Writers Tricks of the Trade Vol. 5, Issue 4 | Page 29

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IS IT A MEMOIR, AUTOBIOGRAPHY, OR
BIOGRAPHY? WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE
MORGAN ST. JAMES
The question of the differences between these three forms of storytelling
prompted me to surf the web in search of some valid answers from credible
people. Because the definition of a memoir was the thing that triggered my
search, it was the first definition I looked for. I’m recounting some of what I
found by using excerpts from the websites or articles. Each also has the link to
the full post or article.
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It also must be said at this point that many people who wish to write a memoir
or autobiography do use a professional writer or ghostwriter to help them. This
is so that the story will be presented in a well-crafted professional, readable
manner and in no way alters the fact that it is a memoir or autobiography.
Sometimes the writers are credited, such as “As Told To” or the editor is
thanked in the front matter. Generally ghostwriters remain that—a ghost
behind the scenes.
What is a Memoir? What Makes a Memoir Different from
an Autobiography or Biography?

From the website of Literary Agent Barbara Doyen who discusses the
contents of a quality memoir and how it differs from
an autobiography or biography
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“Memoirs are perennially popular with many new books coming out each year.
The bestseller, Night, by Elie Wiesel, is a memoir, not an autobiography or
biography. But what is a memoir, anyway?
A memoir is a special kind of autobiography, usually involving a public portion of
the author’s life as it relates to a person,