SUMMARY AND REFLECTION

Happy Valentines Day!

WHEN WRITING A MEMOIR… Summarization is the restating of main

ideas in as few words as possible In memoir writing, you are summarizing

your own experiences while still keeping the main ideas within the memoir

You want to avoid using redundant details

REFLECTION IS KEY! When you

reflect on your experiences, your reader gains a better understanding of why this particular experience is important to you

It is important to know what details will help show your experiences and which don’t SHOW don’t tell

When you reflect, make sure your reflections share something additional than your what your summary does

SUMMARY & REFLECTION ON THE BIG SCREEN

The Sandlothttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUXWWV2FtBU&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74L4lEGysDE&feature=related&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active

YOUR TURN! WN entry #5 on SCoodle

Can you summarize and reflect on an experience you have?

How does your reflection show what you got out of the experience?Remember, SHOW don’t tell!

Copy and paste a memory you have already written from one of your previous WN entries. Write in your reflections throughout the memory. Underline what you added!

FOR EXAMPLE…“It’s that time of the night! All you single ladies, come on out to the

dance floor, the bride is about to toss her bouquet!” I groaned as all my already-married cousins looked to me when the DJ made his announcement. There is no way I can get out of this one . . . I thought to myself as I downed the last of my champagne and let my cousins push me out of my seat, toward the dance floor. I am not one to catch flowers—or anything, for that matter. More likely than not, I was going to make a fool out of myself in front of the entire crowd. I hoped I didn’t trip or fall into someone. Victoria, the beautiful bride and my new cousin, gave me a mischievous smile and winked before she turned around. My stomach did a little flip flop.

“Alright ladies, are you ready?” cried the DJ from his post. I looked at my competition, feeling the excitement around me, before I turned to the bride and watched the colorful bouquet fly into the air—right at me. Given I was the tallest person in the group, all I had to do was put my arms into the air. This was about the only thing I was capable of doing. Before I knew it, the bouquet was in my hands and the bride was running toward me with a massive grin on her face. Did I really just catch the bouquet? I thought.

“I was aiming for you! You’re next!” the bride exclaimed happily. My insides turned. Did she mean I was next to walk down the aisle? No way. I am barely capable of taking care of myself, let alone someone else. Me? Married? I don’t think so. I rolled my eyes and smiled, clasping hands with her and dancing around the room, laughing hysterically.

To my relief, I was not the next person to get engaged after that wedding—clearly proving the old wives’ tale wrong; though I must say, it was pretty fun to be the one to catch the bouquet, something I never would have expected to happen to me.