I encourage you to think of topics that are linked to current events in our country and your experience with them. You may wish to use this as an opportunity to reflect on your experiences and create a narrative about topics like:

• COVID-19/Quarantine
• Police brutality
• The Black Lives Matter movement
• Recent protests related to social justice and systemic racism
• The Supreme Court’s ruling on DACA
• The Supreme Court’s ruling to protect LGBTQ+ employees

You do not have to choose one of these topics—your memoir topic can be on just about any topic you wish as long as it is appropriate for the classroom (remember this will be shared with and reviewed by your peers). I have had many students write successful memoirs about childhood memories, their first day of college, moving into the dorms, a study abroad experience, or other memorable times with friends and family. Just remember that your memoir must have a plot, characters, conflict, and theme. It must also contain rich descriptive paragraphs and a clear lesson learned. Why was this such an important part of your life?

In your memoir, you are expected to:

• Choose a topic that is appropriate for academic memoir writing (remember that you will be sharing this with the entire class)
• Create a clear and cohesive plot with characters and a conflict that is overcome by your main character (you!)
• Use sharp details and vivid description (use all five senses when possible)
• Use Cisneros’ and Shteyngart’s pieces as a lens through which to write your own memoir
• Use your memoir to demonstrate a good understanding of this new writing situation
• Avoid clichés and stilted sentence structures and phrasing
• Use proper grammar, proofread closely, and polish your writing
• Create a strong, cohesive, and clear piece of writing
• Incorporate a lesson learned or moral to your story (theme)