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10 memoir title ideas and why they work so well

Sometimes, memoir titles come to you in a flash of inspiration, sometimes they need to be painfully extracted, one tortuous word after another. Sometimes, titles come before books. Sometimes, they only make themselves known to you after you’ve finished writing.

In this article, we’re going to review a range of memoir titles, and give you some prompts for coming up with memoir title ideas for your own books.

Good memoir titles should entice or intrigue the reader, evoke a sense or spirit of the book, and give readers a hint as to the tone of the story they’re going to read. A good memoir title can help sell a book, a bad one can sink it.

So how do you come up with a good memoir title for your book?

Good memoir titles come in many shapes and sizes

From snappy single-word memoir titles, to fragments of phrases, and snippets of conversation, there is no one-size-fits-all. There are occasional trends towards certain types of title – single-word titles ( Becoming, Arranged, Ghosted, Educated ) have been big, but the autobiography and memoir market has space for all kinds of titles. So don’t worry about trying to fit your title into a particular style.

To help you think up the best and most appropriate title for your memoir, here are some good memoir titles, grouped into types, drawn from books published in the last few years.

Single word memoir titles

There’s a trend for single word memoir titles, like Educated (Tara Westover), Toast (Nigel Slater), Redeemable (Erwin Jones), Stumped (Richard Harrison) and the most famous one-word memoir title of recent times, Becoming by Michelle Obama.

If you’re considering single word memoir titles, consider using active verbs like fighting, running, winning to give that sense of action and forward motion.

The ‘I told you I could eat a frog’ type memoir titles

Fragments of speech drawn from your manuscript can make for interesting titles.

One of my favourite examples of this approach is No One Round Here Reads Tolstoy (Mark Hodkinson). It’s a very elegant example of how a few carefully chosen words can really sum up the ethos, feel, and intentions of a whole book.

Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? by Jeanette Winterson is the question her mother asked her when she learnt that her daughter was a lesbian. Again, that one line of speech sums up so much about that book. Just like fiction, memoirs often hinge on a point of conflict, and that question provides conflict in spades.

The familiar expression (or variation on a familiar expression) memoir titles

A popular device is to take a well-worn expression or saying as inspiration. Often, these kinds of titles subvert our expectations.

Just Ignore Him by Alan Davies suggests how a seemingly innocuous phrase can have a darker subtext.

Must Try Harder by Paula McGuire takes that old remark, beloved of school teachers, and uses it as a springboard for a book about how she fought against mediocrity.

Puntastic memoir titles

Me:Moir (by Vic Reeves, born James Moir) could just be the best title for a memoir of all time.

Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher is a nice play on wishful thinking.

The confrontational title

A shocking or confrontational title will make potential readers notice your book.

I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jenette McCurdy is an arresting, confrontational, title that pulls no punches. The title leaves readers in no doubt that this is going to be an uncompromising memoir, and coupled with the cover image, a blackly comical one.

Positive and aspirational memoir titles

Many writers use their memoirs to show how they’ve overcome some trial or adversity, and in doing so, write with one eye on helping their readers. If you’re writing an unashamedly positive book, then you need an equally positive or aspirational title to go with it.

Some good examples:

Find A Way by Diana Nyad

Forward by Abby Wambach

Yes Please by Amy Poelher

And how about A Hope More Powerful Than the Sea: One Refugee’s Incredible Story of Love, Loss, and Survival  by Melissa Fleming. It’s a biography, not a memoir, but how beautiful is that title?

Intriguing memoir titles…

It’s hard to beat Hitler, Stalin, Mum and Dad by Daniel Finkelstein as a title that conjures up so many questions that you want to dip in and find out the answers straightaway.

Clickbait memoir titles

Stephen Moffatt, the writer of the BBCs Sherlock and Doctor Who talked about slutty episode titles that drew viewers in. It can be a good approach to memoirs too.

I’m going to nominate a book I worked on called Sex, Suicide and Serotonin (Debbie Hampton) in this category, for obvious reasons.

The defining moment

Some stories are all leading up to one event, or inspired by the ramification of an event. In those cases, it makes sense to use that event as the basis of your title. Some books that do that include:

Wave by Sonali Deraniyagala

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

Play on the contrasts

You can sum up the whole expanse of your memoir’s emotional or topical range by bringing out the extremes in your title. The expression ‘rags to riches’ is the obvious example of that kind of thinking.

Some memoirs that play with contrasts in their title are:

A Tale of Love and Darkness by Amos Oz

Slow Days, Fast Company by Eve Babitz

Memoir titles: the suffix and sub-title

Very often memoir writers will add the explanatory suffix – a memoir – to make it clear what a reader is going to get.

As well as the suffix, some memoirists add a sub-title to give extra context and meaning to the title. If you’ve chosen a subtly engaging memoir title, then your sub-title can give a bit more context.

Let’s say you’re going to call your memoir, Drowning Not Waving , you could add in an explanatory sub-title: Reflections of a Frazzled Father !

Or perhaps you want to write a book about surviving a difficult childhood. You don’t want to write a conventional ‘misery memoir’ but your publisher thinks that being known as a misery memoir might make your book more marketable. You can use your sub-title to hit that part of the market without compromising your intentions. For example: Unbroken: Not Just Another Misery Memoir .

Love, Interrupted by Simon Thomas features the sub-title: Navigating Grief One Day at a Time . The job of the sub-title in this case is to give potential readers a sense of what the book is about. Anyone hoping for a memoir going into detail on his days on Blue Peter or as a Sky Sports presenter will appreciate straightaway that this is a very different kind of book.

Another benefit of the memoir sub-title is that it gives you some key words to play with, which is useful for anyone trying to promote and market a book.

Memoir title ideas often come late in into the writing process

If the perfect memoir title hasn’t come to you before or during the writing process, don’t panic.

It makes sense that it should be easier to think up a title after you’ve finished writing your manuscript. At the start of the process, you have the freedom of knowing your book can be anything. But that freedom can be more of a distraction. Generally, when you work out a structure and start to shape the book, you’ll impose limitations on it, which will help you see the core of the book more clearly. And the clearer your vision gets, the easier it will be to come up with interesting and appropriate memoir title ideas.  

You may also find that if you started out with an idea of what you wanted your memoir title to be, it doesn’t actually fit the book you’ve written. So don’t be afraid of abandoning a title if it doesn’t work for you anymore.

Some prompts to help you come up with more memoir title ideas

Some writers rely on ‘free writing’ – they start with a blank page and write whatever comes into their head when they think about their life story. If that doesn’t give them ready-made titles, it can spark ideas that lead to titles.

If you’re still struggling to come up with a good memoir title, here are a few more ideas:

• As you were writing, did any themes loom larger for you than others? Any turns of phrase that kept cropping up?
• What do people always say about you? Are there any particular words or phrases they use to describe you? Could one of those work as your title?
• Could you go with a comic contrast, e.g. Punctual (for somebody who is known for being late).
• Are there are any things that people have said to you – or about you – that have really inspired you, challenged you, infuriated you, or spurred you on?

Too many memoir title ideas?

If you end up with too many good ideas for your memoir title, test your title ideas out with your friends and family. Is there a consensus on which titles work better than others? Do you find that, as you suggest the ideas, you start to feel more passionate about one of them?

If you still can’t decide, do a mock up of your cover, with the different title options. Sometimes, seeing an idea on the page can really help clarify your thoughts.

And don’t forget to Google your preferred title, to make sure it’s not already out there. Having a book with the same title as one that’s already been published isn’t very helpful when it comes to publicising and promoting your book, and selling it.

Let’s write the memoir, then worry about what to call it!

If you’re confident you’ve got a life story you want to tell, I’m confident we’ll find the perfect memoir title for it. Get in touch via my contact form if you’re looking for a ghostwriter to write your memoir – and we’ll give it the title that fits.

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201 Memory Research Topics & Essay Examples

Memory is a fascinating brain function. Together with abstract thinking and empathy, memory is the thing that makes us human.

❓ Memory Research Questions

🏆 best memory topic ideas & essay examples, 💭 exciting memory research topics, 💫 interesting memory topics for essays, 👍 research topics about memory in psychology, 🕑 learning & memory research topics, 💡 easy memory essay ideas.

In your essay about memory, you might want to compare its short-term and long-term types. Another idea is to discuss the phenomenon of false memories. The connection between memory and the quality of sleep is also exciting to explore.

If you’re looking for memory topics to research & write about, you’re in the right place. In this article, you’ll find 174 memory essay topics, ideas, questions, and sample papers related to the concept of memory.

