Not sure if you’re ready to dive in and write your whole memoir in six months? Join us for our spring course.
DOWNLOAD OUR FREE CALL—WHAT MAKES WILD A BESTSELLER?
The Craft of Memoir: Wild as a Guide to Becoming a Better Writer
Tuesdays, 4 PM PST/7 PM EST (4/30, 5/ 7, 5/ 14, 5/21)
Cost: $99.00 for regular registration and $89.00 for NAMW members
All calls are one-hour teleseminars.
The Craft of Memoir: Wild as a Guide to Becoming a Better Writer
Linda Joy and Brooke both fell in love with Cheryl Strayed’s Wild when we read it, and we immediately saw its value as a teaching tool for all of the skills the author brings to the memoir. Strayed uses what’s called a framed structure, meaning that she writes the story of her life, but uses her limited time on the Pacific Crest Trail as a means to contain her story. In this class we’ll showcase some of the things Strayed does brilliantly—structure, transitions, flashbacks vs. memory, and reflection—so that you can begin to use all of these skills in your own writing.
Class 1. April 30
• Choosing a structure, and why there’s no wrong way to do this.
• Reviewing your existing outline (or, if you don’t have one, creating one).
• Addressing whether your memoir might have changed since you first conceived of it.
• Looking to see where you feel stuck and why, and creating an inventory of your content.
Handout: how to outline a memoir-in-progress
Class 2. May 7
• How to use transitions to keep your reader contained.
• Making use of line breaks.
• Mapping your scenes through transitions.
• How scaffolding can help you better understand transitions.
Handout: How to make use of transitions
Class 3. May 14
• The difference between flashbacks and memory.
• How to come back to the present storyline if you’ve gone back in time.
• How to write good flashback and memory scenes.
Handout: Why imagination and memory are both necessary tools for your memoir journey
Class 4. May 21
• How to use reflection and why it’s so important.
• Learning to embrace your own wisdom.
• What a reader is looking for in reflection.
• How much is too much—balancing plot, dialogue, and reflection.
Handout: The balancing act of showing versus telling
Regular Price: $99
NAMW Member Price: $89
WOW! Subscriber Price: $89
