List of Universal Themes in Memoir Writing

Do you need a universal theme for your memoir? 

 

In Annette Fix' article on WOW, Memoir Writing: Drawing From Your Life to Create Your Story, she says, "You need to decide who your target audience is and what message you want to leave them with when they reach the end of the book. If you find that you have no 'point' to your story, it may be best to consider binding some copies for family members as a legacy or as an addition to your family's genealogy collection. If your intent is to see your memoir in the trade marketplace, you need to have a universal theme to which your readers can relate."  

 

Here is a list of universal themes you can incorporate in your memoir: (in alphabetical order) 

 

Abandonment

Abuse

Accepting

Change

Adjusting to a New Life

Adoption

Anger

Appearances

Appreciation of Nature

Being Gifted

Brotherhood

Bullies

Belonging

Betrayal

Bondage

Bravery

Caring for the Environment

Censorship

Challenges

Change

Coming of Age

Commitment

Communication

Community

Cooperation

Coping with Loss

Courage and Honor

Cultural Diversity

Customs and Traditions

Dealing with Handicaps

Death and Dying

Denial

Determination

Discrimination

Diversity

Dreams

Effects of War

Ethical Dilemmas

Euthanasia

Faith

Family

Fear

Forgiveness

Freedom

Friendship

Gender Issues

Good vs. Evil

Gratitude

Grief

Growing Up

Guilt

Heroes

Heroism

History

Honesty

Hope

Humor

Immigrants

Initiation

Innocence

Intergenerational Relationships

Invincibility

Jealousy

Leadership

Living in Today's Society

Loneliness

Love

Loyalty

Making Choices

Media

Morals & Values

Patriotism

Peace

Peer Pressure

Poverty

Relationships

Self-esteem

Sense of Community

Sense of Self

Separation and Loss

Social Change

Survival

Taking a Stand

Teamwork

Trust

Violence

 

By incorporating one or more of these themes into your memoir you'll gain a universal connection to your reader.