• How does sensory memory work?
• How is short-term memory different from long-term memory?
• What memory-training techniques are the most effective?
• What are the reasons for memory failures?
• Memory and aging: what is the connection?
• What are the key types of memory disorders?
• How to improve memory?
• Memory Chart Stages in Psychology For instance, the brain uses the procedural memory to encode procedural skills and tasks that an individual is involved in. The stages of memory are very complex and often pass unrecognized.
• Memory for Designs Test The examination of the functioning of the memory of an individual cannot be limited to only one memory test, and as a result, there are a variety of assessments that target the various features of […]
• “The Sorrow of War” by Bao Ninh: Memory as a Central Idea The image of soldier Kien in The Sorrow of War demonstrates the difficulties of the Vietnamese people before, through and after this war.
• Chauri Chaura Incident in History and Memory The book’s first half was a reconstruction, a narrative in historical view of the burning of the chowki or station and the account of the trial that focused on the testimony of the principal prosecution […]
• Long and Short Term Memory The procedure of conveying information from STM to LTM entails the encoding and consolidation of information: it is not a task of time; the more the data resides in STM it increases the chances of […]
• Computer’s Memory Management Memory management is one of the primary responsibilities of the OS, a role that is achieved by the use of the memory management unit.
• Free and Serial Memory Recalls in Experiments In the study, the experimenters changed the order in which the items were presented to the participants before each trial to test the ability of the subject to recognize these words it was observed that […]
• “How Reliable Is Your Memory?” by Elizabeth Loftus Regardless of how disturbing and sorrowful it may be, and even when pointed out that this certain memory is false, a person may be unable to let it go.
• The Relationship Between Memory and Oblivion The purpose of this essay is to discuss the relationship between memory and oblivion, private and public recollection of events, and the way these concepts are reflected in the works of Walid Raad, Christo, and […]
• Love and Memory From a Psychological Point of View The commonly known love types include affection, passionate love, friendship, infatuation, puppy love, sexual love, platonic love, romantic love and many other terms that could be coined out to basically describe love.
• Memory Model of Teaching and Its Effectiveness The main objective of the research study was to find out the difference in the effect of the memory model and the traditional method of teaching on students’ performance.
• Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test and Cognistat Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test and the Cognistat are the assessment tools employed by the occupational therapists in order to determine the levels of impairment in their mental function that directly impact the individuals’ executive abilities […]
• Community Gatherings and Collective Memory The objective of this paper is to examine some of the gatherings that take place in the community and how these gatherings are related to time.
• How Memory and Intelligence Change as We Age The central argument of the paper is that intelligence and memory change considerably across the lifespan, but these alterations are different in the two concepts. The article by Ofen and Shing is a valuable contribution […]
• Review of Wordfast: Strengths and Weaknesses of This Translation Memory Tool Recognizing the variety of benefits of using Wordfast in the translation process, it should be noted that the use of this ACT program can have a number of unintended negative implications for the quality of […]
• The Effect of Sleep Quality and IQ on Memory Therefore, the major aim of sleep is to balance the energies in the body. However, the nature of the activity that an individual is exposed to determines the rate of memory capture.
• Mnemonics for Memory Improvement in Students The selected participants will be split into two groups that will be asked to memorize a set of words from a story with the help of the suggested technique.
• False Memory and Emotions Experiment The hypothesis was as follows: a list of associate words creates a false memory by remembering a critical lure when the list is presented to a subject and a recall test done shortly after that.
• Memory Test The two controversies determine the classification of memory depending on the form of information processing that occurs in the brain and the different types of memories in relation to the accessibility.
• Memory and Attention as Aspects of Cognition It has specific definitions, such as “consideration with a view to action,” “a condition of readiness involving a selective narrowing or focusing of consciousness and receptivity,” and “the act or state of applying the mind […]
• Strategies of the Memory Matlin defines knowledge as the information stored in our memory, the cognitive functioning of our memory and the ability to utilize the acquired information.
• Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs) The first mentioning of shape memory materials was with the discovery of martensite in 1890, which was the first step for phenomenal discovery of the shape memory effect.
• Emotions: The Influence on Memory At the same time, the influence of positive and negative feelings on the process of memorization and reproduction is different. In conclusion, it should be said that the process of the influence of emotions on […]
• Memory Strategies Examples and How They Work A good strategy for memory is the one that improves information encoding, necessitates storage of data in a memorable state and enables the mind to easily retrieve information. Indeed, a malfunction in retrieval of stored […]
• Hippocampus: Learning and Memory The limbic cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus are considered the processing parts of the limbic system while the output part comprises the septal nuclei and the hypothalamus.
• Surrealism and Dali’s “The Persistence of Memory” Of course, The Persistence of Memory is one of the best-known works, which is often regarded as one of the most conspicuous illustrations of the movement.
• Music Role in Memory and Learning Processes As such, the study purposed to test the differences in visuospatial abilities between men and women bearing in mind that the former is perceived to demonstrate greater memory capabilities compared to the latter As such, […]
• Biopsychology of Learning and Memory The hippocampus is a brain region in the form of a horseshoe that plays an essential role in the transformation of information from the short-term memory to the long-term memory.
• Memory and Emotions in Personal Experience I tried to convince Sherry that the kind of life she led will not do good to her. I thought that Sherry is a grown-up person who would understand the mistakes she had done and […]
• Semantic Memory and Language Production Relationship In the brain, information is arranged both in short-term and long-term memory and this is independent of whether the language in context is first language or a second one.
• Amnesia and Long-Term Memory These factors interfere with the function of hippocampus, the section of the human brain that is responsible for the development of memory, storing and organizing information.
• Concreteness of Words and Free Recall Memory The study hypothesized that the free recall mean of concrete words is not statistically significantly higher than that of abstract words.
• Factors of Learners’ and Adults’ Working Memory An individual’s working memory refers to their ability to access and manipulate bits of data in their mind for a short period.
• Statistics: The Self-Reference Effect and Memory After the distraction part was over, the participants were asked to recall the twelve adjectives they rated from a list of 42 words. This brings the question of whether the results would be different if […]
• Memory Mechanisms: Cognitive Load Theory The teacher’s task is not only to give information but also to explain the principles of learning and to work with it.
• The Self-Reference Effect and Memory Accordingly, the analysis has the following hypotheses: the SRE should enhance recognition of words that participants can relate to themselves, and people should feel more confident about their memory under the SRE.
• Henry Molaison and Memory Lessons The case of Henry Molaison serves as a poignant reminder of the complexity of memory and the importance of understanding its various components.
• Intergenerational Trauma and Traumatic Memory The exploration of interconnected issues of intergenerational trauma and traumatic memory in society with historical data of collective violence across the world sensitizes to the importance of acknowledging trauma.
• The Role of Memory Cells in Cellular Immunity Therefore, when a bacterium gets into the body for a second time, the response is swift because the body has fought it before. Thus, a healthy body can recognize and get rid of chronic microorganisms […]
• Psychological Conditions in Addition to Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory The authors, who have many papers and degrees in the field, have noted the features of the brain structure and the differences between HSAM.
• Cognitive Psychology: The Effects of Memory Conformity The experiment’s control conditions did not allow the witnesses to discuss the event seen in the videos, while in the other condition, the witnesses were encouraged to discuss the event.
• Survival and Memory in Music of the Ghosts by Ratner When it comes to individual memory of Teera’s childhood, the author explains the connection between her memories of her father and musical instruments: “Perhaps it’s because as a child she grew up listening to her […]
• Concept for Teaching Memory in Primary School Students Teaching is one of the most demanding and demanding jobs in the world because it is the job that holds the future generation together.
• ”The Mystery of Memory” Documentary by Gray & Schwarz The documentary examines the brain’s ability to form and retrieve a memory, highlights the importance of neurobiology, and focuses on the problems of PTSD treatment and neuroscience backwardness, concluding that human memory is still a […]
• Draw It or Lose It Memory and Storage Considerations Since the size of the biggest component of this data is known and the additional component can be reasonably estimated, memory for it can be assigned at load time.
• The Multi-Storage Memory Model by Atkinson and Schiffrin The function of the is to track the stimuli in the input register and to provide a place to store the information coming from the LTS.
• Civility, Democracy, Memory in Sophocles’ Antigone In Sophocles’ Antigone, the narrative flow makes the audience empathize with the tragic fate of the characters, deepening the emotional involvement of the readers and viewers.
• The Psychological Nature of Memory Using the numerical representation of the participants’ results, the researchers calculated the dependence of the memory and theory of mind in the process of recalling the interlocutors.
• Functioning of Human Memory Schemas Consecutively, the study aimed to identify the relation between the facilitation of prior knowledge schemas and memories and the ability to form new schemas and inferences in older adults.
• Enhancing Individual and Collaborative Eyewitness Memory Considering the positive results of research utilizing category clustering recall and the reported benefits of group memory, a question arises whether the use of category clustering recall might diminish the negative effects of group inhibition.
• Memory: Its Functions, Types, and Stages of Storage First, information is processed in sensory memory, which perceives sensory events for a couple of seconds to determine whether the information is valuable and should be kept for a longer period. As information goes through […]
• The Relationship Between the Working Memory and Non-Conscious Experiences The structure of the proposal follows the logical layout, beginning from the background of the issue through the methodology to problem significance and research innovation.
• Consciousness: The Link Between Working Memory and Unconscious Experience The present study seeks to address the gap in the research regarding the executive function of VWM and consciousness. This study will follow a modified structure of Bergstrom and Eriksson experiment on non-conscious WM to […]
• The Role of Image Color in Association With the Memory Functions Memory is the cornerstone of human cognition that enables all of its profound mechanisms, and the instrument of knowledge acquisition and exchange.
• The Memory Formation Process: Key Issues Hippocampus plays an essential role in the memory formation process because it is the part of the brain where short-term memories become long-term memories.
• Information Processing and Improving Learning and Memory Information processing theory is a method of studying cognitive development that arose from the American experimental psychology tradition.
• Memory Techniques in Learning English Vocabulary ‘Word’ is defined by Merriam Webster Dictionary as follows: “1a: something that is said b plural: the text of a vocal musical composition c: a brief remark or conversation 2a: a speech sound or series […]
• Covalent Modification of Deoxyribonucleic Acid Regulates Memory Formation The article by Miller and Sweatt examines the possible role of DNA methylation as an epigenetic mechanism in the regulation of memory in the adult central nervous system.
• Repressed Memory in Childhood Experiences The suffering often affects a child’s psychological coping capacity in any respect, and one of the only ways of dealing with it is to force the memory out of conscious perception.
• Adaptive Memory and Survival Subject Correlation The results of the study have revealed that the participants found it slightly easier to recall the words related to the notion of survival.
• Developmental Differences in Memory Over Lifespan While growth refers to the multiplication of the number of individual units or cells in the body, maturation on the other hand can be defined as the successive progress of the individual’s appendage land organs […]
• Memory, the Working-Memory Impairments, and Impacts on Memory The first important argument for a thorough discussion on how ADHD could affect brain functioning and working memory impairments is the existence of prominent factors that could create a link between the disorder and the […]
• Working Memory in 7 &13 Years Aged Children However, it was hypothesized that children with AgCC will show similar performance improvement in verbal working memory task performance from 7 to 13 years of age as indicated in the study with CVLT.
• Working Memory & Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum However, it was hypothesized that children with AgCC will show similar improvement in performance on verbal working memory task performance from 7 to 13 years of age as indicated in the study with CVLT.
• Lifespan Memory Decline, Memory Lapses and Forgetfulness The purpose of the research by Henson et al.was to deepen the understanding of differential aging of the brain on differential patterns of memory loss.
• Elaborative Process and Memory Performance The process is significant in the study and retention of data. In addition, the application of the concepts in the author’s learning process will be highlighted.
• The Essence of Context Dependent Memory The results ought to show that the context in which eyewitnesses observed an event is important in the recall memory of the participants.
• “Neural Processing Associated With True and False Memory Retrieval” by Yoko The researchers noted that both true and distorted memories activate activities in the left parental and left frontal areas of the brain. Parahippocampal gyrus- Is the area of the brain that is responsible for processing […]
• Dementia and Memory Retention Art therapy is an effective intervention in the management of dementia because it stimulates reminiscence and enhances memory retention among patients with dementia.
• Fabricating the Memory: War Museums and Memorial Sites Due to the high international criticism, a very tiny portion of the East Wing is dedicated to explain the context, yet visitors easily overlook the section after the dense display of tragedies after a-bomb in […]
• Biological Psychology: Memory By and large, there is a general agreement that molecular events are involved in the storage of information in the nervous system. It is about to differentiate different kinds of memory, one which is short-term […]
• The Memory of Silence and Lucy: A Detailed Analysis From damaging relationships to her hope to come back to the native land, Lucy has all kinds of issues to address, but the bigger issue is that Lucy’s progress is cyclical, and she has to […]
• Two Tutorials on the Virtual Memory Subject: Studytonight and Tutorials Point The explanation of the demand paging term leads to the concept of a page fault. It is a phrase that characterizes an invalid memory reference that occurs as a result of a program addressing a […]
• Music and Memory: Discussion Future research should focus on addressing the limitations of the study and exploring the effect of other types of music. The findings of the study are consistent with the current body of knowledge about the […]
• Fuzzy-Trace Theory and False Memory The writers set out to show the common ground for all these varied scenarios and convincingly show that false memories are a result of an interaction between memory and the cognitive process of reasoning. The […]
• Individual Differences in Learning and Memory In the following paper, the variety of learning styles will be evaluated in relation to theories of human learning and memory retrieval on the basis of the findings currently made by academic researchers.
• The Difference Between Females and Males Memory The hippocampus is of importance when it comes to memory formation and preservation and is relatively larger in females than males, giving the females advantage in memory cognition.
• The Nature of False Memory Postevent information is one of the reasons that provoke the phenomenon of misinformation. The participants watched a video of a hockey collision and were asked to estimate the speed of the players.
• Organizational Memory and Intellectual Capital The main emphasis here concerns modalities of motivating the retrieval and use of information and experiences in the OM. The source of intellectual capital arises from the managers’ ability to welcome new information and experiences, […]
• Advertising and Memory: Interaction and Effect An advert sticks into one’s memory when it focuses on the characteristic of the material being advertised, other advertisements competing for the same market niche, and the kind of people it targets.
• The Internet and Autobiographical Memory Allie Young’s blog or journal is a perfect illustration of the impact that social sites and blogs have, since for her autobiographic memory; she uses a blog site to write about issues affecting her life.
• Creativity and Memory Effects in Advertising A study was conducted in China to establish the kind of effects agency creativity has on the total outcome of the advertising campaign.
• Memory, Thinking, and Human Intelligence As Kurt exposits, “The effects of both proactive and retroactive inferences while one is studying can be counteracted in order to maximize absorption of all the information into the long-term memory”.
• Psychological Issues: Self-Identity and Sexual Meaning Issues, and Memory Processing Most sex surveys are run by firms dealing in other products and the motives of the surveys are for marketing of their primary products.
• Human Memory as a Biopsychology Area This paper is going to consider the idea that electrical activity measures of the brain of a human being can be utilized as a great means for carrying out the study of the human memory.
• Biopsychology: Learning and Memory Relationship Memorization involves an integral function of the brain which is the storage of information. Memorization is directly linked to learning through the processes of encoding, storage, and retrieval of information.
• Apiculture: Memory in Honeybees They have a sharp memory to recall the previous locations of food, the scent, and the color where they can get the best nectar and pollen.
• Collective Memory as “Time Out”: Repairing the Time-Community Link The essay will first give an account of how time helps to shape a community, various events that have been formulated in order to keep the community together and the effectiveness of these events in […]
• “The Memory Palace of Matteo Ricci” by Jonathan D. Spence: Concept of Memory Palaces The information concerning Matteo Ricci’s concept of memory palaces presented in the book is generalized to the extent that it is necessary to search for an explanation and some clarifications in the additional sources; “His […]
• Biologically Programmed Memory The brain, which carries the memory of the species, is a complex and delicate organ believed to carry the functions of the species.
• Psychology: Memory, Thinking, and Intelligence Information which serves as the stimuli moves from the sensory memory to the short term memory and finally to the long term memory for permanent storage.
• Working With Working Memory Even if we can only make a connection of something we see with a sound, it is easier to remember something we can speak, because the auditory memory helps the visual memory.
• Operant Conditioning, Memory Cue and Perception Operant conditioning through the use of punishment can be used to prevent or decrease a certain negative behavior, for example, when a child is told that he/she will lose some privileges in case he/she misbehaves, […]
• Human Memory: Serial Learning Experiment The background of the current research was stated in Ebbinghaus’ psychological study, and reveals the fact, that if e series of accidental symbols is offered for memorizing, the human memory will be able to memorize […]
• Hot and Cold Social Cognitions and Memory What is mentioned in biology text books and journals about the human brain is so small and almost insignificant compared to the myriad functions and parts of the brain that are yet to be explored.
• Memory Consolidation and Reconsolidation After Sleep The memory consolidation of the visual skill tasks is related to the REM sleep and the short wave component of the NREM.
• Attention, Perception and Memory Disorders Analysis Teenage is the time for experimentation, with a desire to be independent and try new and forbidden things like drugs or indulge in indiscrete sexual activity.
• Memory in Context of Optimal Studying Skill The focal point of the paper is to understand the different aspects of memory and find out the best method of studying.
• Autobiographical Memory and Cognitive Development During this stage important cognitive processes take place and are fundamental towards the development of autobiographical memory in the infants. This help the infants to have important memory cues that form part of the autobiographical […]
• Sensory and Motor Processes, Learning and Memory There are three processes involved in the sensory function of the eyes: the mechanical process, the chemical process, and the electrical process. The mechanical process starts as the stimuli passes through the cornea and […]
• Repressed Memory and Developing Teaching Strategies The author aims to emphasize the “importance, relevance, and potential to inform the lay public as well as our future attorneys, law enforcement officers, therapists, and current or future patients of therapists” with regards to […]
• The Implications of False Memory and Memory Distortion The former refers to the manner of impressing into our minds the memories which we have acquired while the former refers to the manner by which a person reclaims the memories which have been stored […]
• Memory Comprehension Issue Review To sum up, studying with the background of loud music is counterproductive, as it is also an information channel that interferes with the comprehension and memorization of more important information.
• The Interaction of Music and Memory Therefore, the research is of enormous significance for the understanding of individual differences in the connection between memory and music. Therefore, the research contributes to the understanding of the interaction of age with music and […]
• The Effect of Memory, Intelligence and Personality on Employee Performance and Behaviour The present paper will seek to explain the theoretical background on memory, intelligence and personality and evaluate the influence of these factors on work performance and employee behaviours.
• Cogmed Working Memory Training in Children The methodology of the study is strong, and the number of participants is adequate to measure the effects of the program.
• Elderly Dementia: Holistic Approaches to Memory Care The CMAI is a nursing-rated questionnaire that evaluates the recurrence of agitation in residents with dementia. Since the research focuses on agitation, the CMAI was utilized to evaluate the occurrence of agitation at baseline.
• The Conceptual Relationship Between Memory and Imagination In particular, the scholar draws parallels between these processes by addressing the recorded activity of specific brain structures when “remembering the past and imagining the future”.
• Cognitive Psychology: Memory and Interferences For instance, I remember how to organize words in the right way to form a sentence and I know the capitals of countries.
• Chocolate Consumption and Working Memory in Men and Women In this study, the independent variable was chocolate intake, while the dependent variable was the effect of chocolate on the memory of different genders.
• Memory Acquisition and Information Processing The problem of disagreeing with memories can be explained by a closer look at the process of memory acquisition. Most part of the sensory information is not encoded due to selective attention.
• Varlam Shalamov on Memory and Psychological Resilience The soldiers sent to therapists such as Rivers and Yealland in Regeneration had one problem in common they were unable to forget the traumatic and frightening experiences that had affected them in the past.
• Learning Activity and Memory Improvement The easiest way to explain the difference between implicit and explicit types of learning is to think of the latter as active learning and of the former – as passive one.
• Psychology: Short-Term and Working Memory The thing is that the term short-term memory is used to describe the capacity of the mind to hold a small piece of information within a very short period, approximately 20 seconds.
• Dealing With the Limitations of Flash Memory Implanted medical chip technology can help to reduce the amount of medical misdiagnosis that occur in hospitals and can also address the issue of the amount of money that Jones Corp.pays out to its clients […]
• Collective Memory and Patriotic Myth in American History However, to think that colonists and early Americans pursued a general policy of killing or driving out the native Indians is incorrect.
• When the Desire Is Not Enough: Flash Memory As a result, a number of rather uncomfortable proposals were made to the founders of Flash, but the company’s members had to accept certain offers for the financing to continue and the firm not to […]
• Effects of Marijuana on Memory of Long-Term Users The pivotal aim of the proposed study is to evaluate the impact of marijuana use on long-term memory of respondents. The adverse impact of marijuana after the abstinent syndrome refers to significant changes in prefrontal […]
• Amphetamines and Their Effects on Memory The scope of the problem of stimulant abuse is quite important in nowadays medicine since the application of amphetamine is not explored in an in-depth manner.
• Memory Retrieval, Related Processes and Secrets The resulting impression of having experienced what is portrayed in the picture leads to the creation of false memories. The authors of the study make it clear that placing one in specific visual and spatial […]
• Sociocultural Memory in European and Asian Americans The Asian perspective on the use of memory, however, suggests that a much greater emphasis should be placed on using memory as a learning resource so that it can be expanded with the help of […]
• Emotional Memory: Negative and Positive Experiences For instance, autobiographical memory provides a chance to remember the events that shaped one’s personality and defined the further course of one’s development.
• The Public Memory of the Holocaust In addition to his pain, Levi concerns the increasing temporal distance and habitual indifference of hundreds of millions of people towards the Holocaust and the survivors1 It causes the feeling of anxiety that was fuelled […]
• Memory Formation and Maintenance The first similarity between working memory and long term memory is that in both cases, tasks retrieve information from secondary memory, although sometimes working memory tasks retrieve information from the primary memory. After completion of […]
• Working Memory Training and Its Controversies As a result, a range of myths about WM has been addressed and subverted successfully, including the one stating that WM related training cannot be used to improve one’s intellectual abilities and skills.
• Music and Human Memory Connection The effects of music on people vary considerably, and this project should help to understand the peculiar features of the connection between human memory and music.
• Police Shooting Behaviour, Memory, and Emotions The subject of the study was limited to analyzing the shooting behavior of police officers in danger-related situations. It is supposed that officers with low capacity of working memory are more likely to shoot the […]
• Place-Based Memory Studies and Thinking Architecture There is a need to inform the society of the history represented by the sites and educate the masses on events leading to such occurrences.
• Working Memory Training: Benefits and Biases The research results indicate that the effects of stereotyping on the development of WM and the relevant skills are direct and rather drastic.
• Memory, Thoughts, and Motivation in Learning Moreover, using the knowledge acquired from various sources of information, students can interpret the contents of their various environments and apply them to their advantage.
• Working Memory Concept The central executive, as the name implies, is the primary component of the working memory system; every other component is subservient to it.
• Building of Memory: Managing Creativity Through Action It could be important for the team to understand Kornfield’s vision of the project, the main and secondary tasks, the project timeline, and the general outline of it. The third technique is to ensure face-to-face […]
• Stroop Effect on Memory Function The aim of the study was to examine the Stroop effect on memory function of men and women. The aim of the study was to examine Stroop effect on men and women’s cognitive functions.
• Misinformation Effect and Memory Impairment It is important to determine the science behind the misinformation effect, because the implication of the study goes beyond the confines of psychology.
• Memory Distortions Develop Over Time Memory is the ability to recall what happened in the past or the process through which one’s brain stores events and reproduce them in the future. Simpson were put on a scoreboard to analyze the […]
• Working Memory Load and Problem Solving The present research focuses on the way working memory load affects problem solving ability and the impact working memory capacity has on problem solving ability of people.
• Sensory Memory Duration and Stimulus Perception Cognitive psychologists argue that perceived information takes one second in the sensory memory, one minute in the short-term memory and a life-time in the long-term memory.
• Memory Study: Mnemonics Techniques Having carried out two experiments, Oberauer comes to the conclusion that information in working memory is highly organized and has its own structure and understanding of this structure can help to improve the work of […]
• Memory Study: Different Perspectives Having carried out two experiments, Oberauer comes to the conclusion that information in working memory is highly organized and has its own structure and understanding of this structure can help to improve the work of […]
• Individual Recognition Decisions and Memory Strength Signal The individual recognition decision and the memory strength will be compared to determine their relation. A positive correlation between the individual recognition decisions and the aggregated memory strength will be shown.
• Working Memory Concept: Psychological Views To begin with, the findings support the use of the Working-Memory Model because it offers a clear distinction between the subordinate memory systems and the “central executive” memory.
• Memory Strategies and Their Effects on the Body Memory problems are a common concern in the society due to the increased rate of memory problems among the individuals. This is a strategy that uses chemicals to suppress the adverse effects of memory problems.
• George Santayana’s Philosophy Views on Historical Memory To Plato, democracy was the worst form of governance because it was the tyranny of the multitude. Furthermore, the effects of the war were hard to take because people lost everything they had.
• Cognitive Stimulation on Patients With Impaired Memory Cognitive stimulation therapy is effective in mitigating the effects of dementia. As a result, the researchers tested cognitive stimulation therapy in clinical trials.
• Face Recognition and Memory Retention It is imperative to mention that cognitive process is very significant in face recognition especially due to its role in storage and retrieval of information from long-term memory.
• False Memory Condition: Experimental Studies It is therefore important to conduct some experiments to see the differences between the correct memory and the false memory. The distracters and words to be identified were the variables that were independent.
• Memory Capacity and Age Correlation Since young adults have high levels of positive emotions and low levels of negative emotions, the positive emotions enable them to enhance their memory capacity for positive information.
• Conflict at Walt Disney Company: A Distant Memory? The conflict between Michael Eisner and the Weinstein brothers, the two board members, and Steve Jobs was related to a dysfunctional form of conflict.
• Eye-Path and Memory-Prediction Framework Online marketing and advertising actively develop nowadays, and modern advertisers need to focus on the customers’ attitudes and behaviours in the context of the effectiveness of the advertisement’s location on the web page.
• Long Term Memory and Retrieval The mode of presenting the items in sequence in the first presentation has great impact on the results and validity of the study.
• Denying the Holocaust: The Growing Assault on Truth and Memory by Deborah Lipstadt The book is divided into chapters that focus on the history and methods that are used to distort the truth and the memory of the Holocaust.
• Power, Memory and Spectacle on Saddam Hussein’s Death His rational was that the only way to unite the country was to eliminate the elements of division who in his opinion were the opposition.
• Theoretical Models in Understanding Working Memory The second model for understanding the processes involved in working memory is the Baddeley and Hitch multi-component model which states that working memory operates via a system of “slave systems” and a central controller which […]
• Semantic Memory and Language Production From the foregoing discussions, it can be deduced that the nature and function of semantic memory is closely related to the process of language comprehension. Moreover, lexical retrieval of the semantic memory and phonological facilitation […]
• Basic Functions of Memory and Language The area of semantic memory involves stored information regarding the features and characteristics, which determine the processes of retrieving, using, and producing information in various cognitive processes such as thought and language comprehension/production.
• The Concept of Autobiographical Memory The research findings show that memory phenomenology determined the relationship between attachment avoidance and depression, while the negative affective content of the autobiographical memory determined the link between attachment anxiety and depression. The concept of […]
• Neuroimaging Experiments and Memory Loss Studies This is because it enables the examination of the cognitive and affective processes. This is relative to the effects of alcohol consumption.
• Chinese Novellas: The Role of Memory and Perception This is one of the details that attract attention of the readers, and one can say that it is important for understanding the passage and the short story, in general.
• Memory Lane and Morality In the first experiment where participants were expected to remember their childhood experience, those memories aided the experimenter more than they let the participants take control.
• Autonoetic Consciousness in Autobiographical Memory One characteristic of AEM is the mental time travelling on the subjective time in order to connect the past with the current memory status.
• Memory by Analogy: Hiroshima Mon Amour
• “Memory by Analogy” Film Concepts
• Film About Hirosima Memory by Analogy
• Ecstasy and Memory Impairment Neurological Correlation
• Memory Theories in Developing Marketing Strategies of the iPad
• Definition of Storage Locations in Memory
• Establishing False Memory in Humans
• Constructive Nature of Memory
• Comparison and Contrast Assignment on “Paradoxical Effects of Presentation Modality on False Memory,” Article and “Individual Differences in Learning and Remembering Music.”
• How to Improve Your Memory
• Memory Systems of the Brain
• Brain and Memory
• Biology of Memory: Origins and Structures
• Cannabis and Its Effects on Long Term Memory
• Mental Chronometry: Response Time and Accuracy
• Working Memory in Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
• Improving Memory and Study Power
• False Memory Syndrome: Is It Real?
• Memory Process: Visual Receptivity and Retentiveness
• How Age and Diseases Affect Memory
• Memory, Thinking, and Intelligence
• Language and Memory Paper
• Memory: Understanding Consciousness
• Sleep Improves Memory
• Language Rules for a Reliable Semantic Memory
• Social Development Essay Topics
• Alzheimer’s Disease Research Ideas
• Dementia Research Ideas
• Meditation Questions
• Epilepsy Ideas
• Hypnosis Questions
• Neuroscience Research Ideas
• Brain Titles
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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Bibliography

