Essay #1: My Memoir

In no fewer than 750 words, write memoir in which you focus on a complication you had to deal with.   Keep the time frame for the memoir within a span of no more than 24 hours.  Look, for example, at “Big Boy,” in which Sedaris writes a memoir about a complication in a time span of about 10 minutes.  Some possibilities might

• explore a relationship  with another member of your family, friends, community
• explore a relationship with someone at your job or at school

Develop your story by integrating the basic features of a memoir.  Remember, you’re telling a good story to your audience.  Know where you’re story is going so that each part leads up to, what Andrew Stanton called, your “punchline.”

Your memoir will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

1. How well the story integrated the basic features of a memoir
2. How the story used effective strategies, such as an effective tone, dialogue, and rich/vivid details
3. How well the story uses clear, coherent, and correct sentences