SUNDAYS, July 27th - Sept. 21st* |Writing memoir draws upon all of us. We are the writer, the narrator, and the character living the events recounted. But which events, and how recounted? Many of us start with a specific period of time or relationship in mind; others memoirists travel over decades in pursuit of a thematic connection. The hardest part is deciding how to organize it all. Our stories rarely leap fully-formed to the page, however well we think we remember all the pieces.
This class will provide concrete help through exploration and practice of such craft elements as narrative distance, scene and summary, and the handling of time. We'll explore the challenges of writing about real people and our own lived experience, of placing our narrative in a wider context, and of examining our own motivations, perceptions, and insights.
Memoir-writing is not for the faint of heart. If you're committed to finding your story, and telling it as only you can tell it, please join us for 8 weeks of intensive exploration. There will be regular reading assignments and written homework, as well as in-class exercises and sharing of work in a supportive atmosphere. Students will finish the course with a portfolio of work designed to provide both structure and content for moving toward a complete memoir.
There is a required textbook for this class: Writing the Memoir by Judith Barrington. Please have your copy on hand when class starts.
*no class Sept. 7th