10 Memoir Book Opening Scenes to Inspire You (Writing Secrets)

In this blog, we’ll show you 10 memoir book openings to inspire you to write your own book.

(And the secrets to writing them!)

Memoir openings should be just as attention-grabbing and well-crafted as any other piece of writing because your goal is not only to tell a great story but likewise give readers a reason to keep reading.

So, you’re writing a book about your life.

Be it a full-fledged memoir or perhaps a humble collection of personal essays.

A captivating opening is one thing you can’t afford to miss.

To that end, here’s our take on the most effective memoir openings – you’re to use them as inspiration for your own book.

What Is An Memoir?

Memoirs are a fascinating and deeply personal genre of literature that offer readers a glimpse into the lives, experiences, and emotions of the authors.

Unlike autobiographies, which chronicle the full scope of a person’s life, memoirs focus on specific themes, periods, or events, providing a more intimate and nuanced exploration of the author’s journey.

This genre of writing has seen a surge in popularity over the years, as more and more people are drawn to the authentic and personal narratives that memoirs provide.

The Essence of a Memoir

At its core, a memoir is a collection of memories that an individual writes about moments or events that took place in the author’s life.

The defining characteristic of a memoir is its focus on personal experience, memory, and reflection, rather than being a comprehensive record of events.

This genre allows authors to explore specific themes—such as identity, family, loss, or adventure—through the lens of their own experiences.

How Memoirs Differ from Autobiographies

While both memoirs and autobiographies are narratives of a person’s life, they differ significantly in their scope and purpose.

Autobiographies tend to cover the entirety of the author’s life from birth to the present, with a focus on the chronology of events and factual accuracy.

Memoirs, on the other hand, are more selective in their content, choosing to zoom in on particular stories or themes that hold emotional or thematic significance.

This selective nature allows memoirs to be more reflective and introspective, often delving into the author’s thoughts, feelings, and insights.

How To Write A Memoir

Writing a memoir is an art that requires both courage and vulnerability.

It involves revisiting and reflecting upon significant moments in one’s life, which can be both therapeutic and daunting.

Authors must navigate the delicate balance between truth and memory, acknowledging that personal recollections may be subjective or imperfect.

The best memoirs manage to convey not only the facts of the events described but also the emotional truths and the lessons learned.

The Impact of Memoirs

Memoirs have the power to connect people through shared experiences and emotions.

For readers, they offer a window into someone else’s life, providing perspectives and insights that might be vastly different from their own. This can foster empathy, understanding, and a sense of connection.

For writers, crafting a memoir can be a cathartic process, offering a means to process and make sense of their life experiences.

Memoirs also play an important role in preserving personal and historical narratives that might otherwise be overlooked.

Through the personal lens of the memoirist, readers can gain insights into cultural, social, and historical contexts from a firsthand perspective.

1. Start with the lowest point in your memoir.

One way to engage readers right off the bat is to start with a scene that catches them off guard – in other words, a scene depicting your lowest point.

This could be when you realized your marriage was over or were consumed by depression.

In Terri Cheney’s “Manic,” she opens with a very powerful scene in which she attempts suicide.

“I didn’t tell anyone that I was going to Santa Fe to kill myself.

I figured that was more information than people needed, plus it might interfere with my travel plans if anyone found out the truth.”

This makes sense from a readership perspective as it offers a clear focal point for the story and allows you to set the tone.

Of course, you must be utterly creative in the choice of words here, as you’ll need to transport readers into the scene without making it too graphic.

2 – Use a dialogue.

Another way to open your memoir is to use dialogue.

This could either be an inner dialogue, as in the case of Elizabeth Gilbert’s “Eat Pray Love,” or a conversation between two people.

In “Eat Pray Love,” Gilbert starts with the following lines: ” ‘You are going to change your life,’ my mother said to me.”

And she then proceeds to recount a conversation between her and her mother, in which the latter tries to convince her daughter to get a divorce.

This choice of opening works well because it gives readers an insight into the protagonist’s character – in this case, Elizabeth Gilbert – without dwelling too much on the backstory.

3 – Use a strong hook to start your own memoir.

One effective way to keep readers glued to your story from the very first sentence is to develop a strong hook, i.e., a compelling or shocking revelation, rhetorical question, or even a surprising fact.

In “The Glass Castle,” Jeannette Walls starts with the following line: “I was sitting in a taxi, wondering if I had overdressed for the evening when I looked out the window and saw Mom rooting through a Dumpster.”

This opening not only makes you want to know more about the protagonist and her background, but it presents a “can’t miss” opportunity for readers – giving them a compelling reason to go further.

