Craft Workshop: What's My Why? Defining Your Memoir's Message with Sherry Sidoti

A memoir is not about what you did; it is about who you became. Your "Why" lies directly in the gap between the person you were at the beginning of the story and the narrator reflecting on it today. Every memoir must answer a question that your readers also care about, even if they’ve never had your experience. "Your Why" is this essential question or driving purpose that justifies why you feel compelled to share your personal story with the world. It is the ultimate bridge between your private memories and a universal human truth. When you define your "Why," it acts as an editorial compass that dictates what to include, what to cut, and how to frame your transformation.

In this generative workshop we will be prompted to contemplate and write to six central questions that will help participants to define their "Why" to discover their memoir's message. We…