Many memoirs use chronology as a structure. The story opens with the first point on a timeline and continues to the final entry. That’s a great way to unfold a story, but not all memoirs fit that structure.

In her book, Swimming with Maya, Eleanor Vincent tells the story of her daughter’s horseback riding accident and the aftermath in three sections. The book opens with the accident in the first section, tells the backstory of the author, her daughter, and their relationship in the second, and paints a picture of life after her daughter’s death in the third.

Not all memoirs have such clearly defined structures, so begin to pay attention to the books you’re reading and determine how they reveal their stories.

Post your assignments in the comments section below regardless of what is mentioned in the video.