People have a lot of stories to tell. Sometimes, those stories are lessons we can remember when we find ourselves in a moral quandary or inspiring tales we can use to motivate ourselves in darker times. And how writers share these stories is by, more often than not, writing personal memoirs. A personal memoir is a type of medium a writer uses to focus on a specific part of their life. They derive experiences they can later use to show audiences their perspectives, their values, and their beliefs.

But however special a memoir may be, writers have to be careful. They need to make sure that they present themselves in an appropriate manner, and capture the authenticity that’s needed in a memoir. As such, below are some tips you can use to help craft yours.

Limit Yourself
A memoir isn’t an autobiography. Rather, it’s a specific moment in history that significantly impacted you. It can be the grief involved in dealing with the loss of a loved one, or a bittersweet memory that you find yourself coming back to. But whatever you choose, make sure you narrow it down. Focus on why a specific event was so important to you. Once you do, flesh the details out so that your readers can understand how the event correlates with the concepts in the memoir.

Be Honest
There were many times in which memoirs were less than truthful. For instance, A Million Little Pieces by James Frey was torn to shreds when readers realized the author had lied in his books, especially since the book was broadcasted as a memoir. The author was reprimanded by Oprah Winfrey herself and even had to spend some time in jail. So keep in mind that while you might be tempted to exaggerate some of the details, people will find out the actual details, no matter how long it took. And if you do lie about something, especially when your memoir becomes popular, that lie will bite you in the butt.

Show, Not Tell
When you’re writing a memoir, it’s imperative that you do not describe to the reader what’s happening, but that you pull them in. Make them see what you saw. Use figurative language and sensory phrases to illustrate what was going on around you, and the emotions that went through your head. And when you reread those words, make sure your narrative is compelling enough to keep your reader interested.

Keep it Confidential
Minimize the risk of getting sued. Don’t release names unless you get that person’s specific permission. And even if they do, you still don’t want to risk it. When you’re writing something as personal as a memoir, you don’t want lawsuits marring it.

Personal memoirs are an excellent way of passing experiences down. They nudge writers to explore deeper parts of their memories that they may not feel comfortable with. But remember, if you decide to publish personal memoirs, make sure that you write it in a way that’s entertaining to the reader. Be sure to focus on just a few moments, and get permission for even the tiniest of details so that you don’t get in trouble with the law.