Eventually, Walls’ memoir opening described how she turned out as an adult who’s completely different from her mother.

4 – Begin with a memory.

Memoirs can also have a deep personal effect on readers, and you can do so by sharing a particular memory that’s still vivid in your mind.

This opening will work well if the memory in question is particularly powerful, such as a life-changing event or a happy childhood memory.

In “The Liars’ Club,” Mary Karr starts with a memory of her father coming home drunk and angry, leading to a discussion of her turbulent childhood.

This opening works well because it’s both shocking and relatable – readers can immediately connect to the protagonist on an emotional level.

It ultimately sets up the rest of the story and allows readers to see how Karr has overcome her difficult past.

5 – Be brief and to the point.

You don’t always need a long, drawn-out opening to engage readers – sometimes, all it takes is a single sentence.

You’d be surprised at how effectively it draws people into your story.

In “Wild,” Cheryl Strayed starts with the following line: “My mother died of cancer when I was twenty-two years old.”

And she proceeds to recount how her life spiralled out of control after her mother’s death, eventually leading her to hike the Pacific Crest Trail.

This opening is brief but also incredibly powerful, as it sets up the rest of the story and allows readers to see how Strayed used a family tragedy to find herself.

6 – Set the scene in your memoir book.

Another compelling way to start your memoir is to set the scene, i.e., describe the environment in which the story takes place.

You can do so by going through a detailed description of the setting or introducing the characters.

In “The Catcher in the Rye,” J.D. Salinger starts with the following lines: “If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you’ll probably want to know is where I was born and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don’t feel like going into it if you want to know the truth.”

Though not technically a memoir, this novel best exemplifies how setting the stage in an opening can work.

Readers are immediately introduced to the protagonist, Holden Caulfield, and his unique voice.

The opening also does the best job of foreshadowing the rest of the story.

7 – Be vulnerable.

Did you know that showing your vulnerable side will resonate with readers and make them want to know more about you?

In fact, being vulnerable is a failproof way to connect with your audience on a personal level.

In “How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person,” Shonda Rhimes writes: “The first time I said yes, I was scared as hell. Do you remember that feeling?

The feeling of saying yes to something you really, really want, even though you have no idea how it will turn out?”

This statement couldn’t be more relatable – everyone has been in a situation where they’ve had to take a leap of faith, even if they were scared.

When you eventually write your memoir, use this strategy to showcase to your readers that you’re one of them – a person with fears and doubts but also someone who’s willing to take risks.

8 – Talk about an event in your life with danger as the theme.

Nothing is more captivating than a story fraught with danger, so if you have an event in your life that fits this bill, make it the focus of your opening.

Remember to keep the tone lighthearted – after all, you want readers to enjoy your memoir, not be scared for your safety!

The memoir “Orange Is the New Black: My Year in a Woman’s Prison” by Piper Kerman detailed in the first chapter a scenario at the airport where she could have easily been caught with drug money.

It’s one of those moments when readers are at the edge of their seats right from the beginning, eager to discover what happens next.

9 – You can also use humour in your opening scene.

The thing about humour is that it always works when it comes to inviting readers.

And if you can make your readers laugh in the first paragraph of your memoir, then you’ve done your job well.

The happy thought is the lure, the joy that comes with reading something funny.

Lena Dunham’s opening is, for us, a classic.

She wrote, “When I was nine, I wrote a vow of celibacy on a piece of paper and ate it,” in her bestselling work “Not That Kind of Girl.”

Now, that’s funny!

10 – Present a dilemma that relates to your life.

Present a dilemma in your memoir opening, and that’ll instantly pull readers in.

For example, you talk about a career or job that makes a lot of money, yet you’re reserved about it because it doesn’t make you happy.

It’s a classic showcase of “the grass is greener on the other side.”

Augusten Burroughs’ “Dry: A Memoir” starts with: “Sometimes when you work in advertising, you’ll get a product that’s really garbage, and you have to make it seem fantastic, something that is essential to the continued quality of life.”

A dilemma is a fact of life that every reader will want to say, “that’s so me!” this example displays the two sides of the coin – the good and the bad.

It’s a great way to set up a memoir because it immediately arouses curiosity in the reader, who will want to know more about how you eventually resolve the issue.

By using one (or more!) of the strategies we’ve outlined above, you shouldn’t have a difficult time crafting an attention-grabbing beginning for your book.

And once you’ve done that, the rest will be a breeze!

Be it a memoir, novel, or any other book, an outstanding opening is essential to drawing prospective readers in and keeping them hooked until the end.