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Last updated on Apr 06, 2021

21 Memoir Examples to Inspire Your Own

Writing a memoir is a daunting endeavor for any author: how do you condense your entire life story into a mere couple hundred pages? Of course, you'll find plenty of online guides that will help you write a memoir by leading you through the steps. But other times that old adage “show, don’t tell” holds true, and it’s most helpful to look at other memoir examples to get started. 

If that’s the case for you, we’ve got you covered with 21 memoir examples to give you an idea of the types of memoirs that have sold well. Ready to roll up your sleeves and dive in? 

The autobiographical memoir

The autobiographical memoir — a retelling of one’s life, from beginning to present times — is probably the standard format that jumps to most people’s minds when they think of this genre.

At first glance, it might seem like a straightforward recount of your past. However, don’t be deceived! As you’ll be able to tell from the examples below, this type of memoir shines based on three things: the strength of the author’s story, the strength of the story’s structure, and the strength of the author’s voice.

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. The woman who Toni Morrison said “launched African American writing in the United States,” Angelou penned this searing memoir in 1969, which remains a timeless classic today.

Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris. Less of a singular memoir than a collection of humorous anecdotes framed around his life as a transplant to Paris, the star of this book is Sedaris’ dry voice and cutting humor.

A Two-Spirit Journey by Ma-Nee Chacaby. Chacaby’s remarkable life — from growing up abused in a remote Ojibwa community to overcoming alcoholism and coming out as a lesbian as an adult — is captured in this must-read autobiography.

The “experience” memoir

One of the most popular memoirs that you’ll find on bookshelves, this type focuses on a specific experience that the author has undergone. Typically, this experience involves a sort of struggle, such as a bitter divorce, illness, or perhaps a clash with addiction. Regardless of the situation, the writer overcomes it to share lessons learned from the ordeal.

In an "experience" memoir, you can generally expect to learn about:

• How the author found themselves facing said experience;
• The obstacles they needed to overcome; and
• What they discovered during (and after) the experience.

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi. Faced with the prognosis of terminal cancer at the age of thirty-six, Paul Kalanithi wrote an unforgettable memoir that tackles an impossible question: what makes life worth living?

A Million Little Pieces by James Frey. An account of drug and alcohol abuse that one reviewer called “the War and Peace of addiction,” this book became the focus of an uproar when it was revealed that many of its incidents were fabricated. (In case you’re wondering, we do not recommend deceiving your readers.)

Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen. Adapted in 1999 into a critically acclaimed film starring Angelina Jolie, Girl, Interrupted enduringly recounts the author’s battle with mental illness and her ensuing 18-month stay in an American psychiatric hospital.

The “event” memoir

Similar to the “experience” memoir, the “event” memoir centers on a single significant event in the author’s life. However, while the former might cover a period of years or even decades, the “event” memoir zeroes in on a clearly defined period of time — for instance, a two-month walk in the woods, or a three-week mountain climb, as you’ll see below.

Walden by Henry David Thoreau. In July of 1845, Henry David Thoreau walked into the woods and didn’t come out for two years, two months, and two days. This is the seminal memoir that resulted.

Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer. The controversial account of the 1996 Everest disaster, as written by author-journalist Krakaeur, who was climbing the mountain on the same day that eight climbers were killed.

The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion. Immortalized as one of the classic books about mourning, The Year of Magical Thinking recounts the grief Didion endured the year following the death of her husband.

The “themed” memoir

When you look back on your own timeline, is there a strong theme that defines your life or ties it all together? That’s the premise on which a “themed” memoir is based. In such a memoir, the author provides a retrospective of their past through the lens of one topic.

If you’re looking to write this type of memoir, it goes without saying that you’ll want to find a rock-solid theme to build your entire life story around. Consider asking yourself:

• What’s shaped your life thus far?
• What’s been a constant at every turning point?
• Has a single thing driven all of the decisions that you’ve made?

Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby. Throughout an up-and-down upbringing complete with a debilitating battle with depression, the single consistent thread in this author’s life remained football and Arsenal F.C.

Educated by Tara Westover. If there’s one lesson that we can learn from this remarkable memoir, it’s the importance of education. About a family of religious survivalists in rural Idaho, this memoir relates how the author overcame her upbringing and moved mountains in pursuit of learning.

Call the Midwife by Jennifer Worth. Now best known for its BBC adaptation, Worth’s account of her life as a midwife caught people’s imagination with its depiction of life in London’s East End in the 1950s.

The family memoir

In a family memoir, the author is a mirror that re-focuses the light on their family members — ranging from glimpses into the dysfunctional dynamics of a broken family to heartfelt family tributes.

Examples of this type of memoir

Brother, I’m Dying by Edwidge Danticat. A love letter to her family that crosses generations, continents, and cultures, Brother, I’m Dying primarily tells the intertwined stories of two men: Danticat’s father and her uncle.

