Class Description
Crafting a memoir's first draft can be intimidating, from defining its breadth to mastering narrative voice and handling the passage of time. Peer support in a workshop setting can provide crucial guidance. We will focus on Discovery and Voice as two fundamental elements of memoir writing to make emotional connection with readers. Our interactive class will delve into both overarching concerns and the finer points of writing. We’ll do live in-class workshopping of five-page samples and engage in exercises, exploring topics like scene crafting, research integration, cliché avoidance, character development, and the interplay between truth and memory. Participants will examine standout memoirs and essays for inspiration. The goal is consistent writing progress—5 new pages or 10 revised pages weekly. By the end, you’ll submit 15 pages for instructor feedback, helping you move toward manuscript completion. Suitable for writers with some memoir experience, you should have several chapters or essays underway. Bring to the first session an "elevator pitch" for your work or the initial page of your memoir/essay.
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. After registering, a yellow Resources tab will appear in this section containing a link to join class. Please note that you will need to be logged into view the Resources tab.
Zoom Participation:
In our experience, the intimate nature of a writing workshop benefits from on-camera participation. Students are of course welcome to turn their camera off whenever they need to, but it is a community norm for cameras to be on most of the time. You can learn more about using Zoom here.
Zoom Accessibility:
You can enable closed captioning at any time during the meeting by clicking the CC button at the bottom of the screen. If you'd like to access the transcript after class, please make sure to let your instructor ahead of time that you'd like a copy.