child hood. If I can go back to the past, I will make correct them to happy memories.
very interesting write here, I really enjoyed reading, Val.
January 25th, 2011 at 10:06 pm
Some excellent advice here, Val. I would love to go back to my old school. Sometimes in memory, I can still see those sweet faces.
January 25th, 2011 at 10:59 pm
Inspiring! We moved a lot as a child, but I remember my first school well. I only went there for part of kindergarten, but I remember my mother taking me there to register me, Mrs. Spears gave me a puzzle to do while they talked.
I went to a teacher’s conference hosted by that school about 18 years ago (I remember because I was pregnant), and I was awestruck by how small everything was. You have got me thinking, and I had better start writing all this stuff down in my own files.
Great article!
January 25th, 2011 at 11:10 pm
In 2006, we took my mother to see her best friend and my godmother. She lived in the town I was born in. It was very interesting to see where I lived as a child, so young I couldn’t even remember it. I have to agree with the word inspiring, as that is what this post has been to me.
January 25th, 2011 at 11:40 pm
Unfortunately, I can’t return to my childhood home. Also walking the streets of my childhood makes me depressed for some reason I don’t know why. Excellent article though. Maybe one day I will figure it out.
January 25th, 2011 at 11:47 pm
good advice thanks for sharing
January 25th, 2011 at 11:50 pm
Good advice, I think.
January 26th, 2011 at 3:18 am
You are so right, Val. My brothers and I took a trip three hundred miles north to where we lived as very small children. We visited our school which was much bigger than I remembered. We visited three of our old homes and several childhood friends and neighbours. It was a really nostalgic visit. Perhaps I should write my memoirs too.
Christine
January 26th, 2011 at 4:27 am
i could relate to what have experienced. but in my case, so many not-so-happy moments come to me memories whenever i visit those places. very enticing read.
January 26th, 2011 at 6:52 am
Yes thats the whole point of a Memoir. LB
January 27th, 2011 at 5:26 am
You are absolutely correct Val. When we return to the places of our past it seems as though all of our senses come back as well. Then all we need do is describe those senses and feelings and ta da we have a memoir. My wife is in her 37th year of teaching 1st Grade. She jokes they are going to have to carry her out on a stretcher because she loves what she does so much. Just last week she was lecturing the children on being quiet and using good listening skills when a little girl raised her hand and said, “You look so beautiful today, Mrs. Page.” Okay, my wife melted and that is why she is still at it all these years later.
January 27th, 2011 at 5:44 pm
I will definitely try it! Great work, I really like it.
January 27th, 2011 at 8:52 pm
very nice article thanks for sharing.
January 30th, 2011 at 7:02 am
oh great share