Native Country of the Heart by Cherrie Moraga. The mother is a self-made woman who grew up picking cotton in California. The daughter, a passionate queer Latina feminist. Weaving the past with the present, this groundbreaking Latinx memoir about a mother-daughter relationship confronts the debilitating consequences of Alzheimer's disease.

The childhood memoir

A subset of the autobiographical memoir, the childhood memoir primarily focuses (spoiler alert!) on the author’s childhood years. Most childhood memoirs cover a range of 5 - 18 years of age, though this can differ depending on the story.

Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt. The groundbreaking winner of the 1997 Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography, McCourt’s memoir covers the finer details of his childhood in impoverished Dublin.

Boy: Tales of Childhood by Roald Dahl. Evoking his schoolboy days in the 1920s and 30s, the stories in this book shed light on themes and motifs that would play heavily in Dahl’s most beloved works: a love for sweets, a mischievous streak, and a distrust of authority figures.

The travel memoir

What happens when you put an author on a plane? Words fly!

Just kidding. While that’s perhaps not literally how the travel memoir subgenre was founded, being on the move certainly has something to do with it. Travel memoirs have been written for as long as people could traverse land — which is to say, a long time — but the modern travel narrative didn’t crystallize until the 1970s with the publication of Paul Theroux’s Great Railway Bazaar and Bruce Chatwin’s In Patagonia .

In a travel memoir, the author isn’t the star of the show: the place is. You can expect to find these elements in a travel memoir:

• A description of the place
• A discussion of the culture and people
• How the author experienced the place and dealt with setbacks during the journey

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. Proof that memoirs don’t have to tell catastrophic stories to succeed, this book chronicles Gilbert’s post-divorce travels, inspiring a generation of self-care enthusiasts, and was adapted into a film starring Julia Roberts.

The Great Railway Bazaar by Paul Theroux. A four-month journey from London to East Asia (and back again) by train, this is the book that helped found the modern travel narrative.

The celebrity memoir

The celebrity memoir is just that: a memoir published by a celebrity. Though many celebrity memoirs are admittedly ghostwritten, the best ones give us an honest and authentic look at the “real person” behind the public figure.

Note that we define “celebrity” broadly here as anyone who is (or has been) in the public spotlight. This includes:

• Political figures
• Sports stars
• Actors and actresses

Paper Lion by George Plimpton. In 1960, the author George Plimpton joined up with the Detroit Lions to see if an ordinary man could play pro football. The answer was no, but his experience in training camp allowed him to tell the first-hand story of a team from inside the locker room.

Troublemaker by Leah Remini. The former star of TV’s The King of Queens tackles the Church of Scientology head-on, detailing her life in (and her decision to leave) the controversial religion.

It’s Not About the Bike by Lance Armstrong. This is a great lesson on the way authors often write books to create their own legacy in the way they see fit. As history confirmed, Armstrong’s comeback success wasn’t entirely about the bike at all.

Now that you know what a memoir looks like, it’s time to get out your pen and paper, and write your own memoir to pass down family generations ! And if you want even more memoir examples to keep being inspired? We’ve got you covered: here are the  30 best memoirs of the last century .

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Memoir Revolution

Tell your story – change the world.

How to Pick the Best Title for Your Memoir

by Jerry Waxler

Read Memoir Revolution to learn why now is the perfect time to write your memoir.

When you write your memoir, you turn great swatches of your life into prose. You search for a narrative arc, psychological insights and dramatic tension in paragraph after paragraph, and page after page. But when you write a title, you must think like a poet, condensing the entire journey into a few words. To ensure your title has the maximum impact, microscope in on the phrase, searching for just the right meanings, hopefully spiced with a hint of ambiguity or mysterious depth.

Authors stare at the sky of their minds, hoping some pattern will jump out at them. But before making a decision, consider all the work a title has to do. A great title helps potential readers buy the book, love it to the last page and then recommend it to friends. To learn more, look at your own buying, reading, and recommending behavior to see the effect other titles have had on you.

The Title Is the First Line of Marketing

If a book’s title tickles my interest, I move to the next step. I look at the blurb or description and read reviews online. If still curious, I look up the author’s home page, blogs and social media. However, I continue to rely on the title as the centerpiece for all this interest.

Many factors play in my mind when I glance at a title. Is it fun? Is it somber? Is it cryptic? Sonia Marsh states in an interview about her memoir Freeways to Flipflops , readers want to go on an interesting journey. She believed that if her title had highlighted her son’s emotional problems, readers might have anticipated a bummer. Who wants to pay for that? By selecting a title with a more interesting visual image, Sonia Marsh made it easier to love the book.

Sometimes the title slows down my purchasing decision. Reading Lolita In Tehran by Azar Nafisi is a good example. Years ago I read Vladimir Nabakov’s book, Lolita , about a creepy man who coerced a little girl into sex. I had no interest in pursuing this topic, so despite repeated recommendations, I rejected the memoir.

The Title Guides You Through the Journey

Reading a book is like entering a contract with the author, and the terms of that contract are summarized in the terse few words of the title. Every time a reader sits down to read, the title goes through their mind, evoking an image that pulls them back into the story.

Just as the name of the “Big Dipper” helps stargazers imagine the shape of disconnected points of light, an effective title helps readers link together clues into the shape of a story that hangs together along a central premise.

For example, when I read Seven Wheelchairs by Gary Presley about life after polio, every time I picked it up, my throat constricted, remembering that we would resume the search for meaning in a life on wheels.

I knew The Man Who Couldn’t Eat by Jon Reiner would be about a man who had to stop eating in order to survive an attack of Crohn’s disease. Through his year of physical and emotional agony, the absence of food continued to play a central role.

Queen of the Road by Doreen Orion was about a married middle-aged couple who took a year off to travel around the United States in an RV. That title evoked a hint of playful irony, conjuring the image of a woman sitting on the “throne” of the passenger seat, ruler of all she surveyed.

Sometimes the subtitle serves this central purpose. Every time I picked up the memoir Anatolian Days and Nights: A Love Affair With Turkey by Joy Stocke and Angie Brenner, I accompanied the two authors on a love affair with a place, an unusual experience that is highlighted in the subtitle.

Sonia Marsh’s title Freeways to Flipflops provided a perfect link through the dynamics of the story. Every time I thought of the book, I visualized this urban family trying to make sense of life on the beach.

Write Pick a memoir off your shelf and think about what you thought before you read it, and what you thought after. Were you attracted by the title? Throughout the book, were you satisfied that the title steered you well?

The Title Lingers After Closing

After we close the book for the last time, we continue to associate the story with its title. So when you look for the best possible title, consider the image it will leave. The title should haunt readers, please them, and continue to evoke images. Ideally, the title should roll off the reader’s tongue when friends ask for a recommendation.

For example, Slash Coleman’s memoir Bohemian Love Diaries implies a series of passionate romances. The word Bohemian has delicious implications that remind me of my youthful dreams of returning to pre-war Europe, and of living life according to my own fantasy, not someone else’s rules.

Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls raises a haunting, image, somewhere between a child’s innocent hope for the future and an almost sinister reminder of her father’s mentally incompetent ability to fulfill those hopes.

Freeways to Flipflops leaves a perfect after-image. It’s easy to remember, evokes clean, strikingly compelling images of the crossing between two worlds. And it’s fun to remember the two metaphors. I want to tell friends about it partly because the title is so much fun.

When I finally picked up Azar Nafisi’s memoir, Reading Lolita in Tehran , I enjoyed a delicious weaving of life and literature. In addition, it provided a fascinating analogy between the way Humbert Humbert treated Lolita, as his “thing” and the way Islamists dehumanized the women of Iran as their “things.” Nafisi’s intense personal experience, coupled with the profound analogies she drew from literature helped me understand these powerful cultural dynamics. As a bonus, Nafisi’s love for literature took me so far into the mind of Vladimir Nabakov I feel like we have become good friends. I now recommend the book, but I completely empathize if you decide to pass. Click here to read my post on the memoir.

Ask the Story to Reveal its Own Title

If you don’t yet have a title for your own memoir, keep a list of whatever comes to mind, and meanwhile reserve your main focus on crafting your story. Perhaps the story itself will reveal a powerful title. With continued revision, the story becomes more real and accessible to your own mind. Every time you attempt to answer the question “what is your memoir about” you will find yourself inching closer and closer to a concept that satisfies your authentic intention as well as creating curiosity in potential readers.

Turn words over in your mind, and then try them out with friends and fellow writers. Eventually you will be able to explain the scope of your entire story in a catchy, meaningful phrase, a creative achievement that symbolizes to you and your future readers all the creative effort you have poured into turning your life into a story.

Writing Prompt Free-write a descriptions of the journey taken by the main character, or ask a good friend to ask you what the book is about and try to explain it. Vary these synopses, looking for the overall lesson of the book, or some powerful transition, or a metaphor that keeps coming to mind, or something about a main character, main desire, or something about the time and place. Use these brainstorming session to reveal the power in characters and situations. Each possible synopsis might provide you with just the right phrase or idea to act as the guide post for the life of the book. Will it entice a reader, guide them through the journey, and leave them with an image after they close it that they would want to share with a friend?

Sonia Marsh’s Home Page Freeways to Flipflops (Kindle Version)

Notes My own memoir titled Thinking My Way to the End of the World hints at the philosophical intensity with which I approached my Coming of Age. My self help book for writers “Four Elements for Writers” accurately described the contents, but it didn’t make sense until after you finished reading it. After revising it, I arrived at a new title “How to Become a Heroic Writer” to indicate the goal of reading it.

Sometimes the title appears from nowhere. Early in the design of my book about the surge of popular interest in memoirs, the title Memoir Revolution popped into my mind. It felt good to me and when I mentioned my working title to writers and even agents they said “Nice title.” So I kept it.

For brief descriptions and links to all the posts on Memory Writers Network, click here.

To order Memoir Revolution about the powerful trend to create, connect, and learn, see the Amazon page for eBook or Paperback .

8 thoughts on “ How to Pick the Best Title for Your Memoir ”

Another thought-provoking post Jerry. I remember when “Eat, Pray, Love” first came out, how people could not remember the title. It only made sense after reading the memoir. There are so many trends, for example, three-word titles, then one-word titles are popular.

Jerry, thanks for an informative and educational post. As I draft, I have a working title but already know it likely will not win the end of the day, I’m finished contest. You’ve cleared up a few mysteries for me.

My favorite title ever is Wild. When I first picked that book up off the local store’s shelf I had never heard of it, but the title and the photo of her shoe caught my attention and inspired my purchase. I only hope I can do the same one day with my title for my memoir. Meanwhile I have lots to worry about besides the title since I am a long way from completion.

Hi Sonia, Sherrey, and Lori, Thanks for your comments. The challenge for us entrepreneurial writers is that even though we have consumed books for years, we have rarely been involved in producing them. As a result many of the details of production zoom up on the horizon. “Hey, I have to learn that!” This is why in the new community-based publishing environment, we have to stick together, learn together, swap lessons and observations. This mass creativity makes writing a memoir so intriguing in so many different ways.

Jerry, What luck to happen upon your article and site. I’ve finished my memoir and have been looking for a title since I began writing it five years ago. All those I come with believe it or not– taken: Like, Something of Myself ( Kipling!), and A Woman’s Grasp (though by an unknown, she had climbed a mountain!) So, I’m always going back to square one. Now, with your comments, I have more of a strategy. Thank you. JMK

Congratulations Judith. What a wonderful achievement. Now to the next step. I love all the hard creative work that goes into writing a memoir and attempting with all one’s might to do it right! I’m glad you found some good ideas in my blog about how to proceed. Your dilemma is fascinating. I ought to write a post about what to do if your title sounds too much like another… someday. Just so you know, titles are not copyrighted, so legally you are free to reuse them. But of course you also want readers to think about YOUR book when they think of the title.

Best wishes, Jerry

I can’t get the thought out of my mind that I need to change the title of my book. Starting out I chose, Truth Dripping Red because it was the truth of Jesus Christ love for me as He shed his blood on Calvary that produced forgiveness and a host of other things that has helped me in daily life. Forgiveness is the core of my book…it’s the core of my life. This phrase stick with me daily, I do not have to feel love to give love because of Jesus love for me. Just reading this post helps me to realize I can change the title midway in book which is where I am on even at the end. What freedom that gives me because I am at a very hard part of the story that has caused much troubled thoughts to rise up in my mind. Thank you for the information and I am going to do as suggested, get back to writing and let the title set till it pops in my mind.

Writing a memoir is truly a journey, with a desire for the creative goal, and then all the obstacles that get in the way. On that long journey naturally we might learn and overcome. It is exciting to know how you have embraced this challenge and keep pushing through the obstacles. Thank you so much for letting me know my article helped you on that journey.

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39 spicy titles for my memoir or yours

Constructing the memoir of your life can be a truly grueling process. The most crucial element to consider, of course, is the enticing title. The stakes are incredibly high  — with the wrong label, your entire life could be inaccurately represented. For widespread applicability, I have laid out options for some niche lifestyles.

For the foodie:

• BuzzFeed, what kind of cheese am I?
• What to expect when you’re expecting a food baby
• DTF: Down to feast?
• I’m eating fries in my parked car
• I’m just here for the cake
• I almost just ate something healthy
• The art of consuming Domino’s pizza
• And then they gave me an oatmeal raisin cookie…
• Boba for the soul
• Coffee and carbs: A delicacy like no other
• How did I get food on my forehead, again?
• I put too much Kraft parmesan on my spaghetti
• Are you going to finish that?

For the risqué:

• I asked for a water cup and filled it with Coke
• “This is my face. I’m not mad”: The plight of RBF
• Nobody cares
• Is it better to roast or to toast?
• Sugar, spice and everything nice or sarcasm, Pepsi and everything sexy?
• Do I want bangs, or should we just talk about my feelings?
• Sorry, Mom.
• “I’m 29. I can finally play a high schooler on TV. Thank you, Jackson Stewart”: On starting my Disney career later in life
• I did a thing, and I’m not sorry
• Goal Digger
• I turned off my autocorrect, and I only journal in pen: A baddie’s guide to writing
• Trial and lots of error

For the hot mess:

• I never really know what’s going on
• I’m late, and I’m sweating
• Still in bed
• Call me again in 3-5 business days
• Sorry, I couldn’t hear you over my internal monologue
• “I think I just said the funniest thing ever”: The story of my delusional comedy career
• I haven’t changed my sheets in like a year.
• Floor-seat mentality with a nosebleed budget
• I wasn’t gonna cry in Starbucks though, yk?
• Do I look like an Android user?
• Rock my Crocs off
• “Sorry, my Uber is here”: A beginner’s guide to exiting swiftly from awkward situations
• Crap, I really need to finish my memoir

Okay, maybe these titles don’t reflect your life story in their simplicity, but hopefully they made you smile a bit.

