5 Memoir Prompts to Help You Start Writing Today

Starting a memoir can feel like standing in a vast field of wildflowers: exciting but overwhelming. Which flower do you pick to start? Which one matters most? And how do you put those memory wildflowers into words?

The truth is, there’s no right answer. And you don’t have to start with a perfect outline or your entire life story, you just need to start.

That’s where prompts can help. They take away the pressure of a blank page and give your memory a gentle nudge in the right direction. Fun fact: I use them all the time!

Here are five prompts to help you dive into your wildflower field of memories. Pick one, pour yourself a cup of tea (or something stronger), and see where your mind takes you.

1. The Day Everything Changed

Write about a single day that shifted the course of your life. It doesn’t have to be dramatic; sometimes, it’s a quiet moment that makes all the difference. Where were you? What could you see, hear, and feel? Who else was there, and how did they react?

2. A Place That Holds Your Story

Think of a place that feels like part of your identity. Maybe it’s your grandmother’s kitchen, a childhood bedroom, or a stretch of beach you’ve walked a hundred times. Describe it in detail. What happened there that shaped you?

3. A Person Who Changed You (For Better or Worse)

Choose someone who played a big role in your life: a mentor, a friend, a rival. Tell the story of your relationship through one defining moment, and let their personality come alive on the page.

4. The Thing You Never Talk About

Is there a story you’ve kept tucked away, maybe for years? Something you rarely, if ever, share? No one else needs to read it or know about it right now; just write it for you. Sometimes the stories we resist the most are the ones that free us when we finally tell them. I know that’s what happened for me.

5. An Object You’ve Kept (and Why)

Find something you’ve held onto, like a letter, a piece of clothing, or a ticket stub. Write about what it is, where it came from, and why it still matters.

Here’s a not-so-secret secret: You don’t need to know exactly where your memoir is going when you start writing. You just need to start. One page leads to another, and before long, you’ll see the threads of your story coming together.

If one of these prompts sparks something, follow it. And if you want more prompts to help you unlock the wildflowers that shaped your life, download my free guide.

Then, if you need help shaping your memories into something lasting, that’s what I do at In Her Words Project, turning lived experience into stories that matter.