This article is about writing a premise for your memoir, but the same steps can be used to create a fiction premise. The only difference is in fiction you have a main protagonist and in a memoir, that protagonist is you.

Before you start down the path of writing your book’s outline, or spewing out your first draft, you’re better off writing a premise.

What is a premise? It’s just a one sentence summary of your idea, and is an opportunity to solidify the main thrust of your book.

When you create a premise it’ll help to focus your thoughts and act as a compass to keep you going in the right direction. Without it, you’ll be in danger of losing your way and meandering off track down tangents that don’t contribute to moving the story forward.

Creating your Premise

WHO is your main character?

• In a memoir this main character is always you, but for the purposes of your premise, write in the 3rd person and describe yourself at the main character.
• Here’s a few examples: A successful corporate executive; an independent corporate cube dweller; a confident Hollywood executive.

WHAT are you trying to achieve?

• Your memoir is about a specific experience.
• Example: Marion Roach Smith’s memoir is about how she learned to cope with her mother’s dementia. Jack Scott’s memoir is about a gay couple living in a muslim country.

WHEN does your memoir take place?

• At this point you don’t have to know the exact dates and times of the events in your memoir, but you should have an idea of the broad timeline involved.

WHERE does your memoir take place?

• Are there key locations that play a pivotal role in your memoir?

WHAT are you trying to achieve?

• Do you have a goal in mind? A memoir is about a journey through your life, so what are you searching for or trying to achieve?

HOW will your memoir change you?

• A memoir by its very definition is a journey of how you got from Point A to Point Z, and your story has to show a transition.
• You’re a different person at the end of the memoir than you were at the start. Who were you at the beginning, and who will you become by the end?

When you craft an effective premise, you end up with a single sentence that convey your plot and theme. It may change multiple times throughout your outlining process, but that’s ok.

Start off by writing a general premise, and then work on it to develop a more specific version.

Here’s an example of my general premise:

• A Corporate Executive wants to give up her successful career to travel the world, but her husband has other ideas and breaks his promise to stick to a five-year plan, because he doesn’t want to leave Los Angeles. She discovers that you can’t please everyone if you want to follow your dreams.

Did you write a premise before you started writing your first draft?

#AuthorToolboxBlogHop

This post is part of the #AuthorToolboxBlogHop. It’s a monthly event sharing resources and learning for authors, which is held every third Wednesday of the month. All authors at all stages of their careers are welcome to participate. 

To continue hopping through other great blogs in the monthly #AuthorToolboxBlogHop or to join the monthly hop click here.

If you’re on the same path, and want to write your memoir and are looking for some inspiration (or can provide some inspiration), please join in the conversation in the comments section below and lets get our memoirs written.

Theme	Characters	Plot