For more stream of consciousness musings, contact Alanna Flores at alanna13 ‘at’ stanford.edu.

Alanna Flores '22 is a Managing Editor of The Grind. Contact her at alanna13 'at' stanford.edu.

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If you’ve thought about putting your life to the page, you may have wondered how to write a memoir. We start the road to writing a memoir when we realize that a story in our lives demands to be told. As Maya Angelou once wrote, “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”

How to write a memoir? At first glance, it looks easy enough—easier, in any case, than writing fiction. After all, there is no need to make up a story or characters, and the protagonist is none other than you.

Still, memoir writing carries its own unique challenges, as well as unique possibilities that only come from telling your own true story. Let’s dive into how to write a memoir by looking closely at the craft of memoir writing, starting with a key question: exactly what is a memoir?

How to Write a Memoir: Contents

What is a Memoir?

• Memoir vs Autobiography

Memoir Examples

Short memoir examples.

• How to Write a Memoir: A Step-by-Step Guide

A memoir is a branch of creative nonfiction , a genre defined by the writer Lee Gutkind as “true stories, well told.” The etymology of the word “memoir,” which comes to us from the French, tells us of the human urge to put experience to paper, to remember. Indeed, a memoir is “ something written to be kept in mind .”

A memoir is defined by Lee Gutkind as “true stories, well told.”

For a piece of writing to be called a memoir, it has to be:

• Nonfictional
• Based on the raw material of your life and your memories
• Written from your personal perspective

At this point, memoirs are beginning to sound an awful lot like autobiographies. However, a quick comparison of Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love , and The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin , for example, tells us that memoirs and autobiographies could not be more distinct.

Next, let’s look at the characteristics of a memoir and what sets memoirs and autobiographies apart. Discussing memoir vs. autobiography will not only reveal crucial insights into the process of writing a memoir, but also help us to refine our answer to the question, “What is a memoir?”

Memoir vs. Autobiography

While both use personal life as writing material, there are five key differences between memoir and autobiography:

1. Structure

Since autobiographies tell the comprehensive story of one’s life, they are more or less chronological. writing a memoir, however, involves carefully curating a list of personal experiences to serve a larger idea or story, such as grief, coming-of-age, and self-discovery. As such, memoirs do not have to unfold in chronological order.

While autobiographies attempt to provide a comprehensive account, memoirs focus only on specific periods in the writer’s life. The difference between autobiographies and memoirs can be likened to that between a CV and a one-page resume, which includes only select experiences.

The difference between autobiographies and memoirs can be likened to that between a CV and a one-page resume, which includes only select experiences.

Autobiographies prioritize events; memoirs prioritize the writer’s personal experience of those events. Experience includes not just the event you might have undergone, but also your feelings, thoughts, and reflections. Memoir’s insistence on experience allows the writer to go beyond the expectations of formal writing. This means that memoirists can also use fiction-writing techniques , such as scene-setting and dialogue , to capture their stories with flair.

4. Philosophy

Another key difference between the two genres stems from the autobiography’s emphasis on facts and the memoir’s reliance on memory. Due to memory’s unreliability, memoirs ask the reader to focus less on facts and more on emotional truth. In addition, memoir writers often work the fallibility of memory into the narrative itself by directly questioning the accuracy of their own memories.

Memoirs ask the reader to focus less on facts and more on emotional truth.

5. Audience

While readers pick up autobiographies to learn about prominent individuals, they read memoirs to experience a story built around specific themes . Memoirs, as such, tend to be more relatable, personal, and intimate. Really, what this means is that memoirs can be written by anybody!

Ready to be inspired yet? Let’s now turn to some memoir examples that have received widespread recognition and captured our imaginations!

If you’re looking to lose yourself in a book, the following memoir examples are great places to begin:

• The Year of Magical Thinking , which chronicles Joan Didion’s year of mourning her husband’s death, is certainly one of the most powerful books on grief. Written in two short months, Didion’s prose is urgent yet lucid, compelling from the first page to the last. A few years later, the writer would publish Blue Nights , another devastating account of grief, only this time she would be mourning her daughter.
• Patti Smith’s Just Kids is a classic coming-of-age memoir that follows the author’s move to New York and her romance and friendship with the artist Robert Maplethorpe. In its pages, Smith captures the energy of downtown New York in the late sixties and seventies effortlessly.
• When Breath Becomes Air begins when Paul Kalanithi, a young neurosurgeon, is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Exquisite and poignant, this memoir grapples with some of the most difficult human experiences, including fatherhood, mortality, and the search for meaning.
• A memoir of relationship abuse, Carmen Maria Machado’s In the Dream House is candid and innovative in form. Machado writes about thorny and turbulent subjects with clarity, even wit. While intensely personal, In the Dream House is also one of most insightful pieces of cultural criticism.
• Twenty-five years after leaving for Canada, Michael Ondaatje returns to his native Sri Lanka to sort out his family’s past. The result is Running in the Family , the writer’s dazzling attempt to reconstruct fragments of experiences and family legends into a portrait of his parents’ and grandparents’ lives. (Importantly, Running in the Family was sold to readers as a fictional memoir; its explicit acknowledgement of fictionalization prevented it from encountering the kind of backlash that James Frey would receive for fabricating key facts in A Million Little Pieces , which he had sold as a memoir . )
• Of the many memoirs published in recent years, Tara Westover’s Educated is perhaps one of the most internationally-recognized. A story about the struggle for self-determination, Educated recounts the writer’s childhood in a survivalist family and her subsequent attempts to make a life for herself. All in all, powerful, thought-provoking, and near impossible to put down.

While book-length memoirs are engaging reads, the prospect of writing a whole book can be intimidating. Fortunately, there are plenty of short, essay-length memoir examples that are just as compelling.

While memoirists often write book-length works, you might also consider writing a memoir that’s essay-length. Here are some short memoir examples that tell complete, lived stories, in far fewer words:

• “ The Book of My Life ” offers a portrait of a professor that the writer, Aleksandar Hemon, once had as a child in communist Sarajevo. This memoir was collected into Hemon’s The Book of My Lives , a collection of essays about the writer’s personal history in wartime Yugoslavia and subsequent move to the US.
• “The first time I cheated on my husband, my mother had been dead for exactly one week.” So begins Cheryl Strayed’s “ The Love of My Life ,” an essay that the writer eventually expanded into the best-selling memoir, Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail .
• In “ What We Hunger For ,” Roxane Gay weaves personal experience and a discussion of The Hunger Games into a powerful meditation on strength, trauma, and hope. “What We Hunger For” can also be found in Gay’s essay collection, Bad Feminist .
• A humorous memoir structured around David Sedaris and his family’s memories of pets, “ The Youth in Asia ” is ultimately a story about grief, mortality and loss. This essay is excerpted from the memoir Me Talk Pretty One Day , and a recorded version can be found here .

So far, we’ve 1) answered the question “What is a memoir?” 2) discussed differences between memoirs vs. autobiographies, 3) taken a closer look at book- and essay-length memoir examples. Next, we’ll turn the question of how to write a memoir.

How to Write a Memoir: A-Step-by-Step Guide

1. how to write a memoir: generate memoir ideas.

how to start a memoir? As with anything, starting is the hardest. If you’ve yet to decide what to write about, check out the “ I Remember ” writing prompt. Inspired by Joe Brainard’s memoir I Remember , this prompt is a great way to generate a list of memories. From there, choose one memory that feels the most emotionally charged and begin writing your memoir. It’s that simple! If you’re in need of more prompts, our Facebook group is also a great resource.

2. How to Write a Memoir: Begin drafting

My most effective advice is to resist the urge to start from “the beginning.” Instead, begin with the event that you can’t stop thinking about, or with the detail that, for some reason, just sticks. The key to drafting is gaining momentum . Beginning with an emotionally charged event or detail gives us the drive we need to start writing.

3. How to Write a Memoir: Aim for a “ shitty first draft ”

Now that you have momentum, maintain it. Attempting to perfect your language as you draft makes it difficult to maintain our impulses to write. It can also create self-doubt and writers’ block. Remember that most, if not all, writers, no matter how famous, write shitty first drafts.

Attempting to perfect your language as you draft makes it difficult to maintain our impulses to write.

4. How to Write a Memoir: Set your draft aside

Once you have a first draft, set it aside and fight the urge to read it for at least a week. Stephen King recommends sticking first drafts in your drawer for at least six weeks. This period allows writers to develop the critical distance we need to revise and edit the draft that we’ve worked so hard to write.

5. How to Write a Memoir: Reread your draft

While reading your draft, note what works and what doesn’t, then make a revision plan. While rereading, ask yourself:

• What’s underdeveloped, and what’s superfluous.
• Does the structure work?
• What story are you telling?

6. How to Write a Memoir: Revise your memoir and repeat steps 4 & 5 until satisfied

Every piece of good writing is the product of a series of rigorous revisions. Depending on what kind of writer you are and how you define a draft,” you may need three, seven, or perhaps even ten drafts. There’s no “magic number” of drafts to aim for, so trust your intuition. Many writers say that a story is never, truly done; there only comes a point when they’re finished with it. If you find yourself stuck in the revision process, get a fresh pair of eyes to look at your writing.

7. How to Write a Memoir: Edit, edit, edit!

Once you’re satisfied with the story, begin to edit the finer things (e.g. language, metaphor , and details). Clean up your word choice and omit needless words , and check to make sure you haven’t made any of these common writing mistakes . Be sure to also know the difference between revising and editing —you’ll be doing both. Then, once your memoir is ready, send it out !

Learn How to Write a Memoir at Writers.com

Writing a memoir for the first time can be intimidating. But, keep in mind that anyone can learn how to write a memoir. Trust the value of your own experiences: it’s not about the stories you tell, but how you tell them. Most importantly, don’t give up!

Anyone can learn how to write a memoir.

If you’re looking for additional feedback, as well as additional instruction on how to write a memoir, check out our schedule of nonfiction classes . Now, get started writing your memoir!

32 Comments

Thank you for this website. It’s very engaging. I have been writing a memoir for over three years, somewhat haphazardly, based on the first half of my life and its encounters with ignorance (religious restrictions, alcohol, and inability to reach out for help). Three cities were involved: Boston as a youngster growing up and going to college, then Washington DC and Chicago North Shore as a married woman with four children. I am satisfied with some chapters and not with others. Editing exposes repetition and hopefully discards boring excess. Reaching for something better is always worth the struggle. I am 90, continue to be a recital pianist, a portrait painter, and a writer. Hubby has been dead for nine years. Together we lept a few of life’s chasms and I still miss him. But so far, my occupations keep my brain working fairly well, especially since I don’t smoke or drink (for the past 50 years).

Hi Mary Ellen,

It sounds like a fantastic life for a memoir! Thank you for sharing, and best of luck finishing your book. Let us know when it’s published!

Best, The writers.com Team

Hello Mary Ellen,

I am contacting you because your last name (Lavelle) is my middle name!

Being interested in genealogy I have learned that this was my great grandfathers wife’s name (Mary Lavelle), and that her family emigrated here about 1850 from County Mayo, Ireland. That is also where my fathers family came from.

Is your family background similar?

Hope to hear back from you.

Richard Lavelle Bourke

Hi Mary Ellen: Have you finished your memoir yet? I just came across your post and am seriously impressed that you are still writing. I discovered it again at age 77 and don’t know what I would do with myself if I couldn’t write. All the best to you!! Sharon [email protected]

I am up to my eyeballs with a research project and report for a non-profit. And some paid research for an international organization. But as today is my 90th birthday, it is time to retire and write a memoir.

So I would like to join a list to keep track of future courses related to memoir / creative non-fiction writing.

Hi Frederick,

Happy birthday! And happy retirement as well. I’ve added your name and email to our reminder list for memoir courses–when we post one on our calendar, we’ll send you an email.

We’ll be posting more memoir courses in the near future, likely for the months of January and February 2022. We hope to see you in one!

Very interesting and informative, I am writing memoirs from my long often adventurous and well travelled life, have had one very short story published. Your advice on several topics will be extremely helpful. I write under my schoolboy nickname Barnaby Rudge.

[…] How to Write a Memoir: Examples and a Step-by-Step Guide […]

I am writing my memoir from my memory when I was 5 years old and now having left my birthplace I left after graduation as a doctor I moved to UK where I have been living. In between I have spent 1 year in Canada during my training year as paediatrician. I also spent nearly 2 years with British Army in the hospital as paediatrician in Germany. I moved back to UK to work as specialist paediatrician in a very busy general hospital outside London for the next 22 years. Then I retired from NHS in 2012. I worked another 5 years in Canada until 2018. I am fully retired now

I have the whole convoluted story of my loss and horrid aftermath in my head (and heart) but have no clue WHERE, in my story to begin. In the middle of the tragedy? What led up to it? Where my life is now, post-loss, and then write back and forth? Any suggestions?

My friend Laura who referred me to this site said “Start”! I say to you “Start”!

Hi Dee, that has been a challenge for me.i dont know where to start?

What was the most painful? Embarrassing? Delicious? Unexpected? Who helped you? Who hurt you? Pick one story and let that lead you to others.

I really enjoyed this writing about memoir. I ve just finished my own about my journey out of my city then out of my country to Egypt to study, Never Say Can’t, God Can Do It. Infact memoir writing helps to live the life you are writing about again and to appreciate good people you came across during the journey. Many thanks for sharing what memoir is about.

I went to Egypt earlier this year. I aspire for my second book to document and tell the story of my travels of Africa, following the first – a memoir that led me to this post.

I am a survivor of gun violence, having witnessed my adult son being shot 13 times by police in 2014. I have struggled with writing my memoir because I have a grandson who was 18-months old at the time of the tragedy and was also present, as was his biological mother and other family members. We all struggle with PTSD because of this atrocity. My grandson’s biological mother was instrumental in what happened and I am struggling to write the story in such a way as to not cast blame – thus my dilemma in writing the memoir. My grandson was later adopted by a local family in an open adoption and is still a big part of my life. I have considered just writing it and waiting until my grandson is old enough to understand all the family dynamics that were involved. Any advice on how I might handle this challenge in writing would be much appreciated.

