You probably learned back in grade school that an autobiography is the story of a person’s life, told in their own words. We all remember writing those essays and putting together cute little posters with our “life story” (yep, all eight years of it!).
But then you learned this fancier, French word—memoir—which is… also a story of someone’s life? While we may see autobiography and memoir used interchangeably all the time, they’re not exactly the same thing. In this post, we’ll explore their subtle differences.
Memoir vs. Autobiography: Key Differences
By definition, an autobiography is a biography that someone writes about themself, and biographies typically tell the whole story of a life.
A memoir, by contrast, tends to focus on either a specific time period, or a specific theme that recurs throughout the author’s life.
Let’s take a deeper look at the main differences between memoirs vs. autobiographies.
Period Covered
As mentioned, autobiographies generally aim to be comprehensive. They cover all or almost all of the author’s life.
Memoirists, on the other hand, often choose a particularly important or compelling period in their life to write about, while either ignoring or briefly summarizing the rest.
Alternatively, memoirists sometimes choose specific themes or subjects, then include stories and anecdotes from their lives that complement that theme.
For example, The Autobiography of Malcolm X covers most of the activist’s life, whereas Michelle Obama’s memoir Becoming mostly contains stories that relate to the theme of finding her identity and reinventing herself through various stages of her life, career, and marriage.
Author Status
Autobiographers usually tell their life story because they are high-profile, famous, or influential figures, and therefore their life story is of interest to readers.
Memoirs are not always the stories of famous people, but also everyday folks who have done remarkable things, overcome the odds, or experienced things worth reading about.
You’re more likely to be interested in reading the life story of Nelson Mandela in his own words (his autobiography), but if your neighbor Sharon wrote out her whole life story, that probably wouldn’t be as compelling.
But if Sharon overcame some remarkable struggle, or wants to chronicle, say, her years working at the White House, you might be more interested to read those specific stories, which she would present in a memoir.
One example of a memoir by a non-famous person is Educated, which tells the story of a young girl who left her survivalist family and went on to earn a PhD from Cambridge University, despite being kept out of school for years.
Autobiographies are largely read to learn the facts and history of someone’s life; memoirs are read for more of an emotional connection.
Organization
Autobiographies are generally written in chronological order and cover the majority of a person’s life, whereas memoirs cover a specific period or jump around in time to connect different experiences to a larger theme.
For example, Terese Marie Mailhot’s memoir Heart Berries jumps back and forth in time, focusing more on theme than chronology. Readers get a strong sense of the major events in Mailhot’s life, just not necessarily in order.
Facts vs. Feelings
Autobiographies usually focus on the facts and important events of a person’s life; while they may inspire readers with the stories they share, they large serve to inform and document.
Memoirs are molded around deeper themes by highlighting personal experiences and internal processes.
In Becoming, Michelle Obama doesn’t just tell us that she attended Harvard, then worked for an important law firm, where she met her husband, then later went on to become First Lady of the United States; she tells us how she navigated each of those major life changes and accomplishments, what they meant to her, and contributed to the person she is today.
Is a Personal Narrative the Same as a Memoir?
A personal narrative usually represents a much smaller portion of a person’s life than a memoir by focusing on just one specific event or experience.
While it builds a narrative much like a memoir, complete with a developed setting, plot, and characterization, a memoirist goes a step further by drawing conclusions about those events.
Can We Use the Terms Autobiography and Memoir Interchangeably?
Technically, autobiographies and memoirs refer to two (slightly) different things, yet the terms are often used interchangeably. (Even Amazon puts them in the same category.)
So while they aren’t exactly the same thing, you’ll likely be forgiven for using autobiography and memoir interchangeably. In fact, most people won’t even realize your gaffe.
But if you’re a publisher, aspiring author, or just want to be informed, you would do well to understand how an autobiography is unique from a memoir.
Did you find this post helpful? Let us know in the comments below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
- How to Write a Memoir: A Step by Step Guide
- The 16 Best Memoirs to Read Right Now
- How to Write a Biography: 8 Steps for a Captivating Story
- 25 Memoir and Autobiography Publishers Currently Accepting Submissions
As a blog writer for TCK Publishing, Kaelyn loves crafting fun and helpful content for writers, readers, and creative minds alike. She has a degree in International Affairs with a minor in Italian Studies, but her true passion has always been writing. Working remotely allows her to do even more of the things she loves, like traveling, cooking, and spending time with her family.
