Are you ready to brainstorm new topics for personal essays? Or want to delve into the techniques that make memoirs jump off the page and personal blog entries get clicks? This class will include hands-on exercises for recovering memory and filling in the gaps through research and interviews. Students will also spend time hands-on organizing memorabilia and adding visual elements to accompany their work. They will consider techniques for taking better photographs. Students will create a life timeline, and use it to define beginning and end points for a memoir, or individual incidents for shorter works. Students will have the opportunity to receive weekly feedback on their individual projects.

Material covered relates to modern writing theory, and discusses the structure of recently published works. The teaching method accommodates the needs of students who want to shape their work for publication, as well as those who are writing to create an heirloom, or for personal fulfilment. The instructor has published in multiple genres, and critiques manuscript partials in a number of genres for major writing conferences. She has an active blog, and had a column that ran for several years at Dave's Garden.

This is a hands-on class, with writing assignments (in-class and as homework) and assignments to evaluate elements of other books, films, etc. Students will have the opportunity to have samples of their work critiqued each week.

NO CLASS Monday, May 26, 2025, due to Memorial Day.