Finding Your Memoir - Online

NOTE: This class is now full and we are no longer accepting registrations. Sorry! Please check out our other offerings, and sign up for our newsletter to be the first to hear about newly added classes.

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This hands-on workshop is designed for writers who are interested in sharing key elements of their life stories. In this four-session course we will discuss the structure of book-length memoir and key features of this genre including: finding your theme or through-line; dealing with internal and external conflict; telling the truth/writing about family; and structuring a memoir. We will do several short writing exercises in class focusing on the following–identifying potential turning points in your story; finding an opening hook or inciting incident; conveying emotional stakes; and playing with structure. We will also review short excerpts/examples from several published memoirs. Come prepared to write, and bring a brief one-two paragraph description of your project to share with the class. You’ll leave the course with a  clearer sense of your through-line and theme; new tools to assist you in creating your book’s structure, and practical techniques to continue working on your project.

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ONLINE CLASS INFO

This class will meet online on Wednesdays from 6:30-9:00pm using Zoom video conferencing. On the first day of class, we will give you a tutorial on how to use it. Once you sign on using the instructions we will provide, you will be able to see and talk with your instructor and your fellow participants—just like you would in one of our meeting rooms. All you need is a good internet connection and a computer or smartphone with a webcam. Not sure if your system is compatible? Just click here. Have any questions about online classes? Email or call associate director Matt Weinkam at mweinkam@litcleveland.org.