How to Write Memoir Using a 3-Act Structure
When it comes to writing memoir, where you begin isn’t always where you end up. I find this rather comforting, like watching a river rush around rocks and tumble down waterfalls, always finding its way to the sea.
I believe there are myriad ways to write memoir.
I also believe that your book already has a structure waiting to be found.
Today we’re talking about…
The 3-act structure approach to writing memoir
What to include in each section of your book
Another idea I find comforting: Our job isn’t to force a story into a prescribed form, but to allow the shape to reveal itself as we write. And write. And write. (Can’t get around that one, I’m afraid.)
Since I don’t believe in a single structure as the holy grail, you might be wondering why we’re talking about the 3-act structure today. Although I don’t believe this form is right for every book, using it as a tool to start and build momentum (something every memoirist needs, especially in the beginning) can be incredibly helpful.
Remember, where you start isn’t always where you end up.
When I sat down to outline my memoir in January 2020, I’d recently taken a writing class with Marion Roach Smith, a veteran journalist, memoir coach, and author of The Memoir Project. There’s a lot about her approach that appeals to me (which I break down below) but over the years I’ve also recognized the need to play.
Below, you’ll find a process you can use to set your book’s foundation, but it’s not a mandate. The more you write, the more you’ll sense whether or not the structure works for you permanently or not. If it does, great! If not, your first draft will lead you to the next one, and the next.
Memoir is all about one foot in front of the other.
Like I said, I believe your book already has a structure waiting to be uncovered, but when we don’t immediately know what it is, it can feel paralyzing to even begin. So let’s dive in and help anchor you on a way forward.
The 3-Part Structure Outline for Memoir
Aristotle once observed that a tragedy should have a beginning, middle, and end, and is often credited with inspiring our modern version of a 3-act structure, particularly in filmmaking where you follow a setup, confrontation, and resolution. Thousands of years later, here’s how Marion Roach Smith breaks down memoir:
Act 1: What’s at stake
Act 2: What you tried
Act 3: What worked
Simple and straightforward, right? And here’s where the essential scenes need to go.
End of Act 1: The a-ha moment. By the end of Act 1 the reader should have a clear idea of what’s at stake for the narrator and what they want.
Middle of Act 2: During Act 2 we follow the narrator to see what they tried to achieve. By the middle, there’s a crisis brought on by only doing the easy stuff. What’s the scene that flattens you? What’s the scene that brings you to your knees? By the end of Act 2, the narrator decides that yes, she’s willing to do the hard thing.
End of Act 3: This act shows the narrator doing the hard thing she avoided earlier on, ultimately proving her argument by the end of the book.
That’s it! This might not work for your book, but it’s something you can play around with to see if it feels like the right fit for your story.
