Relating to memoir is one of the reasons I've enjoyed reading other memoirs. I love knowing that my weird and terrible experiences aren't a solo adventure. I similarly love when others can relate to what I write, knowing the same is true. We are all in this weird life together. Thank you for sharing this.
this may sound stupid, but i'd like to know - what is the difference between a memoir and creative nonfiction? or are they one and the same? how would you describe each one? sorry and thanks 💗
Hi Anna, that's actually a great question. No need to apologize! Sometimes, the terms are used interchangeably, and different people have different definitions of the two categories. So this is just my take.
Creative nonfiction is a broader category that includes memoir, personal essays, literary journalism, and more—it’s any true story told with literary techniques.
Memoir, on the other hand, focuses on a particular theme, period, or experience in the author’s life. So, all memoirs are creative nonfiction, but not all creative nonfiction is memoir.
Another different, in my mind, is length. I typically think of memoir as being book-length, whereas creative nonfiction is often shorter pieces you might find in literary magazines. That said, there are definitely book-length works of creative nonfiction, and some personal essays can also be called short memoir.
I hope that helps rather than making things more confusing! But at the end of the day, the labels matter less than the story itself. :)
hahaha thanks for that! that certainly helps in understanding the difference💘 i now wonder what to call my book - whether a fictional memoir, or book-length creative nonfiction?
If everything in your book is factually true (or at least true to your memory) but uses techniques—like altered timelines, composite characters, or imagined dialogue—then simply calling it a memoir still works! It really depends on how you want to frame it for readers. Do you feel like you’ve taken creative liberties with the truth, or is it a true story told in a literary way?
If your book is roughly based on your life but goes into the realm of fiction, you might consider calling it autofiction. It sits in the space between memoir and novel, blending fact and fiction.
Yes, I relate to this so much! In writing circles recently, I've seen a lot of discussions on drama, by which they mean something like the sex and brawls we'd see on reality TV. That can be entertaining, but it's not why I pick up a book. I'm most interested in memoirs that rhink deeply about the real life of ordinary people. Often, that means finding something interesting to say about the mundane. And if sex and brawls are part of the real life you're writing about, great, but I wanna see some introspection about it.
I’ve found this to be true in my own writing as well, what you said about even work you don’t keep serving its purpose in helping you make meaning of your life experiences. Thanks so much for this!
Relating to memoir is one of the reasons I've enjoyed reading other memoirs. I love knowing that my weird and terrible experiences aren't a solo adventure. I similarly love when others can relate to what I write, knowing the same is true. We are all in this weird life together. Thank you for sharing this.
Yes!! Totally! ❤
this may sound stupid, but i'd like to know - what is the difference between a memoir and creative nonfiction? or are they one and the same? how would you describe each one? sorry and thanks 💗
Hi Anna, that's actually a great question. No need to apologize! Sometimes, the terms are used interchangeably, and different people have different definitions of the two categories. So this is just my take.
Creative nonfiction is a broader category that includes memoir, personal essays, literary journalism, and more—it’s any true story told with literary techniques.
Memoir, on the other hand, focuses on a particular theme, period, or experience in the author’s life. So, all memoirs are creative nonfiction, but not all creative nonfiction is memoir.
Another different, in my mind, is length. I typically think of memoir as being book-length, whereas creative nonfiction is often shorter pieces you might find in literary magazines. That said, there are definitely book-length works of creative nonfiction, and some personal essays can also be called short memoir.
I hope that helps rather than making things more confusing! But at the end of the day, the labels matter less than the story itself. :)
Thanks for the question!
Christina
hahaha thanks for that! that certainly helps in understanding the difference💘 i now wonder what to call my book - whether a fictional memoir, or book-length creative nonfiction?
I’m so glad that helped!
If everything in your book is factually true (or at least true to your memory) but uses techniques—like altered timelines, composite characters, or imagined dialogue—then simply calling it a memoir still works! It really depends on how you want to frame it for readers. Do you feel like you’ve taken creative liberties with the truth, or is it a true story told in a literary way?
If your book is roughly based on your life but goes into the realm of fiction, you might consider calling it autofiction. It sits in the space between memoir and novel, blending fact and fiction.
Makes sense! That's what i thought too. Thank you 💕
Yes, I relate to this so much! In writing circles recently, I've seen a lot of discussions on drama, by which they mean something like the sex and brawls we'd see on reality TV. That can be entertaining, but it's not why I pick up a book. I'm most interested in memoirs that rhink deeply about the real life of ordinary people. Often, that means finding something interesting to say about the mundane. And if sex and brawls are part of the real life you're writing about, great, but I wanna see some introspection about it.
Yes!! And you're so great at that in your writing Shelly! ❤️
This is a genre I am moving more into and I love this! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you, Rebecca! ❤
I’ve found this to be true in my own writing as well, what you said about even work you don’t keep serving its purpose in helping you make meaning of your life experiences. Thanks so much for this!
I'm glad it struck a chord for you! ❤️ Keep writing!