Class Description
Memoir often gets called a self-indulgent form of navel-gazing. But good memoirs are about journeys, discoveries, adventures, experiences—not the memoirist. And yet the memoirist is always at the center of the story; it's just part of the form. So how to write a memoir that's not a "me-moir"?
This six-week workshop, for students with a grasp of the basics of the genre but who want to push their memoirs further, will focus on several helpful techniques for how to avoid the me-moir trap. We'll discuss point-of-view issues, how to employ fictional techniques in nonfiction narrative, the importance of a "warts and all attitude," using other characters to reflect your own character, and most importantly, coming to a deep understanding of the difference between your subject and your voice. You will workshop sections of your memoir, complete short weekly exercises, and discuss assigned readings. By the end of the class you should have a better understanding of the true subject of your memoir and the confidence to keep going with it.
Did you know that we have scholarships available for all GrubStreet classes? To apply or find out more, check out our scholarships page.
Thanks to the excellent literary citizenship of our donors, scholarships are available for all GrubStreet classes. To apply, click the gray "APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIP" button. In order to be considered for a scholarship, you must complete your application at least one week before the start date of a class. Please await our scholarship committee's decision before registering for the class. We cannot hold spots in classes, so the sooner you apply, the better. Scholarships cannot be applied retroactively.
For more detailed information about GrubStreet scholarships, including how to contribute to scholarship funds for other students, click here.
This class will take place using Zoom videoconferencing. Please visit the Resources tab to access the video-conference link.
Zoom Participation:
Students are not required to turn their camera on, but are encouraged to participate any way they feel comfortable through functions such as the live chat, emoji reactions, and unmuting the microphone. Learn more about using Zoom here.
Zoom Accessibility:
We ask that instructors enable closed captioning and send a transcript of the session after class. You can also enable closed captioning at any time during the meeting. If your instructor forgets to send the transcript, just send ’em an email!