For my borrowed memoir, I want to write about something that happened recently. It was winter break, January 18th to be specific, and I was watching “Coco” on Disney+ for the first time with my mom and my brother. It was my suggestion– or more accurately, my decision– to watch the movie, but it was only at the very last second of the film that I remembered that it was the 8th anniversary of my grandma’s death. I want to write about the overwhelming swell of emotions that the movie evoked (sadness, guilt, etc.), especially after the realization of the coincidence. I think that this could be interesting to readers because of the recentness of the day which allows for a more complete and accurate description and because there are so many clear-cut feelings involved as well as older nostalgic memories to uncover, and I think that I could write it so that there is a very understanding reaction from those reading it.
Lopate perfectly says, “Whether you are writing this time on world peace or a bar of soap, readers must sense quickly from the first paragraph that you are going to keep them engaged.” This quote made me think that the best idea to interest readers is by first-off vividly but also briefly describing the scene when and where it all occurred as well as a little background on myself to give them a sense of my character. I want to then introduce them to all the complex but relatable emotions that were coursing through my brain and my perception of the reactions from the rest of the room. Eventually I want to take my readers down memory lane, back to a time before the loss, so that they get a very evocative second-hand version of my own experience. Does this sound interesting? Would people want to hear about years’ worth of suppressed emotions and the memories tied to them?
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