Telling Your Story: From Memories to Memoir

Telling Your Story: From Memories to Memoir (starting at $50)

In some ways, writing a memoir seems easier than writing a short story. After all, you know what happens. The challenge comes in choosing what to tell, and how to tell it. If you made a timeline of your life, what would you put on it? What would you leave out? Where would you start? Every writer faces this challenge. We’ll look at short published texts to see how writers including Cheryl Strayed, Jesmyn Ward, and Nick Flynn have chosen to tell their stories. You’ll also have a chance to try out writing a short piece of your own. Leave with new ideas for moving forward, whether you’re just getting started or you’ve already written several pages. Above all, your story matters! As Sonja Livingston says, “We crave the connection that comes from well-written memoirs and personal essays. The more we move away from each other—geographically, culturally, spiritually—the more this hunger grows.”

Clara Silverstein is the author of seven books, including the memoir "White Girl: A Story of School Desegregation." Her work has appeared in the Boston Globe, Runner’s World, and several literary magazines. She teaches memoir at GrubStreet and previously directed the Chautuaqua Writers' Center.