I decided to use a ghost writer, and I’m only part way in the process and it’s worth every penny!

Hi. I am 44 years old and have had a roller coaster life .. right as a young kid seeing his father struggle to financial hassles, facing legal battles at a young age and then health issues leading to a recent kidney transplant. I have been working on writing a memoir sharing my life story and titled it “A memoir of growth and gratitude” Is it a good idea to write a memoir and share my story with the world?

Thank you… this was very helpful. I’m writing about the troubling issues of my mental health, and how my life was seriously impacted by that. I am 68 years old.

[…] Writers.com: How to Write a Memoir […]

[…] Writers.com: “How to Write a Memoir” […]

I am so grateful that I found this site! I am inspired and encouraged to start my memoir because of the site’s content and the brave people that have posted in the comments.

Finding this site is going into my gratitude journey 🙂

We’re grateful you found us too, Nichol! 🙂

Firstly, I would like to thank you for all the info pertaining to memoirs. I believe am on the right track, am at the editing stage and really have to use an extra pair of eyes. I’m more motivated now to push it out and complete it. Thanks for the tips it was very helpful, I have a little more confidence it seeing the completion.

Well, I’m super excited to begin my memoir. It’s hard trying to rely on memories alone, but I’m going to give it a shot!

Thanks to everyone who posted comments, all of which have inspired me to get on it.

Best of luck to everyone! Jody V.

I was thrilled to find this material on How to Write A Memoir. When I briefly told someone about some of my past experiences and how I came to the United States in the company of my younger brother in a program with a curious name, I was encouraged by that person and others to write my life history.

Based on the name of that curious program through which our parents sent us to the United States so we could leave the place of our birth, and be away from potentially difficult situations in our country.

As I began to write my history I took as much time as possible to describe all the different steps that were taken. At this time – I have been working on this project for 5 years and am still moving ahead. The information I received through your material has further encouraged me to move along. I am very pleased to have found this important material. Thank you!

Wow! This is such an informative post packed with tangible guidance. I poured my heart into a book. I’ve been a professional creative for years to include as a writer, mainly in the ad game and content. No editor. I wasn’t trying to make it as an author. Looking back, I think it’s all the stuff I needed to say. Therapy. Which does not, in and of itself, make for a coherent book. The level of writing garnering praise, but the book itself was a hot mess. So, this is helpful. I really put myself out there, which I’ve done in many areas, but the crickets response really got to me this time. I bought “Educated” as you recommended. Do you have any blog posts on memoirs that have something to say to the world, finding that “something” to say? It feels like that’s theme, but perhaps something more granular. Thanks for this fantastic post. If I had the moola, I would sign up for a class. Your time is and effort is appreciated. Typos likely on comments! LOL

thanks. God bless

I am a member of the “Reprobates”, a group of seven retired Royal Air Force pilots and navigators which has stayed in intermittent touch since we first met in Germany in 1969. Four of the group (all of whom are in their late seventies or early eighties) play golf together quite frequently, and we all gather for reunions once or twice a year. About a year ago, one of the Reprobates suggested posterity might be glad to hear the stories told at these gatherings, and there have since been two professionally conducted recording sessions, one in London, and one in Tarifa, Spain. The instigator of these recordings forwarded your website to his fellow Reprobates by way of encouragement to put pen to paper. And, I, for one, have found it inspiring. It’s high time I made a start on my Memoirs, thank you.

Thank you for sharing this, Tim! Happy writing!

Hi, I’m Jo. I’m finally jumping in and writing the memoir that has been running alongside me for at least the last 5 years. I’m terrified, of what I’m not 100% sure. The story won’t leave me alone and right now is the time to start my first draft. I’m approaching half way through what nature may call natural life on Earth, mid-life sounds strange to say. It just feels like the right time to document the journey thus far – especially the last decade. It’s been a radical time for transformation, internally and externally. I’m afraid but your post and these comments have helped.

Good luck on your memoir, Jo! I’m excited to hear more.

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How to Write a Memoir Essay: 4 Tips for Writing Memoir Essays

Written by MasterClass

Last updated: Aug 23, 2021 • 3 min read

A memoir essay, as its name suggests, is an essay that comes from memory. Memoir writing is one of the oldest and most popular literary genres. The best memoirs not only tell a great story, but they also consider some of life’s big questions through the prism of personal experience.

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101 Memory Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

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Memory Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Memory is a fascinating and complex aspect of human cognition. From childhood memories to traumatic events, our memories shape who we are and how we perceive the world around us. If you're looking for inspiration for a memory essay, we've compiled a list of 101 topic ideas and examples to help get you started.

Childhood Memories:

• My earliest childhood memory
• A day at the beach with my family
• Playing with my favorite toy as a child
• My first day of school
• Learning to ride a bike
• Family vacations from my childhood
• The first time I lost a tooth
• My favorite birthday party as a child
• A day spent with my grandparents
• The first time I tried a new food

Travel Memories: 11. My first trip abroad 12. A memorable road trip with friends 13. Exploring a new city for the first time 14. Getting lost in a foreign country 15. A cultural experience that changed my perspective 16. Meeting new people while traveling 17. A memorable meal from a trip 18. Overcoming a challenge while traveling 19. A moment of cultural shock while abroad 20. My favorite travel memory

Personal Growth Memories: 21. Overcoming a fear or phobia 22. A moment of self-discovery 23. A mistake that taught me a valuable lesson 24. The importance of failure in my life 25. A time when I had to stand up for myself 26. A moment of personal triumph 27. The impact of a mentor on my life 28. A life-changing experience 29. The role of gratitude in my life 30. Reflecting on my personal growth over the years

Family Memories: 31. A family tradition that is important to me 32. A lesson learned from a family member 33. A family gathering that stands out in my memory 34. My relationship with my siblings 35. The importance of family in my life 36. A family vacation that brought us closer together 37. A memorable holiday celebration with my family 38. My relationship with my parents 39. A difficult family situation that taught me resilience 40. The impact of my family on my values and beliefs

Friendship Memories: 41. A memorable friendship from my childhood 42. A friend who has had a significant impact on my life 43. Overcoming a conflict with a friend 44. A fun day spent with friends 45. The importance of friendship in my life 46. A moment of betrayal in a friendship 47. A time when a friend supported me through a difficult time 48. The qualities I value in a friend 49. A memorable adventure with friends 50. Reflecting on the importance of friendship in my life

Traumatic Memories: 51. A traumatic event that shaped who I am today 52. Overcoming a traumatic experience 53. Dealing with loss and grief 54. A moment of vulnerability and strength 55. The impact of trauma on my mental health 56. Seeking help and support after a traumatic event 57. The process of healing from trauma 58. How trauma has influenced my relationships 59. Finding meaning and growth after a traumatic experience 60. Reflecting on resilience in the face of trauma

Cultural Memories: 61. A cultural tradition that is important to me 62. The impact of my cultural background on my identity 63. A moment of cultural pride 64. Overcoming stereotypes and prejudice 65. The importance of diversity in my life 66. Exploring different cultures and perspectives 67. A cultural celebration that holds significance for me 68. The influence of culture on my values and beliefs 69. Embracing my cultural heritage 70. Reflecting on the richness of diversity in the world

Special Events Memories: 71. A milestone birthday celebration 72. A memorable graduation ceremony 73. A wedding day to remember 74. Celebrating a special anniversary 75. A holiday celebration that stands out in my memory 76. Attending a live concert or performance 77. A memorable sporting event 78. Participating in a charity event or fundraiser 79. A surprise party that left a lasting impression 80. Reflecting on the significance of special events in my life

Nature Memories: 81. A memorable hike or outdoor adventure 82. A day spent at the beach or in the mountains 83. Watching a sunrise or sunset that moved me 84. Connecting with nature and the environment 85. A moment of awe and wonder in nature 86. The healing power of nature 87. Overcoming a fear of the outdoors 88. The importance of conservation and environmental awareness 89. A camping trip that stands out in my memory 90. Reflecting on the beauty and majesty of the natural world

Career Memories: 91. A memorable job interview experience 92. Overcoming challenges in my career 93. A moment of professional growth and development 94. The impact of a mentor or role model on my career 95. Dealing with work-related stress and burnout 96. A significant achievement in my career 97. Balancing work and personal life 98. Reflecting on my career goals and aspirations 99. The importance of finding fulfillment in my work 100. A memorable moment in my professional journey 101. Reflecting on the lessons learned from my career experiences

These memory essay topic ideas and examples are just a starting point for exploring the rich tapestry of memories that shape our lives. Whether you choose to reflect on childhood memories, travel experiences, personal growth, family dynamics, friendship, trauma, cultural influences, special events, nature, or career milestones, there are endless possibilities for exploring the power of memory in shaping who we are and how we navigate the world around us. Happy writing!

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133 Memory Essay Topics

🏆 best essay topics on memory, ✍️ memory essay topics for college, 👍 good research topics about memory, 🎓 most interesting memory research titles, 💡 simple memory essay ideas, ❓ research questions about memory.

