Careless People & The Power Of Well-Structured Memoir

I recently devoured Careless People, Sarah Wynn-Williams’ memoir about her time working at Facebook, and wow: rarely have I seen the millennial experience of growing up alongside the Internet so brilliantly explored. While her subject matter is inherently relevant and interesting, what really makes Wynn-Williams’ memoir successful and a great example for all aspiring memoir writers is her unshakable plot structure, which is composed of two parts: A story and B story. A story is the external course of events, while B story is the special secret ingredient – the internal transformational arc of Wynn-Williams as a main character throughout the book. 

In Careless People, Wynn-Williams begins the narrative as an idealistic, forward-thinking diplomat who foresees the potential of Facebook to become a global political tool, way back in 2009. She fights to expand Facebook around the globe, believing it will make the world a better, more equitable place. She then watches, horrified, as only half of her prophecy comes true. Facebook does indeed become an international political force, but one that’s ruthlessly pay-to-play and powered by misinformation, conspiracy theories, and data extraction. Wynn-Williams leaves Facebook in 2017, determined to never let something like Facebook happen again. This character arc, from starry-eyed optimist to steely pragmatist, creates a narrative spine that shapes the book. I think she has a more interesting Facebook B story than Zuckerberg himself!

In well-structured memoirs, the B story leads the creation of the A story – helping the writer transform a long series of separate chronological events into a singular, compelling narrative whole. Careless People does this beautifully. Here’s a quick three-act plot breakdown to show how it works: 

ACT 1: BEGINNING

A story: Wynn-Williams, a UN diplomat from New Zealand, stumbles across Facebook, a new social media platform and mission-driven company with a goal to connect the world. She quickly realizes that this will be the most influential political tool of her lifetime, and lobbies the company for months to hire her. They give in and bring her on for a role of her own creation: global diplomat for the virtual state of Facebook. 

B story: Wynn-Williams is an idealist who wants to save the world with her work. 

ACT 2A: RISING ACTION

A story: Wynn-Williams is sucked into the vortex of insanity that is working at Facebook. She sets up diplomatic meetings with government officials from around the world. She’s laughed out of many rooms. She tries and fails to get Mark Zuckerberg interested in Facebook’s international expansion. She lives through Sheryl Sandberg’s “Lean In” era, emailing talking points to Sandberg while she’s literally giving birth. She watches Facebook executives hire friends and company insiders, not experts. 

B story: Wynn-Williams works hard to advance the worldwide presence of Facebook.

MIDPOINT: NARRATIVE SHIFT

A story: In a moment of false victory, Wynn-Williams is able to get Mark Zuckerberg to address the UN, her old stomping grounds, about the importance of equal Internet access in addressing global inequity. However, after Angela Merkel presses Zuckerberg about removing anti-refugee hate speech from Facebook, Zuckerberg announces to the world that Facebook will work to “bring the Internet to refugee camps” – something he has no intention of actually doing. 

B story: Wynn-Williams realizes that Zuckerberg may have no intention of Facebook being an ethical company. 

ACT 2B: FALLING ACTION

A story: Facebook grows recklessly, cutting corners everywhere. Zuckerberg praises the “street fighter tactics” that Uber uses to expand. Wynn-Williams is harassed by both Sandberg and her boss, who is Sandberg’s old fling. Wynn-Williams gets extremely sick after the birth of her second child, but is expected to work the same hours. Facebook helps get Donald Trump elected as president, and global leaders all now want to kiss Mark’s king, a stark reversal from the rising action. 

B story: Wynn-Williams’ suspicions are confirmed. She wants to leave Facebook, but is trapped by her need for health insurance and her visa. 

ACT 3: ENDING

A story: You’ll have to read the book to find out, but Wynn-Williams reveals the truth about what went on at Facebook regarding Chinese censorship, emotional targeting by advertisers, and a genocide in Myanmar.

B story: Wynn-Williams works hard to curb the harm caused by Facebook. This seems to be the main drive behind releasing the memoir – destroying Facebook in the war of public opinion, the only one the company seems to care about. 

By using thoughtful, intentional plot structure in her memoir – A story working in tandem with B story – Wynn-Williams transforms eight eventful years of her life into a tight narrative with an unforgettable message. 

What elevates Careless People even further is that her plot, both A story and B story, also reflects our broader cultural experience with technology like Facebook over the last two decades. In the early 2000s, the rise of technology and social media was embraced as a boon for humanity; instead, we’ve watched it splinter our world. A memoir that can speak to an experience shared by so many can help take a manuscript from simply well-written to sellable. But that’s for another blog post. 

If you want to write or edit your memoir but aren’t sure where to start, I would recommend grabbing a copy of Careless People for inspiration! I also offer ghostwriting and memoir editing services, and I’d love to hear about your unique story.