Mixed-Genre Memoirs

Read Them/ Write Them

Many memoir writers work in mixed genres, using their unique voices, skills, and perspectives to explore a depth of topics with a wide expression of creativity.

Mega Chops

Writers with mega chops don’t need to leave any literary tools unutilized. In an interview with The Paris Review, Mary Karr notes, “I’m a poet, and poetry can be elliptical and fragmentary, but the nature of a memoir, the arc of the story, requires you to say what happened, to move from point A to point B.” By using prose, poets can offer more narrative structure and detail to their personal stories.

Another reason poets may be drawn to creative nonfiction is the ability to explore a wider range of topics and themes. Poets may argue this point. Perhaps the difference is in the constraints. Mark Doty, for example, has written about art, music, and travel in his nonfiction works. In an interview with Ploughshares, he notes, “I wanted to write about all the things I was interested in and that interested me, without the constraints of genre. I’ve always thought of myself as a writer, not just as a poet or essayist or whatever."

Texture in Mixed-Genre Memoir

Claudia Rankine writes without discernible restrictions. In her book Citizen: An American Lyric, Rankine blends poetry, prose, and visual art to explore the experience of being a person of color in America. In an interview with The Paris Review, Rankine explains that she uses multiple genres to reflect the complexity of her experiences as a Black woman in America: “For me, the intersection between genres is where the most compelling work happens. It’s where the texture of the experience is most accurately conveyed."

In addition to exploring personal experiences and a wider range of topics, poets may find that creative nonfiction offers them a platform to engage with social and political issues. Eula Biss, for example, has written about race, vaccination, and the concept of “safety” in her nonfiction works. In an interview with The Rumpus, she notes, “I was interested in looking at some of the ideas that are central to our culture—like safety, for example—in a more critical way."

“Writing poetry is like trying to capture a butterfly with a straitjacket. But with more crying."

Chen Chen

Chen Chen, a Chinese American poet and essayist, is known for his exploration of identity and the complexities of family relationships in both his poetry and nonfiction. In an interview with Poets & Writers, Chen explains that his nonfiction writing is a way to explore the stories of his family and the Chinese diaspora, which he feels are often underrepresented in literature. He notes, “My mother’s side of the family has a rich history of migration, so there’s a lot of material there. And yet, there’s very little writing about the Chinese diaspora."

Chen also keens, “Writing poetry is like trying to capture a butterfly with a straitjacket. But with more crying."

Every Memoir is an Emotional Journey/ Mixed Genre or Not

With some combination of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, these writers explore a wide range of topics and experiences. As Mary Karr notes, “Both poetry and memoir depend on a focus experience and filtering it through an individual sensibility.” Both need bold honesty and self-disclosure. Writers work to develop meaning with layers of time, reflection, and the genres the artist chooses to best take the reader on an emotional journey of discovery.