Denis Ledoux’s book Turning Memories into Memoir (1993) is subtitled, a Handbook for Writing Lifestories. Ironically I first used it not for my own writing, but for a workshop on the Genogram, which is a very elaborate family tree holding not only births, deaths, marriages, and relations, but graduations, illnesses, divorces, first jobs, travel, any family photographs you can get your hands on, a full timeline of relationships and lots more in the historical and cultural tapestry of your life.
As the workshop facilitator, I created my own genogram in preparation and use in the weeks we met. As often happens, I learned lots more as I ‘taught.’ The blueprint for my memoir, Thinking of Miller Place: A Memoir of Summer Comfort was laid out in that genogram.
If you don’t know where to start your own memoir, get a hold of this book.