• Three Components of Memory in Psychology
• Cognitive Processes: Perception, Attention, Memory
• Cache Memory and Virtual Memory: Compare-Contrast
• Psychology: Working vs. Procedural Memory
• Role of Memory in Modern Human Life
• Saint Augustine and His Understanding of Memory
• “Persistence of Memory” by Salvador Dali: Painting’s Description
• Baddeley’s Working Memory Model The paper analyzes the phonological loop is a part of the operational memory classical, the visuospatial sketchpad is a portion of the working memory model and the working memory model.
• Short-Term and Working Memory Measurement Memory storage may be demonstrated to move through a short-term phase, which decays until developed by the long-term storage process.
• Random-Access Memory: Training Manual The confident use of a personal computer involves not only utilizing useful functions that modern devices possess.
• Long-Term Memory and Biblical Knowledge Plan Long-term memory can provide access to multiple opportunities for learning if understood and applied properly.
• Applying Psychology to One’s Life: Memory and Behavior Although stress is inevitable, one’s response to stress can be controlled to a degree through coping or stress management strategies.
• Age Effects on Memory Among the Elderly Studies have highlighted the effects of age on memory amongst the elderly. Study results indicate that one of the major concerns about aging is the possible loss of memory.
• Positive Reinforcement, Classical Conditioning Learning, and Semantic Memory Positive reinforcement, classical conditioning learning, and semantic memory are the three essential concepts in understanding how the human mind works.
• Impact of Depth of Processing on Memory The research argues that the people easy to remember the objects in the deep processing condition than those in the shallow processing conditions.
• Traumatic Memory and Survivor Identity Trauma and identity have a direct connection, where trauma can affect identity, as identity may affect an individual’s perception and understanding of the trauma.
• Linguistic Analysis: Memory and Language Despite the decades of meticulous research, the notion of linguistic studies still has a variety of aspects that require further examination.
• Historical Memory Discourse in Public Diplomacy The past plays a critical role in shaping the present and fostering a sense of belonging; as a result, the historical memories are the basis for social and political identities.
• Memory Retention and Improvement Strategies Memory loss is caused by various factors, including psychological disorders, physical damage of the brain, and lack of ample sleep.
• The Impact of Attention and Memory on Learning The paper discusses the cognitive processes involved in learning, including visual attention, auditory attention, selective attention, and working memory.
• Influence of Sleep on Human Thinking Abilities, Emotional State, and Memory Sleep can be called one of the most critical conditions for maintaining brain performance, the violation of which can negatively affect human thinking abilities and mental state.
• Memory Drum Theory’s Projection The goal of the study was to look into memory drum theory’s projection that the increase in SRT was proportional to the complexity of the response to be instigated.
• The Effect of Music on Serial Short Term Memory From the experiment carried out on the two groups it is really not clear whether the effect of short term recall is hindered in anyway by background music.
• Learning and Memory in Behavioral Neuroscience Chapter 12 “Learning and Memory” of Freberg’s “Discovering Behavioral Neuroscience” provides essential insights on the understanding of brain development and functioning.
• The Remember-Know Scheme as a Memory Pattern This report explores patterns in the Remember/Know pattern, where the participant either “just knows” or remembers specific memories.
• Jim Mcgaugh’s Memory Findings in Rats and the Importance of Forgetting Forgetting is a process that has been studied extensively in both animals and humans, as well as across different species. Forgetting is critical for advancing human development.
• Trends in Children’s Memory Processes The paper explores trends in children’s memory processes in forensic contexts by evaluating and systematically representing earlier findings.
• Experimentation to Understand Memory One can state that the positivist experimentation method can serve as a viable approach to understanding memory in real-world situations.
• How Memory Is Largely a Matter of Reconstruction Memory is a psychological process that involves more than just remembering important facts. It is a perceptual process affected by a person’s beliefs, and expectations.
• Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy’s Impact on Memory The bibliography evaluates the impact of cognitive-behavioral play therapy (CBPT) on working memory, short-term memory (STM), and sustained attention.
• Hippocampal‐Dependent Learning and Memory Impairment The paper investigates Cd2+ neurotoxicity over time by simulating Cd2+ contaminated water. Chronic Cd exposure resulted in neuron death in the hippocampus.
• Human Memory: Faults and Fixes Memory is not fixed and is inherently changeable and malleable under specific circumstances. It is malleable and prone to mistakes in its formation and recollection stages.
• Memory Cells in Cellular Immunity Cellular immunity, also called cell-mediated, is an adaptive immunity in which lymphocytes of T type seek and attack diseased or foreign cells.
• The Role of Memory in Human Life Memory is one of the most critical components of the human psyche because responsible for saving and retrieving information that is constantly coming to a person from outside.
• Dual Store Model of Memory The model of human memory has three main components; sensory registers, working memory, also known as short-term memory, and long-term memory.
• Cognitive Neuroscience: Language Processing and Memory The statement that the left hemisphere controls language is wrong since the activity of the hemisphere is imbalanced.
• Jacob Lawrence’s Migration Series: a Pictorial Memory of Black America Summing up, Eliane Elmaleh analyzed the position of Jacob Lawrence by studying the narrative of “The Migration Series”.
• Genes and Epigenetic Regulation of Learning and Memory, Addiction, and Parkinson’s Disease A review is going to be done on scientific journals that touch on genes and epigenetic regulations of learning and memory, addiction, and Parkinson’s disease.
• The Nature of Memory and Its Practical Aspects The central theme of this article is to explain why, despite a number of experiments, the nature of memory remains poorly determined.
• Cognitive Psychology Discussion: Long-Term Memory The recollection of specific Bible quotes that are personally relevant and associated with past events in my life is another method.
• Representations and Productions of Memory Space Architecture and sculpture from a historical perspective serve as a powerful tool for exchanging memories and expectations among individuals with various outlooks on historical facts.
• Protein Phosphatase 1 Regulates the Histone Code for Long-Term Memory The article is a review of the research presented in “Protein Phosphatase 1 Regulates the Histone Code for Long-Term Memory” by Koshibu, K., et al.
• The Problem of Unreliability of Eyewitness Memory Eyewitness accounts tend to be valuable strengths of a case, but it is vital to question their credibility because of how memory functions and its associated problems.
• High Performance Flash Memory Solid State Disk Flash-based solid-state disks is a performance-based data storage technology that optimizes the use of flash-based technology compared with mechanically data storage technologies.
• Memory and Awareness: Training One’s Brain This paper considers that memorization is a natural phenomenon that one cannot prevent, but improve; and it is essential to understand which techniques work specifically for you.
• The Concept of Involuntary Memory in Proust’s Overture The concept of involuntary memory has been illustrated in Proust’s Overture. This is a depiction of the past memory in the life of the narrator
• Neuropsychological Assessment of Memory Difficulties Normally negative scores in regard to these assessments do not always mean the presence serious memory problems.
• Implicit Memory: Animal Observation The focal point of this paper is to enumerate the observation of an animal outside the class in relation to a concept of general psychology.
• Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory for Future MRAM allows a user to just turn on the computer to have the last session immediately available, even shutting down the computer does not wipe out any data.
• Memory and Eyewitness Identification When individuals have to choose from a lineup that consists of personalities with similar appearances, one is likely to point at the most familiar man or woman.
• Verifying the Accuracy of Witness Memory The purpose of the study was to develop a clear understanding of the ability of eyewitnesses to remember their self-made reports, concerning choice blindness.
• Historical Memory: The Tiananmen Incident in China The paper at hand is a case study that attempts to analyze the Tiananmen incident in China and its theoretical and practical implications.
• The Problem of Memory Blindness and Its Impact The purpose of the study is to examine “whether people would detect alterations to their memory reports and whether such alterations could influence participants’ memories”.
• Alzheimer’s Disease and Memory Dysfunction Alzheimer’s disease is an untreatable condition that destroys brain cells and nerves, thus afflicting many important memory functions.
• Learning, Memory and Sleep Connections There are numerous variables mediating the relationship between learning and memory. This paper will discuss the underlying connections between learning, memory and sleep.
• Visual Short-Term Memory Capacity and Encoding Rate The article explores distinct disparities in the pace of processing as compared to K scores of VSTM capacity. This paper will provide a brief summary of the article.
• Does Damage to Frontal Lobes Produce Impairment in Memory? The study was presented in a simple manner that helped the reader understand the controversy that has lingered over the role of the frontal lobes in memory.
• Sensory Perception and Memory Role in Its Processing Human beings make decisions depending on the sensory information that their brains interpret. Memory helps people to capture, analyze, and retrieve information.
• The Architectonics of Memory: On Built Form and Built Thought Architecture has generally been considered as the art of design and construction using unique techniques that are appealing to the eyes.
• Types of Memory and Its Functions There are certain differences between short-term and long-term types of memory that are based on specifics of the performed functions and processes.
• The Role of Memory Space, Its Representation and Production Memory space can be explained in terms of transformation processes of a given anthropic environment. This type of environment can be an urban small scale or urban great scale.
• The Relationship Between Ecstasy and Memory in the Human Body
• Various Training Methods Affect Different Parts of Working Memory
• Conscious Experience and Episodic Memory: Hippocampus at the Crossroads
• Memory Therapy for Adults Post Traumatic Brain Injury
• Music and Its Impact on the Memory of Teenagers & Young Adults
• The Correlation Between Sleep Deprivation and Memory Impairment
• Personal Identity and the Role of Memory
• The Hormonal Zeitgeber Melatonin: Role as a Circadian Modulator in Memory Processing
• Memory Loss and Cognitive Impairment of the Elderly
• The Productivity and Effectiveness of Memory
• Analysis Short Term Memory and Long Term Memory
• The Correlation Between Confidence and Memory Process
• Sleep Microstructure and Memory Function
• Memory Formation and Its Effects on the Nervous System
• The Relationship Between Rem Sleep and Memory
• Developing Procedural vs. Declarative Memory
• Muscle Memory and Its Effect on the Brain
• The Short Term Memory Loss
• Disproving the Myth of the Faults of Human Memory
• Analysis of Cognitive Load, Memory, and Emotions
• Treating Verbal Working Memory in a Boy With Intellectual Disability
• Short-Term Memory: The Second Stage in Memory Processing
• The Factors That Contribute or Affect Memory Retention
• What Role Does Sleep Play On Memory Formation?
• Cultural Practices for Memory and Learning
• The Collective Memory and Zionist’s Reconstruction of the Past
• Classical Music and Enhance Short Term Memory
• Alzheimer’s Disease and Its Effects on Memory
• Bounded Memory and Biases in Information Processing
• Analysis of Visual Change Blindness and Memory
• Visuo-Haptic Exploration for Multimodal Memory
• Music Affecting the Memory of Alzheimer’s Patients
• The Human Mind: The Nature of Memory, Perception and the Theory of Mind
• Traumatic Memory and the Development of Self
• Prospective Memory, Personality, and Individual Differences
• The Three Main Components of Human Memory
• Visual Working Memory Continues to Develop Through Adolescence
• Dementia and Its Connection With Memory Loss
• Sleep Dependent Memory and Its Effect on Children
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Memory Deficit
• Serotonin, Neural Markers, and Memory
• Reversing Memory Deficits Inflicted by Alzheimer’s Disease
• Allocentric Spatial Learning and Memory Deficits in Down Syndrome
• The Effect Stress Has on Working Memory
• Can Concussions and Head Injuries Affect Memory?
• Analyzing the Human Memory Organization
• Asymmetry and Long Memory in Volatility Modeling
• Does Females Have Better Memory Recall Than Males?
• How Can the Use of Mental Images Help Us to Improve Our Memory?
• How Does Sleep Affect Memory Consolidation?
• How Font and Memory Are Connected in Psychology?
• What Role Does Memory Play in Kant’s Account of the Idea of Succession?
• What Are the Cellular and Molecular Underpinnings of Memory?
• What Is the Difference Between Recall Memory and Recognition Memory?
• What Is the Relationship Between Ecstasy and Memory in the Human Body?
• How Has CMOS Memory Changed Over the Years?
• How Technology Can Boost Student Memory?
• How Typeface and Memory Space Are Connected in Mindset?
• How VxWorks Handles Process Scheduling and Memory Management in Comparison to QNX?
• What Are Signs of Memory Problems?
• Can Memory Problems Be Cured?
• What Is Adaptive Value of Memory Loss?
• What Causes Memory Loss During Pregnancy?
• What Are the Strategies for Improving Working Memory?
• What Is the Biological and Psychological Basis of Learning and Memory?
• What Does the Term the Collective Societal Memory of the World War II Mean?
• What Is the Phonological Similarity Effect in Working Memory?
• What Is the Relationship Between Working Memory Capacity and Vocabulary Learning?
• What Are the Declarative and Non Declarative Memory Devices?
• What Is the Description and Evaluation of the Multi Store Model of Memory?
• How To Improve Multimodality in the Memory Artifact?
• What Is Correlation Between Mental Health and Memory?

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These essay examples and topics on Memory were carefully selected by the StudyCorgi editorial team. They meet our highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, and fact accuracy. Please ensure you properly reference the materials if you’re using them to write your assignment.

This essay topic collection was updated on June 24, 2024 .

