Signs of Grace

by Brenda Knepper

Unlike writing an autobiography that covers your life from beginning to end, memoir writing consists of individual memories from your life. You can start at any place or moment in your life and write about a person, idea, event . . . you can choose something that you keep being drawn back to, or you can use the suggestions below to see if you can discover a story in a subject or idea that you would normally pay no attention to.

These memoir prompts will give you a topic or idea from your life to write about and get your creativity flowing. You can spend a quick 15 minutes on a topic, or spend several hours and develop a polished essay. You can use these when writing in your journal or blog.

Be as descriptive as possible and remember the basic elements of a story — character, point of view, setting, plot, theme, conflict, resolution — even if you are writing only a short essay. You will find a power in writing something that readers can sense, hear, touch, see, smell, taste. They will live the experience with you.

Describe the earliest memory you have of your mother or father.

What skill have you mastered that you are most proud of?

How did you meet your first best friend?

Write about the furthest you’ve been from home.

Recall a joyous moment and what brought it about.

What would have happened if you didn’t take your first job?

What are the attributes that make you uniquely you?

Recall a time when you felt betrayed by someone.

If you could change a decision you made, which one would it be
and where would that have taken you?

How would you like to be remembered?

Describe in detail a small loss that occurred in your life.

Recall someone that you met in passing and describe what it
would have been like to form a close friendship.

Describe clothing that you feel the most comfortable in.

Describe when you first felt like you were growing up and becoming an adult.

What was the most memorable sentence anyone has ever said to you?

You can revisit these prompts at any time — even choose the same prompt, but a different moment from your life, to write about.

Copyright 2009, Brenda Knepper. All rights reserved.