Plot A Memoir – Amy Lou Jenkins

Plot Your Memoir

Once you've decided which parts of your life you will write about in your memoir, you need to plot your memoir. In this post, we'll offer you a guide to plotting your memoir, from start to finish. By the end of this post, you'll be ready to start plotting your own story.

The Three-Act Structure

When it comes to memoir writing, one of the best tips is to plot your life story in a three-act structure. While this is not the only way to plot, the three-act structure will help you to organize your thoughts and events in a way that is easy for readers to follow and the writer to structure.

first act

In the first act, about the first 25% of the memoir, you will need to introduce your characters and setting. The reader will understand the struggle and the stakes. The reader will understand the world of the story and will be engaged in the events which supply obstacles to the protagonist's goal.

second act

In the second act is where conflict and complications arise. This 50% of the story begins and ends in crisis. Throughout the memoir, provide a chain of cause-and-effect actions, with each action inspiring subsequent actions until a story resolves. At the end of the second act, some complication or crisis looms large and the reader wonders how the protagonist will reach her goals.

third act

The third act contains the climax and resolution of the story and fills about 25% of the memoir. The situation and the protagonist have changed, and the journey offers the fulfillment of the contract with the reader and lessons for the reader. These lessons are not lessons given like a sermon, but an experience that the reader has learned alongside the protagonist. By plotting and fulfilling your reader’s expectations (with surprises), you will be able to create a well-rounded and engaging memoir that readers will enjoy.

The inciting incident

The inciting incident is the event that sets the story in motion. This event makes the protagonist realize that their life is about to change. For memoir writers, the inciting incident is often a turning point in their life. This event makes them realize that they needed to make a change.

inciting incident with example

The inciting incident is usually the first big step on the protagonist's journey. It should happen early in the memoir. For example, let's imagine we are helping a lawyer structure her memoir about becoming a lawyer to help the underprivileged. Our protagonist tells the story that motivated her to become a defense lawyer. Her innocent mother went to prison because of a poor legal defense. The first act describes the action in scenes and the effect on her as she grew up with an incarcerated mother. In addition to scenes, she includes her responses to what happened. How she felt and how the feelings and events affected her world; skillful writing is showing, but it is also telling.

how to end the first act

The first act might end when the protagonist finally makes it to law school when she is 38 years old and has three children under ten. Her husband dies during her first month of law school (This crisis comes at the end of the first act.) Notice the first act won't include all the life details: this will be the story of becoming a practicing lawyer. The characters, settings, and events will be described within the action and the protagonist's reactions and analysis. The reader will want to know what happened to the mother as well as how a single mom with three kids finished law school. A good memoirist will use these unknowns to keep the reader turning pages.

The Rising Action

While plotting, determine the main events in your life and decide how they fit together to create a cohesive narrative. The rising action is the part of your story where you build up to the main conflict or climax. This is where you introduce your readers to the characters and setting and start to introduce the main conflict. You want to keep the reader engaged during the rising action so that they invest and engage in the outcome of your story. To do this, you can use suspenseful techniques such as cliffhangers or foreshadowing. Who and what is in the way of the protagonist’s goals? Keep the reader guessing as to what will happen next in your story, and make sure to pay off any loose ends by the end of the book.

The climax

The climax of a memoir is the most exciting, intense, and emotional part of the story. To write a successful memoir, it is important to know how to plot your life story. The climax should be the culmination of all the conflicts and challenges you have faced throughout your life. It should be the moment when you overcame your greatest obstacle or achieved your biggest accomplishment.

To write a successful memoir, you need to be able to identify the climax of your story. Think about the moments in your life when you felt the most alive, the most challenged, and the proudest. These are the moments that will make up the climax of your memoir.

For example, our lawyer's second act might end when one of her first cases involves defending a mom of three. The stakes would be high as the protagonist works to free her client and considers her mother's case and what is at stake for the children. We might imagine the climax as the afternoon when our lawyer successfully defends her client, with her client’s children, her children, and her mother in the courtroom.

The Resolution

Our third act begins with the pre-climax. In our example, the lawyer's reason for law school is to help others, so the tension is high as the case plays out. There would be layers to this story. The memoir resolves as the practicing lawyer concludes the case and considers the fierceness of motherhood-which could be a theme for this memoir.

The events in the memoir should revolve around the memoirist. The life events of the mother and client should be wrapped up in the resolution. To plot your life story, start by brainstorming a list of noteworthy events from your protagonist's life. Then, arrange these events in chronological order and flesh out the details. You may also want to include subplots and secondary characters to add depth and interest to the story. When writing your memoir, stay true to your protagonist's voice and perspective. This will help make your memoir more personal and relatable. You may decide to tell the protagonist's story in chronological order, yet tell the story of the mother in flashbacks, as Strayed did in Wild.

The supporting cast

The supporting cast of your memoir is just as important as the protagonist. They provide the foil to your protagonist’s journey and supply depth to the plot. Here are six tips on how to plot your life story with a supporting cast in mind:

1. Establish who your supporting cast is early on.
2. Illustrate their distinct personalities and traits.
3. Make sure they play an active role in your story.
4. Use them to further the plot and add conflict.
5. Don’t forget to wrap up their storylines at the end.

One more thing

6. Exploit your theme with your supporting cast. In our example, this would include the lawyer, the mother, and her client. If your theme were the fierceness of motherhood, all these characters could illustrate the tenaciousness of motherhood throughout your memoir.

Plot your memoir and write your life story. No one else can do it. It’s your story to write.

Consider more elements essential to your memoir.