A Lifetime Of Memories A Walk Down Memory Lane Basket Of Memories Building Special Memories Down Memory Lane I Love Remembering I Remember When Magical Memories Making Memories Memories  Memories Are Like Keepsakes, Always Treasured Memories Are Made Of This Memories Are Stitched With Love Memories Can Happen Anywhere Memories In The Making Memory Lane Moments In Time Moms Make Memories My Memories Are The Library Of My Life. Picture Perfect Memories Precious Memories Thanks For The Memories We Do Not Remember Days, We Remember Moments We Live As Long As We Are Remembered. You Must Remember This Each memory we keep with care means future happiness to share. Life brings simple pleasures to us every day. It is up to us to make them wonderful memories. You can clutch the past so tightly to your chest that it leaves your arms too full to embrace the present.  (C) Copyright 2004 - 2019 by The Perfect Title (A Division of Preschool Education ) Please Visit Our Other Websites: Preschool Education , Preschool Coloring Book , Preschool Printables , Ask The Preschool Teacher , Lehigh Valley Kids , and Holidays For Everyday Best Childhood Memories Essay Ideas: 94 Narrative Topics [2024] Many people believe that childhood is the happiest period in a person’s life. It’s not hard to see why. Kids have nothing to care or worry about, have almost no duties or problems, and can hang out with their friends all day long. An essay about childhood gives an opportunity to plunge into your memories. All you need to do is recollect those happy days and write a brilliant essay! In this article by Custom-Writing.org , you’ll find great tips and topic ideas to kickstart the process. 🔝 Top 10 Topics 💡 Coming Up with Ideas 🧸 Childhood Memories Essay Topics ✍️ Writing Examples & Guide 🔍 References 🔝 Top 10 Childhood Topics to Write About Your favorite holiday memory. Your brightest memories of winter. Your earliest school memory. Your first visit to a farm. What was your favorite toy? Do you remember your granny’s kitchen? Your childhood memories of your parents. Your best childhood friend. Things that you initially disliked at school. Experiments with physics in childhood. 💡 Coming Up with Childhood Memories Essay Ideas Perhaps you got lost in your memories and cannot choose the best one to describe in your essay. Or maybe you have a bad memory and cannot recollect something specific to write about. If that’s the case, here are some recommendations for you. Childhood Memories List: How to Write Don’t know where to start? Try creating a list of your memories to decide which ones you need for your paper. There are our top tips on making a childhood memories list: Write down everything that comes to your mind. What are some significant memories from your childhood? Every little experience starting with your earliest memory matters. Of course, you don’t need all of this information for your essay. Still, it will help your brain to start working in the right direction. Try to focus on specific things such as holidays, trips, or food. Everybody’s favorite childhood memories are often connected with them. Remarkable events also might include school, neighborhood, hometown, presents you received, and your achievements. Nostalgia is your best friend in this case. Divide your memories into categories. Good childhood experiences such as receiving a dream present or adopting a pet belong to one category. Life-changing events, key achievements, and unfortunate accidents can go into other categories. Try not to avoid bad childhood memories. It’s not the most pleasant thing in this task. But sometimes, writing about bad situations or challenges is a good strategic decision for your paper. It can also help your personal growth. How to Remember Childhood Memories What is your earliest memory? A frightening fall down the stairs? Or perhaps blowing candles on your second birthday? Whatever the content, it is probably short and vague. When we grow older, our recollections of early childhood become fragmentary . In fact, a profound memory loss occurs, which psychologists call infantile amnesia (you can learn more about it from the article “ New perspectives on childhood memory ”). Memories formed during early childhood are more fragile than those formed later in life. That’s why it’s a great idea to write down our childhood recollections. This way, they’ll stay with us even after they lose their rich vividness and start to fade altogether. Naturally, you can’t keep everything in your head. Some childhood memories will stay with you forever, while others vanish during your teenage years. Remembering something you have forgotten is not an easy task. Here’s a way out: use this checklist to recall your childhood experiences: 🎵 Use what works better for you: 🧸 They don’t need to be unique or valuable. Look for the things that can tell you a story. It can be: 🤔 Talk with your parents, siblings, or best friends. They can lead you the way. Try to ask specific questions, so it will be easier for them to help you. Also, don’t be afraid to contact your old friends. 📝 It is better to place everything in chronological order. Include the following: Feeling completely out of ideas? Or maybe you can’t think of a specific topic? Keep reading to learn how to generate new ideas and write a great childhood memories essay. 🧸 Childhood Memory Essays Topics List Favorite childhood memory ideas. Meeting Santa at a mall A gift you’ve created yourself First time you stayed up all night Your first visit to an amusement park Your favorite children’s book or comic Your best childhood camping memory The craziest fact you’ve learned as a child Memory about winning a school competition What was the most fun school assignment? Your favorite food at the elementary school cafeteria Early Childhood Memories Essay Topics Kindergarten is often the place where kids start socializing for the first time. Think about your experiences with friends and teachers, as well as with your family. These topic ideas will help you get on the right track: The first day in kindergarten. Kindergarten is a new world for a child. It has an unfamiliar environment, new people, and rules. This essay can aim at discussing feelings and expectations that accompany a child on their first day. Describe the first pet you had in early childhood. Almost all families have a pet that they love. Often pets are given to children as presents. This essay can relate the best moments spent with a pet when you were little. A relative who was closest to you in early childhood. Every child has a family member with whom they enjoy spending time. It could easily be a parent, a grandparent, a sibling , or perhaps an uncle. Write about exciting moments related to your beloved relatives. Your first childhood hobby. Most people had hobbies when they were kids. This initial interest sometimes determines one’s future occupation. Here, you can describe the activities you used to do as a little child. Focus on the events associated with your first hobby. Festive events in kindergarten. During the whole year, people celebrate many holidays. Naturally, kindergartens hold festive events to amuse children. This essay can portray the unforgettable celebrations in kindergarten. Describe family gatherings from your childhood. A typical day in your kindergarten. What’s the first birthday celebration you remember? Activities or games in kindergarten. Your first Halloween costume. Things that you didn’t like in kindergarten. Write about your relationship with nature in early childhood. Describe a performance you took part in when you were little. What was the best teacher in your kindergarten like? Discuss the book or story you loved the most in early childhood. Elementary School Memories Essay Topics Would you like to look back at your elementary school days? This section is just what you need. Check out these ideas and get inspired: How you met your first teacher. Teachers lead children through a complicated yet exciting path. That’s why we all remember our teachers, especially the first day of meeting them. This essay can recount the brightest moments associated with this event. Additionally, you might describe the teacher’s appearance and personality . The most challenging lesson in elementary school. You can probably recall numerous lessons from your school years. This essay can aim at describing positive and negatives aspects of studies, as well as your favorite classes. Memories about extracurricular activities in school. It could be sports, artistic pursuits, or activities related to specific subjects. Describe your personal preferences and say who inspired you to start doing them. Celebration events at school. Celebrations create the brightest and most joyful memories. In this essay, you can share personal experiences about such events, be it school performances, shows, or games. Who was your best school teacher? Describe the personalities of your favorite teachers and explain why you liked them. Write about a person who helped with school lessons. What did your first school building look like? Describe what you daydreamed about in school. Wonderful hikes or trips organized by the school. What were your plans for the future growing up? Write about going to a museum with your class. Memories of participation in school sports activities. Recall your participation in writing for a school newspaper. Did you take part in any important school activities or events? Happy Childhood Memories Essay Topics When writing about your childhood, you’d probably prefer recalling happy events rather than sad ones. But what if you don’t know which pleasant memory to choose? This list will help you make up your mind! The best birthday party ever. Recall the most exciting details associated with it. For example, describe some beautiful presents and a celebratory atmosphere. The day you’ve met your first love . Write about the impressions, feelings, and the most treasured memories associated with that day. Recall the best day spent with your childhood friend. Recount the activities and events that made you happy. The most significant achievement in childhood. Recall your achievements connected with the studies, sports, or arts. You can start by describing the task you’ve had, explain its importance, and thank the people who helped you. The day you made somebody happy . This essay can describe the instances where you helped others. What were your motivations, and why did it make you happy? Describe the best school gathering you can remember. Schools often organize parties where students can have fun. This essay can recount the circumstances and special moments related to such a party. Recall a fictional character you liked the most in childhood. Write about the best present you gave to someone when you were little. Describe the best surprise made by friends or relatives in childhood. The most wonderful journey or trip in childhood. A sad event that changed things for the better. What were the happiest summer holidays in your childhood like? Chronicle the day when your childhood dream came true. Write about your childhood fear and how you overcame it. Tell about getting a good grade for an important assignment. Describe the first home where your family lived. Funny Childhood Memories Essay Ideas Writing about a funny event is perhaps the best option you can choose. You’ll enjoy describing it, and your readers will appreciate you for making them laugh! Here are some prompts to kickstart the creative process. Recollect your childhood actions that make your relatives laugh. Children often behave in interesting, comical, and amusing ways. This essay can detail some fun moments that your parents remember. Amusing and funny moments in your favorite cartoons. You probably remember many great cartoons from your childhood. What made them funny? Do you still find them entertaining? The funniest pranks you did at school. If you were a mischievous child, this topic is for you. Recall various funny, elaborate, or even failed pranks you did at school. Describe the first time you rode a bicycle. Learning to ride a bike is a staple of many childhoods. It’s challenging, but once you master it, you will never forget how to ride it! What tricks used to help you pass difficult exams? Usually, students make cribs or copy someone else’s answers. You can describe more creative ways of passing exams. Poking fun at younger siblings. If you have brothers and sisters, you probably tease each other. How do you feel about such activities? Do you both have a good laugh, or did somebody get upset? Playing superheroes in childhood. Many children have favorite superheroes such as Batman, Spiderman, Ironman, and others. What were your personal favorites? Did you try to imagine you have superpowers? Describe the most ridiculous haircut you’ve had when you were little. Funny moments with your school teachers. Did you have an imaginary friend? What were they like? Trying to cook in childhood. What tricks did you use to hide bad marks from your parents? Attempts to renovate your childhood room. Childhood Christmas Memories Topics Christmas is the favorite holiday of many children. Were you one of them? Choose your essay title from this list on Christmas memories: What is the best Christmas present from your childhood? Describe the present, the wrapping, and your emotions related to it. Why did you want it so much? You can also try to remember where this present is now. Describe a family Christmas trip that you enjoyed the most as a child. Answer the following questions. What were the new places you have seen? What were the new people you met? How much time did you spend there? Did you feel homesick? What did you feel when you returned home? What was your favorite pastime during the Christmas holidays in childhood? For example, you can write about watching cartoons or playing with your siblings. Or maybe you enjoyed winter sports and walking with your friends. Was Christmas your favorite holiday in childhood? Explain why or why not. Create a list of the things that you did and didn’t enjoy. You can also compare Christmas with other holidays. Find several arguments to defend your opinion. Describe the best Christmas present you gave somebody in childhood. It can be something you made yourself or bought. Explain why you chose this gift and what was the recipient’s reaction. What did you want to show with this present? Was it your idea to give it? How did you choose it? Answer these questions in your essay. What are your favorite Christmas memories ? You have a wide choice here. You can describe family get-togethers, receiving or giving presents, eating sweets, or having fun while resting from school. Describe your favorite childhood Christmas photo. Explain why it is so valuable to you. Define the people or objects in the picture. Try to remember who took it and what camera was they used. Also, provide some information about the time and place. Write about your family’s Christmas traditions. Describe your favorite Christmas decorations in childhood. When was the time you stopped believing in Santa Claus? What was your favorite Christmas movie in childhood? Write about the Christmas dishes did you enjoy the most as a child. What was your favorite Christmas TV special ? What were your favorite Christmas songs when you were little? Describe the perfect Christmas Eve of your childhood. Tell about the friends you liked to invite to your Christmas parties. These recollections can form a great foundation for your essay. Because childhood is often the best time in a person’s life, writing essays on your childhood experiences can be a real pleasure. If you try to be creative and choose a unique topic, you are sure to succeed in writing an impressive essay. ✍️ “My Childhood Memories” Essay Writing Guide Writing about your childhood is an exciting assignment that has some peculiarities. Let’s explore some of them. Childhood Memories Essay: Dos and Don’ts Your main task is to make the reader feel like they’ve experienced the memory you described. There are certain elements that you can include in your essay to make it stand out. Similarly, some things are better to avoid. ✔️ Dos ❌ Don’ts Keep these things in mind, and you will surely write a perfect composition. Childhood Memories Essay: Step by Step Follow these steps of the essay writing process, and you will see that writing a good essay on your childhood memories is not as challenging as it may seem. Narrative Essay on Childhood Memories: Outline Every essay must have a proper structure. That’s why it’s useful to make a short outline before you start writing. It will keep you from losing your way as you write your essay. It also saves you time! If you have a plan, you won’t miss any important points in your essay. Your paper should include: ✔️ Introduction ✔️ Body Paragraphs Structure them this way: : express the paragraph’s main point in one statement. : use vivid language and sensory details to depict the memory. : provide some specific examples to make the impression stronger. : tell your reader why your point matters. ✔️ Conclusion After you’ve finished writing, revise and edit your essay . Make sure your paragraphs are written in a logical order. Read your essay aloud so that you can see how it flows and determine where you need to improve it. Try our memory-activating prompts and follow these writing tips to compose your perfect childhood memories essay! If you’re not sure that you can write a good paper on your own, you can always ask our experts to help you out. Further reading: School Days Essay: How to Describe a Memorable Event Growing Up Essay: Great Ideas for Your College Assignment Writing Essay about Someone Who has Made an Impact on Your Life Excellent Remembering a Person Essay: Free Writing Guidelines Life Experience Essay: How to Write a Brilliant Paper 🔗 References The Fate of Childhood Memories: Children Postdated Their Earliest Memories as They Grew Older Can You Trust Your Earliest Childhood Memories?: BBC How to Start Writing Your Own Childhood Memories for Posterity: HobbyLark 650 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing: The New York Times Bright Side Readers Shared 14 Childhood Stories and We Plunged Into Their Memories Together: Brightside Great Questions: StoryCorps Introductions and Conclusions: University of Toronto Make a List: Childhood Memories: Practical Parenting Tips to Retrieve Old Memories: Harvard University Make the Most of Your Memory: 10 Tips for Writing About Your Life: Writer’s Digest Childhood Christmas Memories: DNA Explained What Do Your Earliest Childhood Memories Say about You?: The Conversation Can’t Remember Your Childhood? What Might Be Going On: Healthline Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to LinkedIn Share to email Just when you think you’re way past the question “How to write an essay?” another one comes. That’s the thing students desperately Google: “What is an informative speech?” And our custom writing experts are here to help you sort this out. Informative speaking is a speech on a completely new issue.... Literature courses are about two things: reading and writing about what you’ve read. For most students, it’s hard enough to understand great pieces of literature, never mind analyzing them. And with so many books and stories out there, choosing one to write about can be a chore. But you’re in... In school and college, you will be required to write research papers. Yes — papers in the plural. And that’s the first reason you may want to turn to Custom Writing and seek help with research projects. When assigned a paper, the very first undertaking is to choose from a... The success of any college essay depends on the topic choice. If you want to impress your instructors, your essay needs to be interesting and unique. Don’t know what to write about? We are here to help you! In this article by our Custom-Writing.org team, you will find 335 interesting... Social studies is an integrated research field. It includes a range of topics on social science and humanities, such as history, culture, geography, sociology, education, etc. A social studies essay might be assigned to any middle school, high school, or college student. It might seem like a daunting task, but... If you are about to go into the world of graduate school, then one of the first things you need to do is choose from all the possible dissertation topics available to you. This is no small task. You are likely to spend many years researching your Master’s or Ph.D.... Looking for a good argumentative essay topic? In need of a persuasive idea for a research paper? You’ve found the right page! Academic writing is never easy, whether it is for middle school or college. That’s why there are numerous educational materials on composing an argumentative and persuasive essay, for... Persuasive speech is the art of convincing the audience to understand and trust your opinion. Are you ready to persuade someone in your view? Our list of sports persuasive speech topics will help you find a position to take and defend. If you need more options quick, apart from contents... When you look for a good research paper topic, you can easily become the severest critic of any proposed idea. Some topics do not interest you at the very least, while others might shock your teachers. Where is the golden mean? Check out this list of top 100 research paper... Can there possibly be anything fun about academic writing? It seems there is – what are all those fun persuasive speech topics then for, after all? However, creating a bunch of good topics might seem hard the first time around. No need to worry though – there’s always plenty of... A persuasive speech on any topic is a performance designed to convince people about something and prove your point. Choosing a suitable topic is crucial for your speech’s success. Do you need some help with finding easy topics for a persuasive speech? Then check these fantastic and easy ideas from... Do you know the secret place where people go to get their good informative speech topics? Looking for an interesting topic for speech? Congratulations, because you’ve just found it! So, if you’re ready to get some really good topics for an informative speech, all you need to do is to... This is so helpful. I am very happy now, thank you so much😁. This is soooo helpful, thank you! Very helpful. Thank you very much. It was exactly what I was looking for, thank you I had to write If you had a time machine where would you go and what would you do and who do you talk to? So I wanted to write about childhood But I couldn’t find that I wanted I liked your explanation of essay writing. Thank you! That’s very helpful. Thank you so much. Very good topics This post has good memorable ideas. Entertainment Environment Information Science and Technology Social Issues Home Essay Samples Life Childhood Memories A Story From My Childhood: A Cherished Memory Table of contents, the magic of a rainy day, the birth of a masterpiece, a symphony of laughter, in retrospect, in conclusion. *minimum deadline Cite this Essay To export a reference to this article please select a referencing style below Everyday Dangers Related Essays Need writing help? You can always rely on us no matter what type of paper you need *No hidden charges 100% Unique Essays Absolutely Confidential Money Back Guarantee By clicking “Send Essay”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement. We will occasionally send you account related emails You can also get a UNIQUE essay on this or any other topic Thank you! We’ll contact you as soon as possible. Home / Essay Samples / Life / Experience / Memories Memories Essay Examples A serene getaway: exploring the beauty of beaches. Round and around the tuk tuk drives through the serpentine steep road and on either side of the road a breathtaking vista is a treat to many eyes. Turquoise water, golden sand, palm trees contributing to the greenery along with astounding tall buildings, the landscape... My First Time Moving - Change Essay Moving can be a scary experience, especially for me because moving requires change and at the time I didn't like change very much. One of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do was accept that we were moving. That is why I decided to... Tell Us Your Family Story: the Memory for Your Ancestors As home assignment we had to write 'Tell us your story essay' as every person has at least one story to share. My story is actually known by a lot of people. You ever heard of the Hatfield and McCoy feud or war? Well either... Missing School Days: Back to School No matter how much you say you hate school, you'll always miss it when you Leave'. When ex-students said this to me while I was at school I laughed at them. However, today I would love to go back to school and enjoy those carefree... A Life-changing Encounter: Personal Experience I chose to write about my most memorable experience essay as I have what to say. So, my most memorable experience was when I rode the world’s tallest swing ride. A swing ride is a huge swing and carousel that sways your seat outward. This... Childhood Memories: a Treasure Trove of Life's Sweetest Moments When recalling my childhood memories, there are many stories. Some of them makes me happy but some of them are not good ones. In my childhood memories essay I will try to retel some of these childhood memories.  Memories and experiences are a vital component... Our Life is in Our Hands Can you remember what you wanted to be when you were 17? I wanted to be a pilot, a rock climber or a skydiver. It was all about the freedom; the wind in your hair, life in your hands, ground under your feet freedom. A... A Moment of Bliss: Recalling My Best Memory We are often asked about our best memories from life to be shared among friends so we can smile and have a good time together. When we are prepared and recollect the fun times we had we only get a few chunks collected from a... My Sacred Favorite Place At my grandparent’s place whenever I had free time there was always a place I would love to go. When I didn’t have free time, I would try to go there anyways with what I was working on. Nobody else knew where the spot was,... Memories, Shaping My Own Impressions I’ve always looked at my memories and recollection of events as a stream of equally important parts, that piece together a story. I'm unable to choose one memory or event that changed my views on a cultural level. I can’t see them, alone, to be... Trying to find an excellent essay sample but no results? Don’t waste your time and get a professional writer to help! You may also like 20 Years From Now Why i want to be a Nurse Essays Personal Experience Essays Why is College Important Essays Why did you Choose Nursing Essays Ignorance Essays Deja Vu Essays Volunteering Essays Success Essays Professionalism Essays Kindness Essays samplius.com uses cookies to offer you the best service possible.By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .--> -->