I’m excited to say that I have decided to start a Once-A-Week Memoir Writing Event on Monday, September 23, 2024. I’ll call the even Memoir Mondays or #MemoirMondays. I’ve tried doing the all-month, every-day events, but that is almost impossible for anyone participating, as well as for me. I’ve researched the area of memoir writing extensively, and I believe that most writers write about their own lives. I also believe that all of us can be enriched by looking at our own life’s stories.

“The past is never dead. It’s not even past.”

― William Faulkner, Requiem for a Nun

I have several free memoir-writing prompts to share, and I will also incrementally share how the great master Tomie dePaola turned the events of his own life into autobiographical picture books. After having studied Tomie dePaola’s life and his books, I believe that almost all of his books [over 250 picture books and collections of stories] can be linked to dePaola’s life.

The writing prompts for Memoir Mondays might help you look at your life more objectively. As you read what Tomie dePaola has written, you may be able to remember the stories of your own life and  begin to visualize how you might turn your stories into books.

You may or may not want to create a journal to house your memories. You can turn a cheap black and white composition into a journal–a fancy journal.

You might find some ideas in the following pages:

I am a big proponent of reading to improve one’s writing. When I read, I get many ideas for my own projects. Find a way to log and remember those ideas.