Why write a memoir? I’ve asked many people who have written one or tried to write one.  Here are a few of their answers:

“I want them to know ‘the real me,’ to know I had an interesting, adventuresome life.”

“To understand my life by looking backward.”

“To write something for myself.”

“I want to talk about all the fun we had.”

“I want to get something on paper.”

“I grew up in a Ukrainian/Russian neighborhood in Rochester, New York, which no longer exists. I wanted my kids and grandkids to know what that life was like.”

“To inspire other immigrants to come out of their difficulties.”

“To capture the stories, but not in a lot of depth.”

“To write the story of my grandfather’s tragic death.”

That last answer was mine. Now it’s your turn. Why do you want to write a memoir?