Tell the truth, share your story, and connect with fellow writers at the Literary Cleveland Memoir Summer Camp. A five-week mix of in-person interactive field trips and online group workshop meetings, this Nonfiction Summer Camp is designed to create solidarity, camaraderie, and connection among Northeastern Ohio writers of all experience levels.

Whether you are writing a memoir, personal essays, or creative nonfiction, writers Annmarie Kelly Harbaugh and Tara Pringle Jefferson will lead you through the study and craft of memoir and personal essays.

Creative Nonfiction of all experience levels are welcome. Each class week will feature: five Saturday in-person interactive field trips (1:00-3:00 PM),  and five Wednesday evening class meeting via Zoom (7:00-8:30 PM).

Each virtual Wednesday session (July 29-Aug 26) will feature a mix of work sharing, group discussions, mini craft lessons, best practice sharing, and/or writing sprints.

Saturday Field Trip activities will take place at the following locations:

- Saturday, August 1, Vision Boarding at Literary Cleveland Offices

- Saturday, August 8, Lakeview Cemetery Masoleum

- Saturday, August 15, Cleveland Museum of Art

- Saturday, August 22, Independent Bookstore Scavenger Hunt

- Saturday, August 29th, Culminating Activity (Location TBD)

Details: Memoir Summer Camp with Annmarie Kelly Harbaugh and Tara Pringle Jefferson will meet online Wednesdays July 29-August 26th from 7-8:30PM via Zoom, and in-person on Saturdays from August 1-29th from 1-3PM.

Prerequisites: None

Genre: Nonfiction, Memoir

Level: All levels

Format: Generative meetings, discussions, and activities for nonfiction writers

Location: Wednesdays online via Zoom and Saturdays at various locations

Size: Limited to 30 participants

Suggested Sequence: Follow this class with an intermediate or advanced nonfiction class

Scholarships: Two scholarship spots are available for this class for writers in Northeast Ohio. Apply by April 19. Click here to apply.

Cancellations & Refunds: Cancel at least 48 hours in advance of the first meeting to receive a full refund. Email info@litcleveland.org.

Wednesday, July 29, 2026
7:00 pm
 - 
8:30 PM
Saturday, August 1, 2026
1:00 pm
 - 
3:00 PM
Wednesday, August 5, 2026
7:00 pm
 - 
8:30 PM
Saturday, August 8, 2026
1:00 pm
 - 
3:00 PM
Wednesday, August 12, 2026
7:00 pm
 - 
8:30 PM
Saturday, August 15, 2026
1:00 pm
 - 
3:00 PM
Wednesday, August 19, 2026
7:00 pm
 - 
8:30 Pm
Saturday, August 22, 2026
1:00 pm
 - 
3:00 PM
Wednesday, August 26, 2026
7:00 pm
 - 
8:30 PM
Saturday, August 29, 2026
1:00 pm
 - 
3:00 PM
Class Level:
All Levels
All Levels
Class Categories:

Work with the best...

Annmarie Kelly

Annmarie Kelly is the author of Here Be Dragons, a memoir about the wonderful misery of raising kids with someone you love. She is also the host of Wild Precious Life, a literary podcast about making the most of the time we have. Her writing has appeared on NPR’s All Things Considered, in the New York Observer, Today Parenting, Black Fork, Anodyne, and Gordon Square Review. She lives in Cleveland, Ohio.

Tara Pringle Jefferson

Tara Pringle Jefferson is the author of Bloom How You Must: A Black Woman’s Guide to Self-Care and Generational Healing (Amistad, an imprint of HarperCollins).

Zoom and Various locations in Cleveland

Cleveland, OH

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