Transitioning from event to event?

Pushingfordream · Feb 19, 2013

I am having a hard time transitioning from event to event in my memoir. I find myself talking about something for a paragragh then aburplty skipping to another thing. For example... When I started 7th grade... half way through seventh grade.... At the end of 7th grade. All the sentences seem to have a similar format or pattern.. While going in chronologic order I have to quickly skip from event to event, any advice on transitions and or books i should read to help me? I also start paragraphs with before/after alot. (I did not actual write what I wrote above haha)

Siri Kirpal · Feb 20, 2013

Sat Nam! (literally "Truth Name"--a Sikh greeting)

Two really good books for memoirists are Writing Life Stories by Bill Roorbach and Your Life as Story by Tristine Rainer.

BTW, all memoirs are autobiographic. Since you're doing age 0 to 16, it's a memoir. Autobiography is usually reserved for age 0 to the present.

Blessings,

Siri Kirpal

Siri Kirpal · Feb 20, 2013

Sat Nam! (Literally "Truth Name"--a Sikh greeting)

Oh, yes. Once you've reached 50 posts, you can post a chapter in the memoir section of Share Your Work. The password to get in is "vista." You can get into Share Your Work now and comment on other people's threads. (Unfortunately, we've only got old posts at the moment in the memoir section, so I don't recommend commenting there right now.) I recommend reading the stickies in Query Letter Hell, especially the Successful Queries thread.

Blessings,

Siri Kirpal

Laurie Champion · Feb 20, 2013

Pushingfordream said:
I am having a hard time transitioning from event to event in my memoir. I find myself talking about something for a paragragh then aburplty skipping to another thing. For example... When I started 7th grade... half way through seventh grade.... At the end of 7th grade. All the sentences seem to have a similar format or pattern.. While going in chronologic order I have to quickly skip from event to event, any advice on transitions and or books i should read to help me? I also start paragraphs with before/after alot. (I did not actual write what I wrote above haha)

I was taught to "cut to the chase." I have had the same problem but over the years I've gotten better and just doing it. just move the character. say stuff like, the next day. . . ." make the transitions short and smooth and just GO. Again, cut to the chase". Hope this helps. I once wrote a story where I almost literally described my character moving one foot after the other. I could not get her out of the kitchen and into the living room. sexist? lol

hope this helps!!

Transitioning from event to event?

Pushingfordream

Writing about life!

Siri Kirpal

Swan in Process

Siri Kirpal

Swan in Process

Laurie Champion