In a World: The Geography of Memoir

One of the reasons people read memoir is to enter and experience a different world. As you write, it’s your job to create that world, making sure to include both your internal space—your emotional state when the story takes place—and the world that is the backdrop to your story, including geography, climate, interiors, and historical context. Setting is the wallpaper of your story: It should neatly fit into the larger work, enhancing the narrative themes and characters, but not be so dominant that it overwhelms the people in the room. In this seminar we will look at the many ways we can develop the external worlds of our personal stories. We will read examples of the role of setting in successful memoir and essays and do in-class writing to help the worlds of our memoirs come to life. You will leave this seminar with new writing and a new perspective on existing work.

Part of GrubStreet's Memoir Series, dedicated to the craft and process of memoir writing. Classes include:

• The Memoir Series: The I-Narrator vs. The I-Character
• The Memoir Series: Memory vs. Truth
• The Memoir Series: Details! Details! Details!
• In a World: The Geography of Memoir
• The Memoir Series: Writing the Family
• The Memoir Series: Where to Begin
• The Memoir Series: How to Build Suspense

To learn more about instructor Alysia Abbott and her teaching style, check out the short podcast with her in our GrubStreet Instructor Interview series: