Generally speaking, the passive voice of the verb (the subject has the action performed) is weaker than the active voice (the subject performs the action) in engaging the reader in your story. That’s crucial because, as a memoirist, he’s not sharing ideas but recreating life experiences to share.
“Mary baked a cake” is active. Mary, the subject of the verb baked, is performing the action of baking. On the other hand, “Mary baked a cake” is passive. Here Maria is not the subject. The cake, which Mary is baking, is the theme. The action she is doing to him.
The passive voice has less impact than the active voice. The reader will experience it as an evasive attempt on her part not to “own” the action of the verb.
Reliance on the passive voice can reveal the writer’s own passivity. The writer may have difficulty “owning” the topic.
“Women rejected the requirement to wear long sleeves” demonstrates less propriety than “Women rejected the requirement to wear long sleeves.” In the passive, the writer is not proper by refusing to wear long sleeves. One feels that the writer seeks distance (albeit unconsciously) from the action.
If you use a lot of passive builds, ask yourself why you do it. Would using the active voice help you own your stories, and maybe your life?
Remember that as a memoir writer, you want the reader to be invested in the story. Nothing does this better than the active voice.
Good luck writing your memoirs.
